School Board Meeting - 5/21/26

001America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> May we have roll call? >> Yes. Jason Decker, >> here. Mary Lee Hall here. >> Samantha Hall >> here. William Hall >> here. >> Jeremy Hash >> here. >> Jennifer Henle >> here. Nathan Hankle >> here. >> Lisa Staler >> here. >> Joseph Wilson >> here. >> Thank you. >> All right. Moving on to item two. I'll entertain a motion to approve the agenda as presented. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Any ns or abstensions? Hearing none. That motion carries. Moving on to item three, minutes approval. I'll entertain a motion to approve the uh April 16th, 2026 minutes. So moved. >> Second. Motion a second. Uh any discussion? Any nays or abstensions?

002Hearing none, that motion carries. Which brings us to 4.01. We are our student representative report. >> Thank you. Last time I have to say that for me. um makes us sad. >> Yeah, bittersweet. That's what I've been >> Who won the election? >> So, um there's not really a clear answer at the moment. Um >> there was one person who's actually here. He ran uncontested. Um but there's PSBA things and there's an application that he needs to fill out. But likely I'll I'll introduce him. Logan Trimble, one of my closest friends, um >> is most likely to be joining you next year. >> Nothing nothing confirmed yet. Um >> it's coming. >> So, yeah, hopefully. Um I have a couple of dates for you guys and then a couple of notes. Um, the Red Cross

003held a blood drive. Um, and we raised 33 units of blood, which to my understanding is a lot of blood. I know very little about that kind of thing. Um, and I want to give a special thank you to Mr. Petite and Mrs. Landis, excuse me, um, for all of their help with that. Then a note about I think it was last week on Wednesday we had the foundation scholarship night. Um I'm sure you guys will hear a little bit more about that later, but one standout was Nicholas Torrosa and his roughly $200,000 Navy RTC scholarship. >> He's attending Dukane University with through their ROC program. Um another good friend of mine. He's he's very very deserving of that. Um he's he's a great guy. He has his pilot's license and he's going to do

004naval aviation. So um great guy. Then another note is I was fortunate enough to attend the ceremonial session of the PA Senate in Philadelphia at the National Constitution Center. Um a special thank you to Kristen Phillips Hill and her staff as well as America 250PA um for putting on an amazing event. It was a beautiful building. Um, there's the Navy or the I think it was the Army Field Brass Band. Um, it was a great performance from them. Um, so it was very honored to represent the 28th senatorial district. Um, very unique experience. I think that was the fourth time in history that they've had a Senate session outside of Senate Chambers. So, I was very very grateful for for that opportunity. It's great. Um then just last week we had our last AP exams.

005Um so we'll get scores in early July. Fingers crossed for some fives all around. Um then May 25th will be Memorial Day and we'll have all school for that. Then senior sunset at 8:00 p.m. on the 26th. Then the 27th is the day where we all walk through the hallways as graduates. Be really sad. probably gonna cry. Um, then the 29th is our last day of school. We have early dismissal that day and then graduation at 7 p.m. that same day. Fingers crossed for some good weather. Don't check the forecast too much. Um, and then another special thank you to the retirees from all over the district. I know Miss McGee is here. I'm sure there's a few others. Um, just a special thank you for all your service to the district, all the uh

006all the retirees, and this is the kind of sappy part of my report where I talk about all of my good that I've seen here, all the good that I've done here. Um, I'm really, really thankful to all of the board directors and to admin, to Mr. Shervington for convincing me to take this position. Um, initially I had ran for student council president and then lost that election and one day I got called into the counseling office. He goes, "I think you should take this position and I was a little bit skeptical." Um, and I I talked it over with Mr. Warren and with Caroline Dum, my predecessor. Um, and I really I have no regrets about taking this job. Um, I think it's a great way to give back to the community, to the

007school district. um going to be a little bit sad to leave it, but you guys will be in good hands with Logan hopefully once once he gets confirmed and everything, but um really again just thank all of you for such an amazing experience. So, >> thank you. >> Yeah, thank you. >> Thank you. >> Good luck at George Washington University to you, >> Las. >> Oh, is it Lasale? >> Lasowl. >> Oh, excuse me. I thought it was George Washington. >> Some some changes. Yes. Was that recent? >> Uh, a few weeks ago. >> So, I'll be >> be very excited to go there. >> All right. Uh, next we have item 5.01, National Merit Scholar Finalist Awards, presented by Dr. James Turner. >> Good evening. It's a pleasure to be here this evening to

008share uh recognition to two of our outstanding warriors at the high school for earning National Merit Scholar Finalist Awards. You may ask yourself, what is a National Merit Scholarship Award? Well, I Googled it. Uh, National Merit Finalist is an academically outstanding high school senior who advances from the semi- finalist stage in the MS National Merit Scholarship Program. When you take the PSAT SAT, it puts you into this pool uh of of students. Of the nearly 1.5 million entrance, roughly 16,000 become semi- finalists and about 15,000 ultimately achieve finalist status to compete for scholarships. It's awesome to be able to share with you that two of our seniors at Susuana qualified for that position. So, that's pretty outstanding. About half of those 15,000 go on to compete for scholarships. And Jacob that's with us this evening

009uh did earn scholarship monies from this. So even more elite. What does it do for you? I asked Google that one too. Um being named a finalist opens up major advantages in the college admissions process and it really celebrates academic accomplishments of our students. We feel fortunate to have two scholars reaching this distinction at Susquano. Uh but just as importantly, we are proud of them, these young men for not just their being super bright, but also genuinely nice guys who are involved in a lot of great activities at school as well. So, uh Eli was unable to be here this evening. Um we're going to give them resolutions signed by the board that indicate the following. Whereas Jacob Awanowitz and Eli De Palmer, I'm sorry, Eli Allison met or exceeded all requirements set forth by

010the National Merit Scholarship Awards Program. It is resolved that the board of education on behalf of the Southern York County School District adds its recognition, gratitude, and admiration for the way in which Eli and Jacob have represented Susan High School, their dedication, leadership, and success as a student, will serve as a role model for others. So, join me in congratulating at this point Jacob, who was able to be here this evening, and Eli Allison, who was not able to be here this evening. THANK YOU. >> Thank you. >> All right. This one from here. All right, Kale got his chance to thank us. Now it's our chance to thank him. So I have the following uh resolution accommodation from the uh Sunny County School District School Board. Whereas Caleb Ross has faithfully and with distinction

011served in the role of student board representative for two consecutive years. And whereas Caleb has positively represented Suscohanic High School and the Southern York County School District in leadership roles throughout his educational journey. And whereas Caleb has been a valued member of the Suscohanic High School orchestra. And whereas Cale Caleb has been deeply involved in high school athletics, including varsity cross country and varsity track. And whereas Caleb has represented an essential member of Susuanic High School, student council, and Warrior Council. And whereas Caleb participated in the senator for a day program at the state capital, writing a heralded essay in conjunction with a proposed bill in support of high school juniors and seniors having the opportunity to vote during schoolboard elections. And whereas Caleb has extensively supported and served various organizations and events throughout the

012community, it is resolved that the board of education as well as the Southern York County School District adds its recognition, gratitude, and admiration for the way in which Caleb Ross has represented Susuanak High School. His dedication, leadership, and exceptional success as a student representative and member of the Southern uh Southern family overall will serve as a role model for others. given this day in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on the 21st day of May, 2026. All right. Moving on to 5.03. Retirees presented by uh board president me and uh superintendent Dr. Dr. Robert Bison and other administrators. All right, I'm back up. >> We're going to first uh just say something overall. Um, this is kind of one of my favorite moments throughout the school year, and that's recognizing the people that we are standing side

013by side with and working on a daily basis to support the students throughout the district. And these folks are not only teachers or or administrators, but all of our staff throughout the district. And it takes uh a whole lot of them to be successful and to be successful over the long term. Uh, so we're gonna start off this evening, I believe, with Dr. Bell presenting um to one of her retirees. Good evening. It is an absolute priv privilege to stand before you tonight to recognize and thank Mrs. Melissa Basner for 30 years of service to the Southern York County School District. Melissa began her career teaching seventh grade English at Southern Middle School on February 12th, 1996. She has dedicated her life to guiding, inspiring, and shaping the minds of seventh and eighth grade students

014over those three decades. After earning her bachelor's degree and teaching certification from Messiah College, she went on to complete her master's degree at Penn State University. But her pursuit of excellence didn't stop there. Throughout her tenure, she has sought out professional development and shared her expertise with others through countless workshops and conferences, including representing our district at the Bureau of Education and Research, the Mid-Atlantic Interdisciplinary Conference, and International Society for Technology and Education Conferences. Melissa has led sessions for incorporating technology in the classroom at the district's Southern Academy, served as a mentor for new teachers in the York County teacher induction program, and wrote countless English curriculums. Furthermore, Melissa served in many roles to provide opportunities to students beyond the classroom, such as serving as the Southern Middle School 7th grade adviser, where she planned

015and chaperon field trips, coordinating the school spelling bee, was involved with the Southern Movie Project, wrote grants for technology, and even had her students write letters to Bill Gates to assist with funding technology needs. Most recently, she served on the the nearly winning nearly winning 2026 Southern Middle School Battle of the Buildings team, where she had quite the student fan club. In Melissa's free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, going to the beach, and traveling to Jamaica. She is an avid reader, has a love for theater, and enjoys learning about Greek mythology. Melissa, on behalf of the administration, the staff, and the entire Southern York County School District community, we thank you for 30 years of self selfless service and for sharing your love of learning with thousands of students. We wish you

016a relaxing and muchdeserved retirement. Thank you. So, I have a special one this evening. I'm not going to save Mrs. Green for last. I'm going to go now. Okay. >> Um, after and I had a speech all written. I can't find it. I know that's shocking for those that work with me on a daily basis. Uh, look, she snapped it for. You might have been better off with the written speech. Um, after 19 years uh of service to the district and the community uh, including the educational foundation, there's no one more deserving uh for this recognition than Sue. We've worked together for 19 years. I know I have been in many positions over those 19 years. Sue came to us 19 years ago as business manager and is finishing her career as uh CFO of

017the school district and current executive director which she's also turning over but remaining a board member into next year to help with our transition. And what I would say about Sue is while our dialogue uh at times did not all did not always agree with one another behind those closed doors, uh it was very fruitful and meaningful conversations. And Sue is um one person that is willing uh to go into the superintendent's office and challenge an idea or a notion and do it from the perspective of a parent, a staff member um as well as administrator or board member. And I will forever be grateful for those conversations and those perspectives that Sue would always share with me. Um, and while we didn't agree, I think we ultimately always came out with a better solution

018and a better plan uh than if it was just I or or Len that were left to the decision-m. Um, and for that you have made this district a better place for our staff and students and you leave a legacy of policies and procedures but also uh a kind warm heart regardless of the difficulty of the situation. So Susan, >> I hate attention. Success upstairs. >> I really don't want to. And for the next one, uh, Mr. Buffing, come up. Good evening. I'd like to recognize Keith McFatrich. Keith was um our third shift custodial leader at the high school uh since March of 2022. Although he hadn't been here many years uh with us, he certainly made an impact. Um he was at a neighboring district for approximately 20 years before coming here. When I

019think of Keith, I think of service. He served two districts for 25 years. He also was a volunteer fireman and fire policeman for 48 years. He enjoys spending time with his family, especially his granddaughter. And if you uh go out on out in the evening, you may find him at the local crab shack. Now, you know, working at the local crab shack. So if that's not service to our community, I don't know what is. So I just like to say thank you to Keith for, you know, the last few years of his career in education and certainly served us well. This time I'll call Dr. Sterner from the high school up. It's my privilege to recognize Patricia, I've never called her that, Patty McGee. Uh, a a longtime staple in our district. Um, I was

020not surprised to find she joined the district back in September of 2004. I'm going to I'm going to give her professional credentials first because it's it's pretty incredible. Professionally, Mrs. Mc McGee served as a paraprofessional. If you're not familiar with what that role is, it's the jack of all trades and the friend of all students. She worked in the following places, and this took some research. Shrewsbury Elementary. She worked in autistic support. She worked in alternative education program. She worked with extended school year. She supported life skills, study halls, and our district district's digital academy. She even in a pinch and it just speaks to the character that that she has sat in our counseling office to lend support when we were down a clerical person as a leader and she definitely is one. She

021served as president of the district's educational support staff professionals and was very loyal to that role and her support of her colleagues. Beyond this role and and where so many of us know Patty's true strength is being a dedicated member of our community. It shines. It shined way back before 2004 when she initially started unpaid in our district as a parent volunteer uh before joining the paraprofessional ranks. Patty's also a very recognizable person at our sporting events um where her face and her voice shows up at so many competitions. Far beyond her role, she is the most dedicated of mothers to two wonderfully successful warrior grads. We wish Patty all the best in her next chapter, but know that she's such a fixture of our community. We'll certainly see her around and we look forward

022to that. Patty, congratulations. Okay, I have a lacrosse game to get to. >> Yep. >> Hi, Miss McGee. >> Hi. >> Go Warriors. Also this evening unable to be here but I would like to recognize Mr. William never called him that Bill Kerr. Um Bill Kerr joined Susuanok the Saskuhan family in the 2010 2011 school year after teaching in other nearby schools at SHS. In addition to teaching social studies Mr. Kerr served in numerous roles within our warrior football program. kind of like Patty's various roles in pair of professional. I think he hit nearly everything in the football program and he even much like Patty's uh filling in at the counseling office. He served a stint as interim assistant softball coach. More recently, he's generously shared his evening supporting our athletics department as assistant athletic

023director in addition to his teaching responsibilities. Aside from his many and varied roles in education, Bill is dedicated to his family. Although we miss him joining us this evening, he's unable to be here as he's supporting a family responsibility. Bill and his wife Tracy proudly raised three outstanding warriors that are finding success in growing families in warmer climates. As Bill transitions from his teaching and athletic roles, he will not hesitate to take on the full-time role of grandfather. If you've ever seen him talk about his grandchildren, you know his his family is his greatest priority. We certainly wish Bill a relaxing retirement and much time to spend with his loved ones. Thanks, BILL. Next up, I'll call Mr. Dr. Hollinger. Good evening. Tonight, I want to take just a moment to celebrate and honor Tammy

024Heath. Um, she joined our Southern Elementary School family in September of 2023 as a full-time personal care assistant where she worked very closely with a particular student. In this role, she truly exemplified what it means to be an educator and a caretaker. What really set Tammy apart was her heart. She was noteworthy at establishing meaningful trusting relationships with parents, always with respect. She possessed an incredible intuition, finding the perfect delicate balance between providing support and encouraging independence. Because of this, she directly and positively impacted her students families confidence in the services provided by our district. From providing effective student accommodations to simply being a steady, reassuring presence, Tammy excelled. Although we miss Tammy joining us tonight for this recognition, we are incredibly happy for the reason she's unable to be here. As we speak, she

025is enjoying and celebrating at her grandchild's graduation ceremony. So, please join me in appreciating Tammy for her dedication, warmth, and service to our district. We wish her the absolute best in her well-deserved retirement. Next up for representing Shrewsbury Elementary, Dr. Van Bors. Okay, good evening everybody. We have three great retirees to celebrate tonight from Shrewsbury. They can't be with us tonight, but I just want to share some great things about them. First, we have Marie Berman, our school nurse. Marie uh has dedicated her career to caring for others through both healthcare and education. as a registered nurse with advanced degrees in nurse uh in nursing and health education. She earned the title school nurse in 2013 and later joined the district in September of 2020, bringing with her a wealth of experience from public service

026and another school district. For Marie, being a school nurse really has been a work from the heart. She has shared her compassion, support, and dedication not only with Shrewsbury, but throughout the entire district. Her commitment to the well-being of students and staff alike has made an impact that will be remembered long after her retirement. Given Marie's love for the outdoor activities such as camping and bicycling, I'm sure she'll spend a lot of time outdoors during her retirement. We'll miss you, Marie, and thank you for all you've done for Shrewsbury and the Southern York County School District. All the best in retirement. Next. YEP. NEXT, we have Nina Kenny, one of our learning support teachers. For more than 30 years, Nina has made a difference in the lives of students throughout our district. Appointed on August

02720th, 2001, she brought a strong educational foundation, including a graduate degree from York College, a special education certificate from Millersville, and a master's degree from Penn State. Her connection to education began early with student teaching over at Southern Elementary School and gaining experience at York City School District before coming back to join Southern as a learning support teacher. During the 2004 2005 school year, she transferred to Shrewsbury Elementary School where she would finish out her career serving students in grades four through six with compassion, patience, and dedication. Nina continually sought opportunities for professional growth through the Bureau of Education and Research and Wilson language training. She also served as our fifth and sixth grade environ coach and mentored fellow educators in the York County teacher induction program. One of the best things Nina has done

028actually has happened outside the classroom. Each year for as long as I can remember, she's organized a cancer crushing 5K event for multiple years to raise money for cancer research. I'm sure she'll continue that in her retirement, but also spend more time in what she loves doing, running, biking, and spending time with her family. Although she can't be with us here tonight for her recognition, we're really happy for the reason she can't be here. She right now is enjoying her uh daughter's rehearsal dinner prior to her wedding tomorrow. >> So, so Nina, thank you for all of your dedication to Shrewsbury Elementary School and the Southern York County School District. And last, but certainly not least, is Barb Croner, one of our instructional assistants over at Shrewsbury. Since her appointment on August 21st, 2008, Barb

029has brought joy, compassion, and support to the students and staff of Shrewsbury. Known for her happy, patient, and considerate nature, she is approached each day with positivity, high energy, and a genuine love for helping others. As an instructional assistant, she uh she possessed a special talent for interacting with students and in an encouraging way, truly adding a spark to to the Shrewsbury community and serving as a wonderful role model for both students and staff. Barb continually sought new ways to grow and serve others more effectively by embracing every opportunity for professional development and often requested it uh on her own to support her students. Her dedication extended far beyond the classroom walls. She served as Shrewsberry's unofficial building photographer. Many of you who have at Shrewsbury probably had your picture taken by Barb. She organized

030our annual Shrewsbury staff dance video. Even got Dr. Reppert to dance last year in it. See how that went. Played music at parent drop off to welcome the students and ensured students had a caring adult uh to support them during recess. Barb has made a lasting impact on Shrewsbury. Her kindness, energy, and heart will be deeply missed and finally remembered for years to come. In retirement, Barb's looking forward to spending time with her family and her grandkids. Barb, thank you for thank you for all your dedication to Shrewsbury Elementary School and the Southern York County School District. One last thank you to 143 years worth of service to the district. Uh, one last round of applause to all of OUR All right. Item 5.04. We're going to have a cursive writing presentation by Dr. Kim

031Hughes and Dr. Stephanie Wine Miller. >> So, we wanted to start this evening. Um, I want to thank Dr. Wine Miller for being here this evening. I'm going to have her um do a lot of the presentation this evening because one of the things that we want to um really celebrate is the fact that whenever we do any kind of um approval for a writing or a math or a science program, we always look at collaboration across our grades, across our schools. Dr. Dr. Wagner Miller was um one of the leaders on our cursive writing initiative and along with um many teachers, we had teacher representations from grades kindergarten through sixth grade. I want to thank those teachers. They did a lot of behind the scenes looking at different programs and helping us to evaluate

032them. So, we will talk to you this evening about our cursive writing and how we got to the final decision with the program that we would um ask tonight for approval. All right. Thank you, Dr. Hughes. All right. So, like Dr. Hughes mentioned, we are here tonight seeking approval of a curriculum program that would provide quality cursive instruction from kindergarten through grade six. And we will briefly highlight the vetting process through the committee that Dr. Hughes mentioned share our cost analysis, provide you with the final recommendation um and including what components come with that program and the professional development. So the vetting process began with our elementary reading specialists and they started by researching what cursive programs were available um and having those samples sent to all of our schools. Um, and really our reading

033specialist got that ball started with looking at eight different cursive programs and their initial vetting of those programs. They were really looking for alignment with our current foundational literacy programs and they were looking for programs that met all of the recommendations within act 2 of 2026. Um, and that was of course House Bill 17, which was the legislation requiring all elementary, private, and public schools to have handwriting programs in grades K through six. So, our committee of reading specialists took eight programs and they narrowed them down to three programs again based on alignment with our 95 reading programs and meeting legislative requirements. And the three programs that they felt like met those two initial requirements were handwriting without tears, real OT Works, and Zer Blosser. And those three programs then were taken to a larger

034committee um of approximately 20 staff members that was led by Dr. Hughes, our reading specialists again were a part of that process. Teachers from all three elementary schools um and all seven grades K to six. our special education instructional advisor, elementary administrators and our occupational therapists in the district were not a part of the committee, but we did take our recommendations to them for their expert feedback. So, if you take a look here at the table being displayed, um you can see the items that this committee was looking at as they reviewed those three finalist programs. We were looking at grade level, a deeper look at our alignment with our 95 programs, practice opportunities, assessment, and just a few things worth noting with each program. Um, Zayer Blosser was the only one that offered consistency

035in kindergarten through sixth grade. And our committee also found that the instructional philosophy within Zayerb Blowser was a very tight match with the instructional philosophy and routines within our 95 reading programs. So that's very advantageous for our students because then they are not spending a lot of cognitive energy learning the program per se because they're already used to some of those routines. Um, Zayer Blosser also the curriculum and program includes daily handwriting instruction and practice and the cursive itself is very classic and traditional. A few things worth noting with handwriting without tears. um it does stop at fifth grade and in further review of that program we found that it actually did not include joint italics which is one of the requirements of the legislation. It also prioritized practice opportunities that were non-traditional. So rather

036than having pencil paper handwriting practice opportunities, it really emphasized writing in sand um or tracing letters on sandpaper or using clay to make letters. Um and because of some of those practice opportunities, the cursive was not traditional and it was simplified and it wasn't the cursive that you and I would recognize or that we would have learned in school. And then finally, real OT works. Um, further evaluation of that program, um, we realized that it's not intended to be taught daily and it would not span a full academic year. Um, so it's not something that we could put into our writing program and that students could practice for the full year. Um, it really serves better as an intervention. um and it really doesn't come with assessment pieces or a lot of practice opportunities. So

037based on the reasons that I shared um we had a unanimous selection of the Xer blower from the 20 staff members that were a part of that committee. So those 20 staff members then took those sample products and they went back to their grade level colleagues in their buildings and their department colleagues within special ed and they shared what was going to be our recommendation tonight really to make sure that we had buyin from all staff since all teachers K to six will be responsible for implementing this program. um and just to make sure that there weren't any reservations or maybe red flags that the members of the committee overlooked or didn't see. Um and that process resulted in full support of our elementary staff. So at the same time that our committee was evaluating

038the programs, um Dr. Hughes was behind the scenes working on cost and getting quotes from those companies and negotiating shipping and trying to get repeat customer discounts. Um, and you can see the cost span. Um, from those initial eight programs ranged anywhere from about 10 to $72,000. The three programs that our full committee looked at, the range of those programs was about 25,000 to that 72,000. And our recommended program, the Xer Bluer, um year 1 is just under 39,000 and following year one, it would be a recurring cost of just under 21,000. Um and in looking at programs um we certainly want the best quality program for our students but it's also priority that we are balancing that with fiscal responsibility. Um so in terms of cost analysis the team again led by Dr. Hughes

039felt like senior blows um is a good fit for cost also. So that cost that I shared includes the programs components that are listed above. Um the first column there are the items that make year one more expensive because they're the items that the teachers and some of the students will use year after year. There are the teacher manuals, the posters that get hung up in the classroom, the alphabet cards with those instructional routines, and the items on the right that are in red, they are consumable, and they would need purchased each year, which is where we get that recurring cost of about 21,000. And that includes the student edition for the practice books in grades K through six, handwriting journals, and alphabet desk strips. And then also included in that first year cost which

040increases that first year is the professional development. And it's a two-pronged approach. Um there's an in-person interactive session. And that session really covers how to write in cursive, how to deliver effective cursive instruction. It will teach staff members the stages of writing development and it also explores research and shares the academic and cognitive benefits of cursive handwriting. And the second piece is they are ondemand webinars that assist with program implementation and they could be used in year one but then also if a teacher is moving grade levels they can then be reviewed to see how the program is different maybe in grade four than grade two and we would always have them available for our use. So our recommendation is we are here this evening seeking approval of Zayer Blower handwriting program next school year

041in the amount of 38,000 um to provide that cursive handwriting instruction within just under 21,000 in the subsequent years. Part of this is also um one of the things that we've with the negotiation with the company Zayer Blows are um they are known for handwriting. They've known they've gone back many generations with understanding handwriting and all of those pieces. They have a fixed cost for their actual journals. So they don't actually do like this school gets it for this price and this school gets they have one fixed cost. But we were able to they said we will send especially with the first year because there's so many other pieces that come with this. They are completely taking off any shipping that would be included with that. So that was a cost savings piece there. We're

042also um talking with our teachers to see are all of the components of the program needed for that reoccurring. So the reoccurring cost of the 21,000 right now, that would be in case we need everything reordered for those consumables. If we see no, we might just need it for grades K through three. The other piece to this is because it is a writing program, as um Dr. B Miller was explaining, some of the other programs we saw had things were written in sand or clay in other programs. This one truly does have the paper pencil writing components to it. It has these journals. So we really would evaluate the cost effectiveness. Along with it comes though only for teachers. Everything in there is able to be downloaded and printed. So, if we see that there's

043a certain grade level that we're able to use different pieces with and we want to start implementing our own handwriting for essays and those types of things, we can down the road continue to look at that and do a cost analysis as we're going through. The other piece to this is that as we're moving forward and we're looking at this program, we want to make sure we were very excited to find out from the company that most of the other ones had professional development that was just about like this is how you write for this program. This really went back to the why behind it and teaching the research behind why cursive writing is important and how it helps our students take things into long-term memory. So, we're looking at this as being not just

044a new program, but really developing an understanding of um as Dr. Wy Miller was talking about the writing practices and how this affects our kids and how it will help them in the future >> for the professional development. Um since it's for 2026, 2027, when would that happen and how long do they think it's going to take to get teachers who don't know this up to speed? So, one of the things we're working with the company right now, they're kind of on standby. They know that the board meetings tonight, we're looking at trying to have that within the first three days of school for all of our teachers. That way, we can have everyone included in this. It would be everyone from all of the buildings coming together and having this um in a one-day

045training. Then the next piece of this is a two-hour online that's kind of um they do an initial training and then we can continue those online pieces. The nice thing with this is that some of them are recorded. So we will have everyone trained. We'll be able to pull these for new teachers coming in in the future and continually do that training. I have to say that I'm also very excited. Our reading specialists have really taken a really hard look at this and we're very excited in that they will be able to continue to help train as we go forward as well. So, it's almost becoming that train the trainer and we continue the move this forward. >> What happens to grades 7 through 12? >> We're looking right now at implementing one of the

046things that we actually asked about this program. So we were concerned if we have students in third grade and fourth grade, fifth grade, sixth grade, they haven't had it from um kindergarten. So let me start with them and moving forward because we have to have a long range trajectory, >> right? So third grade is really the area that we're thinking, okay, if students in fourth grade, the company has worked with so many different districts that they're able to say, okay, in fourth grade, don't buy a different grade level workbook. Buy the fourth grade, but we'll tell you what pieces you need to pull from the other programs to get you caught up. And they have that outline, that projection for fourth, fifth, and sixth grade. Then when you hit seventh and eighth grade, we're looking

047at and working with Dr. Bell and um Dr. Sterner on how do we continue to move this forward. What types of note takingaking strategies and those types of things can we use and implement that it's not teaching cursive writing, it's teaching a skill that they're going to need to help them whether it's in work or college. So we're looking at those components right now of making it authentic. So, we're not trying to teach just a cursive process. We're actually teaching them how to use a skill that's tied with cursive. Since this is new, um different than than what we had been doing, what would you tell parents? Like obviously different grades are going to do it differently and spend um more and less time on it, but on the typical day these exercises, how long

048would they take in each class? It's about 15 minutes. In kindergarten through sixth grade, they asked to all lot about 16 minutes. Um, and their recommendation is to embed that within the writing block. So, either before or after the writing instruction. >> It's when I when you did your presentation, I absolutely see why you recommended the one over the other two. I mean, it it meets every metric. It's seems like a no-brainer there. I absolutely love that the one that you chose has the daily applications because anything else seems like it's just exposure learning. You really did make it a part of the core curriculum which I think is actually even above and beyond what the law requires. So well done guys. That's phenomenal. >> Thanks. >> Yeah, I I really appreciate hearing about the

049upper grades >> and because a lot of our students didn't have this earlier on. um getting them some again if it's through like Cornell notes teaching or something like that where they can bind it with us you know a skill that they can use forever is huge so I really appreciate the time on this >> was a great presentation thanks for joining in Dr. Do I have no idea? >> So I have one more question. So the 21,000 for subsequent years. Um is that attached to a term or is that just year two? >> That's well it's 21,000 and then depending on we don't have like a long-term contract. Um they are you have to pay ahead if you're going to do that. And um what we were kind of sitting and going back and

050forth with is until we really have a year to get this down under our belt and really see the implementation and what exactly we're going to need. We'd rather make that decision next year if we want to go into a long-term contract so that we're able to see like we need everything or really we need the journals for K through two and then we need these pieces that we can print. So, it's really trying to figure out and see what cost effectively, but what's best for our kids. Makes >> sense. You >> you said that the price is the same for every district for the product. >> Yes. >> So, they could probably tell you over the last 10 years, here's what our price increases have looked like to the market, right? Do we >>

051I believe, and if I remember correctly, please do not hold me on this, but I think that it's been like over the last three or four years, it's been like a 3% So >> peranom or total >> total from what I understand. Now I know that there's also cost things going in the market fluctuates and paper and sourcing and all that kind of stuff. So but um >> so next year we could be looking at a longer term contract that locks in a price. Is that correct? >> That would yes. >> Okay. >> So I have just a follow-up question to what Mr. Hall asked. So, how would you, if you were looking at a long-term contract, if you were looking to do that, how would you determine if this was successful? What's the metric

052that you're looking at or the the rubric, I guess? What What if I'm a parent, what would what would I notice different in my children? >> I think as a parent, the first thing that you would notice would be student work coming home that they're utilizing cursive. Um, and seeing some of those practice sheets that are coming home and students get really excited about cursive. Just teachers talking about implementation within PLC's and what next year would look like. Um, students overheard some of that talk and they're very excited. Um, so I think the excitement will be coming home, the practice opportunities. Um, and I think through our lens in terms of evaluation, Zayerb Blower includes pre and post assessments that we would be utilizing um that even fall within that daily 15minute window. >> I

053love hearing that the students are excited about it. Um, have we or and probably the answer is not yet, but >> um it might be good to to look at would they also be excited if some of the reading uh was was incursive? Uh if they're excited about cursive then then applying this to okay now I understand how to write it now I because I can write it I can read it as well. Maybe I'm going to read this cursive this document that's in cursive. Um, obviously it has to be appropriate to their age. So some some of the some of the old documents we have might be a little advanced for them, but we might be able to find something like that. >> It's interesting one of Mr. Hash brought up about those upper

054grade levels. We actually currently are integrating because when you look at the historical documents, especially in our social studies classrooms, we really do have a lot of historical documents that are integrated into those um upper social studies classrooms. So, it's something that we've been, you know, they see the Declaration of Independence, they see these pieces in those written scripts. So, now they're learning not only how to read them, but also the purposes behind them. >> Um, it it's also, you know, it's been interesting as an administrative staff for us all to start looking at even our own note-taking habits. um we were talking about the other day I'm like I do a join I do print and script during when I'm taking notes but it becomes you know that's the piece that we're looking for

055our upper students in how can this help them and help them with memory miss one of the things that I think we need to get more information during the training while we have the pre and the post assessments we also want to get some of the research behind like what should we be looking for and working with the company And that's been one of the great things of working with this company. They have been wonderful to be able to contact and immediately get back to us and kind of support and you know talk to us about the different pieces. So that'll be I think we'll be able to get a better understanding of additional pieces besides the pre and post once we have that initial training. >> Thank you. Quick question like how many districts

056have used this tool before us? >> The Xer Blowser. >> Yes. >> Okay. I have the information, but I'm going to have to go look because I don't have the number. >> Just I'm I'm just a ballpark. >> They It's very widely used. Um, Zayer Bluer is like when we were talking with with the the um with this advent of the law that's coming into place, it's not just Pennsylvania right now. So when we were talking to them, she didn't give me specific numbers like in Pennsylvania, but their numbers have been increasing greatly, which is one of the reasons why I needed to talk to them about professional development early on because not only are we adopting this, but a lot of other people are. And they've learned. So part of our conversation has been

057they've implemented this in a lot of different districts. So they already have plans on how it takes. So I can get you numbers. I know I have them. >> Curiosity. It wasn't. >> So it sounds like they are well established. They've been in >> decades maybe. >> Oh yes. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Yeah. And they are the most popular program. Um and when members of our committee were talking to their colleagues in other districts, almost everyone that they talked to um was moving towards Zayer Blazer if they didn't already have it. >> Thank you. Mhm. >> From an implementation standpoint, you had already said that some of the stuff would be coming home. Do you expect like the handwriting journals like homework would be coming home or do you think that it would look

058something look differently >> until our teams dive in and have the training? I'm not sure what homework would look like. Um, I could definitely see if students didn't get pieces finished within that allotted time, it would be appropriate to send home for homework. >> And then were you planning on or have there been conversations about uh whether or not this curriculum and the completion of it would be graded? >> We haven't. That's a like that that is something that we haven't really >> talked about, >> right? >> It's hard is kind of subjective. >> So it's like do you do you do it based on the precision and accuracy or do you do it on completion or >> Right. I mean >> to some extent students they get they get the coordination when they get

059it that's definitely one of those things that varies a lot >> from boy to girl >> this child to that child in terms of age. it it there's a lot of variation in terms of when that coordination clicks. >> Yes. And our elementary report cards currently every all of the fields are related back to a standard >> and there aren't standards for cursive handwriting. >> Yes. >> Thank But it does actually now that we we're you know thinking through this there are >> opportunities for us especially with the pre and post assessments to be able to send him even if it's not graded we would be able to tell parents where students are falling in the trajectory of they have this mastered this concept or that would be part of the >> reading. That's awesome.

060Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Welcome back. All right. Moving on to 5.05, we have educational updates by Dr. Reert. >> Thank you, President Haggle. School board, where has this year gone? >> I can't believe that we're at the tail end of the 2526 school year. And as Caleb said earlier, uh just a few short days away from that graduation. Uh but congratulations to the nine retirees that were honored this evening. Um having the opportunity to work with many of them, spend time with many of them, and as Dr. Vanbor said dance with one of them. Um it's just been extreme pleasure just uh what they've done and the impact they've had on our school district and community. Uh following under my continued theme under uh safety, I just want to take a moment to

061thank Mr. Lizel, Mr. Menddees, as well as Sergeant Smuck, maintenance custodial officers, the Southern Regional Police Department, as well as the state police for all the support throughout the school year. uh they continue to work as a team in setting up and maintaining a high level of safety and security throughout our district uh during our school events. And as we get ready to close another school year, once again, we're truly thankful for their dedication and safety and security throughout our district. Um under supportive Caleb, this one's for you. All right, everyone else got to talk to you, but Caleb, I want to thank you for the last two years. It's just been an awesome opportunity to see you grow in your position. um wanted to wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors.

062I know you're going to continue to make some uh great decisions and just so you know, once a warrior, you're always a warrior. So, thank you for all you've done. Um under a collaborative culture, uh I've been sharing this the last few years. Just want to take a moment to share some information I received about our district's participation in the Kids Heart Challenge at the elementary school and American Heart Challenge at the middle school. Uh the district raised over $23,000 this past year. Uh and the totals collected by the schools. Uh Friendship was over $5,000 as well as Shrewsbury Southern Elementary over $10,000 and Southern Middle School over $2,000. So in 25 years of our district participating with the American Heart Association, district has raised 256 256 $322,000 for the American Heart Association. Uh once

063again, Southern Elementary School, it seems to be a theme over the last few years. Uh they have ranked um in the the top 25 out of 124 schools. This year being uh 11th. Uh, I wanted to give special thanks to the administrators of each of the schools as well as some of the staff members. Casey Wagman from Friendship, Sam Leblanc from Shrewsbury, Andy Bloom from Southern Elementary, and Brandy Christensen from uh the middle school for their participation. The district will be awarded over $2,000 as give back funds to be utilized for physical education uh supplies and equipment. And then finally, uh there was over 75 students and their families that participated in the online handsonly CPR and 72% uh I mean 72 students and their families participated and learn the warning signs of stroke uh

064this past school year. Uh we've continued to do this over the years and uh we've had well over 500 students and families over the last few years participate in the Finn's challenge. So, congratulations to all those who participated because their participation can save a life. Uh, the only upcoming event I have, see you back here on on Thursday, June 11th for the final board meeting. So, let's have a great end of the school year. >> Oh, not choice is yours. >> Well, I was supposed to do that. >> Don't worry, Jeremy's got your back. >> Okay. Can we do it again next month? >> All right. I'll forget. >> Jeremy won't. Thank you. Uh we have uh next item 6.01 procedure for public public comment. Um just remember to come up state your name and

065municipality of residence. Um first we have Christine Burns. >> Christine Burns. I live in Shrewsbury Township. Good evening schoolboard members. I am speaking tonight about the athletic budget. Under no circumstances am I placing blame on the current board for the financial position we are in. I am here to express my feelings on the financial cuts to the athletic programs. Over the years, I've been a volunteer, a substitute in 2014 to 2017 and again in 2024 to current day and a booster club rep since 2019. I've been involved in volunteering in athletics since 2007. As a substitute and an avid volunteer in the athletic program, I felt it's my job to advocate for all athletes so they are able to have the best athletic experience possible. At each meet the team night, Susky boasts about the

066number of student athletes we have. Athletics are a large part of many student school careers. As the football rep, I have worked alongside coach and most purchases for the team. We fundra and try to support the team as best we can. In the past, we have purchased away game meals for our athletes, reimburse parents for team dinners, and purchased black jerseys for the team. We enjoy doing this for the players and families. In the future, we may not be able to provide these things for our team due to the lack of funds provided by the athletic department. We are currently working on hosting a basketball bingo in August to continue to give back to the team and purchase an endzone camera. Suski is currently the only school in the district without an endzone camera for

067football. This purchase needs to be made to keep up with the other schools in the district and the way the game film is presented. The endzone camera should be purchased from the school district athletic budget instead of the football budget. If the camera was purchased through athletics, all sports would have the benefit of using the camera and not need to individually purchase a camera. I understand that in the past the athletic budget may not have been balanced to the best of its ability. I feel like we have gone from a yes to purchasing items to a hard no on everything. If a team needs something, it is now their job to fund raise for those items. Unfortunately, per the booster club, if a team does not meet the 75% participation of the booster club fundraiser,

068the team may not be allowed to hold additional fundraisers. If the team does not achieve 75% of the booster club's participation, how are they to raise um fund raise for items they need? The Booster Club only allocates $40 per student and $35 extra for seniors if the 75% is met. If the 75% is not met, the team only receives $20 per athlete and $35 per senior. What can a team purchase with such a small amount? Every seven years, uniforms are to be purchased. I've heard of teams where uniforms are not being purchased even though it has been over seven years, and some uniforms were lost in building renovations and never replaced. Uniform sizes are not available and uniforms must be altered if possible. When uniforms are being purchased, they are now poor quality and will

069not make it through the season or even seven years. Just because it is cheaper is not saving money if the uniforms are not holding up for the aotted time. We have had cuts in buses and other services for the team such as cleaning services for the football team and refurbishing of helmets. The football team's helmets were red metallic this season. Due to the budget cuts, they were all refurbished in white. This past spring season, the lacrosse team did not have a logo on their helmets because the logo is not approved. Currently, the football team does not have an approved logo on their helmet for the upcoming season. Numbers and stripes are not a logo. We have taken the red helmet refurbished to white and then told the boys that there is no approved logo sticker.

070How would you feel about this if you were a player on the team? The missing logo may be that the warrior head is too detailed and it does not look aesthetically pleasing on the helmet. This could be due to the size of the logo would need to be or the placement on the helmet. Other logo options were presented to administration, but all have been denied. I'm wearing a lacrosse logo that has been used on spiritware for years in some form or another and is currently on our girls lacrosse uniforms that are playing right now. Why can't this logo be considered for the helmets in the future or something that the coaches propose? If the warrior head cannot be placed on the gear, what is an alternative that can be used? What is that compromise? Uniforms

071are to be clean, fresh, and whole. Help the players prepare for the game and make the team more vested in their play. If you dressed with holes in your clothing and your hair unckempt, would you feel the best at your job? Every time our athletes step out onto the field, they are working their job. Why are we asking them to not look their best? Feeling confident in your appearance directly enhances your performance. I'm asking for transparency in the athletic budget. I would like to see what we have in the budget, our proposed expenses, and proposed purchases. Where are the funds going that are being collected at all the games? Are those funds going back to the athletes? How are we gathering for sponsorships going? What are the funds being allocated from the sponsorships? How can

072the coaches be met in the middle with the athletic department for purchases that are necessary? Why is the band allowed to monopolize fundraisings at every football game? Why are other sports not able to fund raise on Friday night home games? How can we as a district best support our athletes to make them feel valued? This may seem trivial to some, but when a majority of your students are athletes, it's a big deal to them. >> Thank you, Ashley Coleman here. >> All right. Uh item 6.02, board discussion and public comment. I have a couple of u things that I'd like to to talk about. So, um I have actually recently reached out uh to uh Dr. Bryson and we talked about ath we talked about the budget and how this is going to affect um

073athletics and my understanding is that there has not been any cuts to the budget for athletics. So, I I do I do like the idea of um transparency on the athletic budget where money is going and sponsorships new since last year um of the community. Um but at the same time, I I I' I'd like to understand more in regards to what what communications have gone out there insinuating cuts. um or is that a perception because things are not being approved? Is there any information that you can provide maybe Dr. Bryson from what you know of Mr. um the athletic director if if Matt has said anything to you about any of these things that we just heard >> which they um >> regarding cuts. Yeah, >> I don't know where the perception of cuts

074I can speculate. I mean, I had hate to speculate, but the cost of running an athletic program goes up every year. So, if the budget is not going up, likewise to the cost for to transport, to buy uniforms officials. So, while there's no necessarily a cut to the amount of budget that they receive, >> they've got to do more with less. So, I can run exactly the same athletic program next year that I'm running this year, but to do it with the same budget, there are things that may not be able to be purchased. >> Does that I don't know if that makes sense, but >> it does. It does. Um, but we we as a as a board haven't learned about an endzone camera need, right, to be able to fill that need. And

075I can't speak to it from right now as to yeah >> if that request was made to the athletic department. >> Also, we're told there's missing uniforms >> that from the renovation that were lost. Like we haven't heard anything about that. >> So, and we're >> huh. Oh, >> yeah. So, >> is it possible? Sure. Certainly possible. >> As far as what she said about the helmets, are we not able to get the big beautiful Indian on the helmets? the uh so this board chose um the logo as the Indian head. >> That's what they're allowed to put on the helmet. >> So it wasn't denied >> the logo, the Indian logo. Not that I'm aware of. >> She said it was denied several times. My understanding of that, if I can just chime in,

076is that the design of the helmet this year is in such a way that uh the coach felt that it would be too small to really fit um you know, because there's different kinds of safety dynamics with the helmet um that you can't kind of bump over. So, they're they're just going to make it smaller. And that that wasn't a good look. So, uh, the design landed on, you know, a a stripe, uh, with the color and the number of the player on it rather than a specific logo, per se, because the board policy is that it has to be the warrior head, and if it's not the warrior head, then you can't use anything. So, then the the the go-to after that, if it doesn't work, is a number. Um, so I >> Dr.

077Bson, correct me if I'm wrong, that that if if it if it would be something that there would be an exception for a team, wouldn't it be okay for someone to maybe get an exception to use something else so that they, you know, the board might be able to understand extenduating circumstances? If it's too small, then maybe they could use something different and wouldn't have to refer to just numbers or some sort of striping. Did I hear correctly that it wasn't it was the lacrosse helmets too though? Is it the same thing behind the lacrosse helmets? >> Uh I am not sure about the lacrosse helmets, but I know they're different and they're shaped different, you know, but I also understand that that there was a decision made by th those coaches not to do

078any kind of uh logo this year on it or any anything and they would revisit it next year. So that wasn't something that wasn't supported by administration. It was something that the coaches decided on their own they're not going to approach it this year. They'll do it next year. >> Did they get new helmets though and just didn't put a logo on it or did they just not get new helmets? >> Can I pause for a second? I don't know that I'm we're going to have all the So I don't know that Dr. Reppert or I have met with Mrs. Burns as a result of the concerns and that really is the next step. >> Um I don't know if Dr. Sterner's had conversations with Mrs. Burns. So, it's difficult for me to answer. >>

079It was a lot of information >> what happened there and this and >> and honestly, I'm speculating, but >> maybe more important to answer or or or um Mr. Blandon be able to, you know, come forward and say, "Okay, here's what the decisions that were made." So, it's not speculation, right? This is the decisions. >> Yeah. So, we will reach out to Mrs. burns and try to work through the concerns she had and and include Mr. Blandon on that. >> Sure. And my my understanding of the football, not to step on you, but um was that there the coaches did present, you know, decals and certain things and that the the the administration did approve that um what they had had put forward. So, referring back to Dr. Bryson, when you get to meet with

080Mrs. burns and talk about those things. You know, hopefully some things will be ironed out, but I do I do understand that the the logo is definitely needing to be used. And at the same time, we need to understand as a board where the budget restrictions are that keep those things from happening if if they are. And why couldn't we buy an endzone camera? Why would that have to be something that boosters would need to take care of? So, I'm interested to those things, too. Sure. >> Yeah. >> Mhm. >> So, that's all I have. >> Anything else? >> All right. Moving on to item seven. I'll entertain a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented. >> So, move. >> Second. >> Motion and a second. Do we have any discussion? All right. And

081I had a request from a board member. I'm not going to do it for the items earlier than this, but that we change our voting style a little bit and we start to just have a quick voice vote. I So, I'm going to change the way I do this a little bit. So, all those in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed or abstaining? >> Hearing none, that motion carries. >> What was the reason for that? Um, just the idea that it would be nice to have an affirmative vote on on things that putting your voice to something is, you know, right as as it is, you know, you might you might miss that there was a vote or something. So, this kind of, you know, the idea is, okay, you you're actually going

082to put your voice to the votes. So, we can >> I think it's more transparent. >> I like it. I think it's more transparent. I don't I don't know whose idea it was, but I do think sometimes if you're not accustomed to the flow of a meeting. A vote can go by and you don't even know what happened. >> Right. So, >> we'll do it that way because that by just having a a a unified I vote and then followed by it shouldn't extend the time very much at all. Um >> so, um that brings us to item. >> How would you handle extensions? Did you ask about >> Yeah, I asked any nays or abstensions. So, you just say I nay or I abstain. Okay. Um, >> and if there are a bunch all

083all at the same time, then we'll have division of the vote. Okay. >> Um, okay. Moving on to item eight. Uh, committee report for education. I'll turn it over to Mrs. Hankle. >> Thank you, President Hankle. I'm going to try to remember the new way we're doing it. Thank you so much for springing that on me. Um, and then I just for clarity, I'm going to change a little bit of how I normally do things just for the sake of brevity. Um, when I give an item, I'm going to go ahead and move it to the floor and if we, you know, discuss it after it because I'm sure that lots of my section is going to need discussion. So, so I don't lose where I am in the motion, I'm going to do it

084that way. 8.01 is high reliability schools. Um, that is just it's not an action item. Dr. Reert, could you explain that for us? >> Thank you, Mr. Ankle. Uh, to the board, this is information on uh 2.6, six which is the final lagging indicator for level two uh focuses on teachers having opportunity to observe and discuss effective teaching. So throughout the course of the year uh you would have received uh information uh regarding level uh 2.1 through 2.6. >> Thank you so much. Uh 8.02 is the handbook. I move to approve the revisions to the 2026 2027 district student handbook. May I have a second, please? >> Second. >> And I'm sure that there's going to be some discussion, but Dr. Reppard, if you can go ahead and lead us through this first. >> Thank

085you, Mrs. Ankle. Uh for the board directors, um you received a copy of the changes update. Uh when you look at the going back to our April meeting, uh we had presented a copy of the handbook based on the recommendations from the staff. Uh we did receive some feedback from Mr. Hankle on one item um at the last board meeting and Mr. Wilson had several items. Uh many of those items are already updated uh based on the discussion that we had. Uh, two items I did want to quick highlight that were or that I know be may be part of discussion that were uh board requests to be in there. Um, and for the board directors, I did provide you with a handout of those. Um, I'm going to start with the one on the

086back of the page, the one from Mr. Hankle um under student code of conduct page 86 um under class two violations a asking the the wording to include uh deliberate disregard for another student's parent or guardians directives uh for their own student or of their right regarding their own student. Uh that was part of our discussion uh that we had at the board meeting. we had followup regarding that uh that that would be included. Uh that specific item when we spoke at our the last board meeting I did indicate that would fall under our harassment policy 103. Um but I know Mr. Hankle you wanted to have that uh specifically included but I know there'll be more discussion but we we can come back to that. Uh the second um item was regarding cell phones

087and personal devices. Uh the uh we had made the recommendation of what was in the April handbook uh for not only the uh verbiage that's in there but as well as the uh continued use of the code of conduct of enforcing that under the violations. Uh just a note to uh the board, the community, our secondary uh high school as well as the uh middle school have spent the last few years specifically looking at uh ways of addressing the uh the behaviors within the classroom within the school and cell phones was one of those items that fell under uh the specifically what the teachers could handle within their classroom. Um they've spent years through their level one committees and they're safe, supportive and collaborative, their leadership team and have come up with a uh process

088that is working and it's uh the recommendation that we continue with that as proposed back in uh April. >> All right. Um I'll just mention for mine again my my recommendation again um the reason I wanted this to be explicit is when I hear hara bullying or harassment um typically those have to come with either repeated uh infractions or a particularly egregious infraction. Um whereas with this I I would definitely like it to be even if it's once and even if it's not the most egregious example if another student has told you no my parents don't allow me to do that should be the end of the discussion that the student should not the student who was requesting you participate in that activity should not be requesting it anymore after that has been after you

089after that student's been informed of that. Additionally, students should never be taking actions that would be intended to deceive another student's parents. So, we don't allow misrepresentations of the truth to our our staff, our administrators, our our teachers. We're not going to allow students to engage in the school or using school devices in deceptions of other students parents because that's another legitimate authority in that student's life and really the primary legitimate authority in that student's life. Um, so that's that's why I wanted to be just called out very specifically. >> So you're saying that the spirit of the addition isn't a change. It's just elaborating that this too is covered under the policy. >> And I it was unclear to me that bullying and harassment did cover it. Um, I I understand that that that

090we might do so, but there's gray area where a person could say, "Well, I wasn't bullying or you know, come play kickball with me. >> I no, you know, no, I don't feel like it." If you then say, "No, come on. it'll be fun. That's okay. That's normal kids stuff. But if if the kid says, "No, my parents said I can't." A lot of times, then there's a reason. There's a health reason. There's a medical reason or some there's an important reason that that needs to happen and you shouldn't be asking again uh in that case. So now, not all examples are equally severe. So there's going to be discretion in the consequences uh for that. >> I I just have a I don't I don't understand it. I don't understand what problem we're solving.

091So, so let me ask you a question. So, deliberate, I'm like reading this, maybe it's just the wording of it, but deliberate, so intentional disregard of another student's parents or guardians directives for that student or their rights regarding their own student. But what if the parent had a directive that went against a policy? So a student a I mean a parent having directive that goes against a policy. Uh so this is primarily uh this is the student code of conduct. So if a parent disagrees with one of our policies and is unwilling to abide by it then that doesn't fall under this. This is to guide student conduct. So in that case we'd have to talk to them and say well I'm sorry you can't you can't send your child here if you're not willing

092to abide by our policy. So that's really I think a different issue. This is really the issue of a child is inviting another child to participate in an activity or and and or deceive the other child's parents about participation in activity. So come over to my h and of course obviously this happens outside of school. It's outside of our jurisdiction. But if it's come over to my house and we're going to watch this movie and no my parents said I can't. Oh, no, no. Your parents don't have to know. Or come over, come play, you know, come play this with me. Come do this thing with me. Your parents don't have to know. If it's intended to withhold information, to deceive parents or to get the child to do something that they they know that

093their parents have forbidden them from doing, then a child should not be asking another child to do that. >> How would you enforce that? >> If it like with so many things, if it's happening outside of school, we can't. If it's happening and we don't actually have evidence of it, then we can't. But that goes for so many things. I mean, mis we misrepresentations of the truth are a thing that we punish for, but those are often hard to prove that a student misrepresented the truth. So, this is only it's only ever as good as, okay, we have evidence. You you actually sent an email to this other student or you did this and the teacher heard you doing it. um you know inviting the student to participate in an activity that their parents had

094forbidden. >> But isn't there also um I mean isn't that presuming intent that they meant to do something that was willingly wrong? >> So a lot of our things also require intent and if intent can't be established. So obviously if the student didn't know that's where it's deliberate so it has to be again you have the back and forth. >> Come do this. No, my parents said I can't. Oh, your parents don't have to know. It's at the Oh, your parents don't have to know that they're in violation. They're not in violation that they come do this if they don't know if they don't know that the parents have forbidden the activity. But once they're informed that the parents have forbidden this activity or maybe they've been infor maybe the parents have said, look, I

095do not and the parents have documentation. Look, I said I don't want you doing this. That's more of the cases that might already fit into our harassment policy, but I just want it to be very clean that look, you should not once you know that a parent is not allowing something of another child or if you're trying to deceive that child's parents and and you're doing that in school, that's a violation. >> How's that show intent? Like that that's not by kids saying that. I mean, I said that when I was a kid many times. It wasn't wasn't ill intent. and it was just, you know, trying to have some fun. I That doesn't seem like bullying to me. >> I don't think it is bullying. I think it's a different offense. That's why I

096don't think it falls into harassment and bullying. >> But do you think that there's a developmental level where a child's not capable of really understanding that what I mean like a child is thinking about it and I don't know what the age is, but a child's thinking about like, well, I just want my friend to come over to my house. Like, it's not I I I guess I just don't really understand like if I don't understand it as a parent, if I'm looking at it, I wouldn't know what to do with that. I wouldn't I don't know what cases that do you know what I'm saying? I mean I can appreciate that you want to have that protection in there but I guess I just wonder is it a protection if it's not well understood?

097>> Again if if it's a developmental issue then that gets into deliberate. So I mean honestly this is very much like to my mind it's very much like insubordination uh where you know that a teacher said not to do something and you go and do it anyway. In this case, you know that the parents have said, "My child is not allowed to do this and you invite them anyway or you try to deceive the parents." >> I agree. I'm sorry. So, so in my mind, there's just too much ambiguity in it because to ask the administration to determine whether or not something is a deliberate disregard of a parent or guardian's directive would imply that they have to know what that parent or guardian's guardians directive is. And that is very much a moving target

098in that parents change their mind, you know. So I I I think it it creates a a undo or maybe even impossible burden to really understand what that parent or guardian's directive is. Um, I mean, I understand what you're trying to do and that you're you're trying to um through our handbook express to our students that it's not okay to try and convince someone to do something that they shouldn't, which I'm I'm I'm fair with that. Um, however, I think our handbook lays out a great deal of guidelines that we we deem as acceptable or inacceptable. But to introduce then the concept of then the parents directives that is going to be all over the place. I mean, because, you know, some some parents are are going to have um a a really really super

099high standard, another parent may have a really low standard. There's going to be everything in between. And for the administration to be able to delineate between that, uh I think is a a burden that at times may even be impossible. >> I agree. >> Yeah. I think this is getting pretty deep in the weeds for I >> I do think that if this were to happen and and a and a student came to uh a principal or teacher or administrator and said, you know, uh Johnny, I don't know why it's always Johnny. >> Johnny's a terrible job. >> You know, Johnny is pressuring me and pressuring me and pressuring me to do X and I don't want to do that. my my my parents wouldn't want me to do that. We have things in our

100we have tools in our toolbox to be able to go to Johnny and say this behavior behavior is going to stop. Um but I just I I understand what you're trying to do. I just think that that it is going to be so vast its implementation may be impossible. >> I agree. I I agree that it is nebulous. I also just want to say flat out I understand the exact situation that President Henle is trying to safeguard against. I mean it's protecting the anonymity is kind of hard in this discussion because board members are asking for what the reason is and there's a lot of well we can't tell you. Um, but but I agree it's nebulous. It's really hard to enforce. It's not explicit. And and maybe one of the things that I'm that

101I'm struggling with is because I think that what Mrs. Hall said was how do you know intent, doesn't it? And Mr. Hash as well, you know, doesn't doesn't that assume intent? And I more than the intent of what the kid who's in the wrong in this situation is I think that it's more educating children to be able to. It's more of a rights based thing for me. When I say my parent says I'm not allowed to do that thing, it needs to be respected. How can we carry that language into our handbook to give them the power to say no more questions? My parents said no. Could the parents stuff change? Yes. But honestly, we don't even have to worry about that because if the par if he's if he or she is saying the

102parent says no, that stops it. And so I was thinking of a situation like you know during lunch a gentleman is asking a lady to have a physical relationship. No, my parents said I'm not supposed to be doing that sort of thing. continued conversation pressuring her into a physical relationship after she's explicitly stated, "My parents say that's a no-go," could be perceived as continual harassment. Even if it's a boyfriend, even it's somebody she likes, even if it's not sexual harassment in the sense that, you know, right, we don't have to get into it. So, I was wondering if, and maybe this is still too nebulous, could we have language like acknowledgement that explicit statements like my parent doesn't allow it is to be respected as a violation of our harassment policy? having it be more

103a parental rights. Look at it this way. If a child says, if a student says, my parent says, any conversation after that, you don't have to worry about intent could be perceived as does that. >> So, say it again. >> Acknowledgement that the explicit statement of and then you can put in quotes, my parents don't allow it. My you might have to have a couple of examples of it is to be respected as a violation of our harassment policy if continued. I I think you'd probably have to pull the item out and revisit it if you're going to change it that much structurally, right? >> We can amend it. >> I I think you're trying to nail a problem that like maybe you know of a situation that happened, but like it's >> I know

104it's number, but you know, >> 99 out of 100 times this is covered under normal harassment, right? If it goes past No. Okay, one more time. Well, now it's harassment. like nine out of 100 times it's covered under harassment, right? >> Well, >> and I understand you're trying to safeguard against that one time, but >> I don't I don't know if it is. >> Not having all of the details, I do want to be a little and I don't want the details. I I want to be a little hesitant because we have had issues come before this board that we were all many of us pushed to tears over that our policies did not protect our students adequately and we were in a position where we couldn't do much about it And I don't think

105anyone in this board was happy about it. Um so um in the event that verbiage like that in our harassment policy may uh prevent something from happening that would be somewhat tragic, then it's probably worth considering. It may require it being revisited, you know, in the future. However, um I don't want to just necessarily sweep it away if there are circumstances that we are trying to prevent from happening because there there are times that our policies with unintended consequences hurt our students and I don't necessarily want to be akin to that if we can prevent it. Mrs. Henkle, if you were to structure a motion to amend, what would the motion to amend say? Say that again. >> It would say acknowledgement that the explicit statement of my parents don't allow is to be respected

106as a violation of our harassment policy. Because to what Mr. Hall just said, I don't see this as a policy addition so much as >> an implementation problem. that problem is not the right word an implementation issue that we are carving out even this is does that make sense >> I mean I'd be willing to look at whether we can instead of adding this as an additional bullet item under class 2 violations whether it could go whether it could be a clarification under the bullying and harassment policy I will say that the bullet points under class 2 violations do include the extremely vague inappropriate behavior >> we also have our title sexual harassment, dating violence. So, I feel like there's an entire paragraph in here that I've just been reading through that describes exactly what

107you're talking about >> if it's related to dating and sexual, >> but then there's also the bullying. So, I I think what you're discussing in my opinion is all covered here and gives administration exactly what they need to try and approach an issue. And as far as other things that have come across at Pike, I think that we have worked towards developing policy to back administration when they have those kinds of new issues come up that our students can be adequately protected. So I I I'm no disrespect to you. I'm sure you have your reasoning and the issues that brought that to your mind, but I don't know that that applies wholeheartedly to the entire student body at our school district and outside of the policy that we have here. I think >> this meets

108our needs adequately. My concern is that there's a situation where this did take place and um the understanding that I have is that consequences because it was not like repeated or egregious. I don't know the exact details, but um consequences couldn't be applied to the student who was engaged in in soliciting the behavior. So, if this is already covered, then we should be able to clarify that. If if that situation is a situation that we don't allow even one time, then we should be able to clarify that. I'm okay doing it in in bullying and harassment or um or just as a bulle pointer class two violations which is what I originally recommended but um I I do think that it helps our administrators I think in the situation where a parent is saying my

109student didn't violate any of your rules why are you punishing my student can you speak to I feel like if the student is saying no, >> that's enough. >> So like come play kickball. >> The the No, I don't want to play kickball. No, come play kickball. >> It'll be fun. >> No, I really don't want to. >> Yeah, but that's twice. >> Right. >> No, I really don't want to. So now if that student chose to go to the office and talk with the principal or share with the staff member, we're going to sit down and have a conversation about what it means when the person says no twice. So like the added piece to cuz my parents said so. Does it matter whether the parent said so said no or they just don't

110want to or they have something else going on? At the end of the day, they're saying no, I don't care to do it and now you're repeating it, right? So I think this added piece of no my parents said my parents said I shouldn't are are we asking our staff to teach and maybe we are I don't know are we asking our staff to teach the kids that if you say your parents said that then you cannot and no one can like that differentiates it we've got that's a serious task and I do believe potentially abused where the parent really isn't. You've just taught me that if I say that that's the end. Don't you know what I mean? And I don't know the answer to that. I feel like part of this potentially is

111are we going to a staff member or a principal that can help assist you with this? or is it taken home and then you I I don't know the answer and I can't possibly answer for 100% of the time in all buildings at all times, right? I can't. But if you're asking me if I believe this is a needed statement, I don't believe it's a needed statement. And honestly, sitting here tonight is half of our building administrators who are listening the conversation and recognize what it is. I think that we're asked to be aware of this scenario where we want to be able to have that discussion at the very least >> and issue discipline if it's repeated or whatever if we now believe the child is educated and should know better moving forward. I

112don't know. >> I like what you said like is the extra thing necessary. Like it's as simple as no means no. >> That's it. >> My fear. >> It doesn't matter the reason why. Sorry to interrupt. It doesn't It doesn't matter. My parents I who who cares? No means no. >> Again, I I see a difference between the situation. >> Come play kickball. No, I don't really feel like it. And this is someone that you know it's friendly. Oh, come on. It'll be fun because you you think the other student's feeling down and maybe feels like, "No, I don't I just don't want to do that cuz I'm I'm kind of, you know, I don't want to be out there with all those other kids." But with the cajoling, it's like, okay, may you know,

113I guess this person really wants me to. I guess he really does want to be my friend. That's to me that's a very different situation from no, my parents said I can't. So, so I think, you know, I've heard some some sensitivity from my fellow board members on what it is you're trying to solve, but I'm pretty convinced that there's a variety of ideas on how to solve it. So, I'd like to motion to table and I think we need to just >> What are we tableabling the handbook? >> We can't table the handbook. >> Can't table the entire handbook, >> but we can agree to discuss later this edition. I will say that my my fear is that >> and this probably will not be popular in my household, but my fear is that

114we are trying to solve a social problem with a policy tweak and I I don't know that we can, but I I do appreciate the effort. >> I can understand where you're going with that. Not to belabor the subject, we do need to move on, but some of that is is parental guidance. teaching what is socially acceptable and what is not. And that's the end of the story. You know, at school, we need to just behave and take on our responsibility and learn and our administrators will make sure that whatever behaviors are not acceptable according to the policy will be addressed. >> Um, help educate me here, Dr. Rert. Were these changes made in the handbook that we would have to amend to take something out to move on or are they not in it?

115the one specific uh >> President Henles >> President Hankles was in the was added into the handbook. So if it were to remove that I believe we >> you have to admit. >> So let me ask when you added it was that after discussion I mean were there discussions with administrators about whether that would be implementable? >> Well after you spoke at the board meeting you and I had that discussion. I did not go back to speak with the entire administration uh regarding that. Uh we did have a meeting where I did share you know the basic premise with it but I as you know Dr. Bryson said no means no and if it's repeated it would fall under harassment >> you know and I mean that was my my interpretation with that. Uh >>

116um is okay and I'm just trying to because I know I know what you're hinting at. One thing that's not in our violations list here is violating a safety plan, like we put in safety plans for students to make sure they're not interacting or whatever that case case is. Is there a is would that be a means to get kind of towards what you're looking for here? >> I think that that would probably help in the case where safety plan's been implemented. I mean, often in the early stages of this sort of thing, there's probably no safety plan in place. >> Um, >> you mean if it's accelerated to that degree? >> Yeah. >> Is not the safety plan uh way of uh separating can be rather than >> what this could be? >> Yeah.

117>> Well, I I mean, I'm just trying to I think what you're trying to I think I think what President Henle is trying to is like no means no. Stop >> now. >> Time on this. >> We're spending too much time on this, >> right? >> We have to move on. >> Can I ask one thing? Uh, Dr. Rupert, when you when you did have the discussions about the general gist of it, were there concerns about the ability to implement it among the administrators? >> I had a couple conversations. Yeah. That there's concerns. >> All right. I'll I'll leave I'll >> I'll take it up. It's not >> it's just I think it's vague. It's >> it's specific, but >> the devil's in the detail with all of these different scenarios you run across on

118the daily basis. >> We can come back to it and and since the handbook references our bullying policy, maybe maybe that's where we make the clarification at some point, but um so that that is there in the draft. So, >> okay. So, I can handle that when we get to it. Um, but then, uh, Vice President Wilson's additions, are they too in the the handbook and do we need to discuss those? >> It it it might be easiest if we're doing multiple amendments to go ahead and amend the motion. >> Well, I could >> to take that out. >> Hang on. Because if there if we're amending his two, I can do all >> You can do all in one. Yeah. >> Thank you so much for >> But like are we are we good

119with what >> Mr. Wilson wanted to do as well? I actually have some things about that if I could. >> Oh, sure. Yeah. And this I I do want to preface that just with, >> you know, this text has been, you know, Dr. Effort and I have gone back and forth several times trying to make sure that >> all the tees are crossed and eyes are dotted. >> It's beautiful. I see there's a lot of work in here and I appreciate that um effort and bringing it to the board as a collective. Um, I do I do feel that we need some clarity from Harrisburg as far as what we're doing because from what I understand from the administration, and maybe I'm wrong, that the cell phone policy that's currently in place is working, that

120we already have a standalone, no cell phone in elementary, no cell phone in middle school, high schools at the discretion of the staff member, teacher, what have you. And at sometimes the students are using their cell phones in accordance with the the lesson plan. And also Harrisburg is definitely this is a very active legislation in the process with House Bill 1814, Senate Bill 1014. I mean May 6th that was just discussed in the House of Representatives and it was only rejected because of the amendments that were wanting to be exempted like you know private school exemptions. uh the granting local districts more flexibility, which we already have our own policy, so that's okay with me. And then additionally imposing cell phone bans on teachers, you know, so there were some things that needed to go

121back, but that's going to be open to the House when they come back from um recess in June and that's going to be on the floor for a vote and then that's going to go back over to the Senate is my understanding. So, I know that the governor is ready to sign it as soon as it's on his desk. You know, he's supportive of of a cell phone ban bell to bell that you are pointing at here. And I think that because there's sort of no good answer when it comes to this ban completely thinking about families and parents and all the different opinions out there that if what we have is working then why why why fix it if it's not broke and we absolutely have no law behind us to fix that. And

122I don't know about you, but I do not want a line of folks coming, you know, with a a big issue at the board that we are belaboring an issue and we're we're upsetting people. If what we're working is what we're doing is working and this is an active legislative process in Harrisburg right now. I mean May 6, what was that? Just a few weeks ago and then when they come back in June, there's a plan to pick it back up again. So, I think that this is great, but I think it might be getting the cart before the horse a little bit because we don't have the backing of law. >> Well, I don't think this we actually have our own standing to police what comes into our buildings. >> I mean, that's currently

123part of the school code. Um, >> yeah, we have we have the backing of law in that the law the law allows us to make this restriction, >> but we can't take cell phones from people physically. >> Yes, we can. >> How is that going to work on a dayto-day with a staff member? >> In violation of the phone policy, the station of the phone is is all >> right. So, let's put that into practice. >> Nathan, you're using your cell phone too much in class. Give it to me. No. Okay. Well, I'm going to come and take it. So, do we have an interaction between a staff member and a student? Now, I think that it could reach that very easily. And we only use it in the high school and we haven't heard

124of disciplinary issues. So, why push it to that level? >> We don't actually have any good data on how much of an issue it is in the individual classrooms. >> But we don't have saying anything. >> We don't have right, we don't have staff saying anything. current current implementation of the cell phone rule is it is teacher managed in the classroom. >> Sure. >> Meaning that okay a student gets you know uses their phone in class and the teacher tells them to put it away. Now in order for any record of that interaction that hey put it away. Mhm. >> The teacher has to stop teaching, >> go to Sapphire, put in a record for that student, >> and then get back to class, which you know, how long does that take? And they're not

125going to do that. >> Should we wait until we have the survey out there that maybe we can hear from staff members and Dr. Sterner, not to pull you out of the the audience here, but what are you thinking about this in the high school with staff members? Are you hearing that it's an issue? >> So, our current process uses it it follows what many of our disciplinary scenarios are. We we classify things and and again like Dr. Reard had referenced earlier. Um teacher managed behaviors are are things that can start in the classroom and and can be processed in the classroom. There are things that are office managed anytime they happen. Harassment, um racial intimid things like that always will come to the skipping class will always come to the office. That's not something

126we would ask a teacher to handle. Cell phones currently fall under that teacher managed behavior which doesn't mean they entirely manage it. It goes through a progression of progressive discipline. Teacher issues a warning and we ask teachers to have a tracking system for that warning. The idea being that it's creating productive behaviors and and responsible use of the cell phone just like other behaviors. disrupting class doesn't come to the office the first time it happens. It's addressed in the classroom with the hope that it's remediating that behavior and creating behavioral education as well. Second violation of that following a warning over the course of the course over the course of the school year would then become teacher detention. A third occurrence would become office referral. We do track that second occurrence. Anytime a teacher gives

127a teacher detention that does get entered into Sapphire that is a tracked defense that occurs. The third offense coming to the office would be tracked and then we receive office issue discipline and and every subsequent and it's progressive discipline to those violations. >> Okay. >> So the the the term working um I that's kind of where I want to push back a little bit. It may be working in the sense that cell phones may maybe they are not a significant distraction in class. Maybe the coming out in class is a rare occurrence. Um but the concern here is that being able to go get the phone after class and then and check it and then you go to your next class 45 minutes and then you can check your phone again after that class. Part

128of the problem here is is not necessarily the disruption of the phone in class. It's that it's that the distraction of the phone being used during the day. Phone addiction. That addiction is a distraction even once they're in class because what are they thinking about? They're thinking about what's going on. In order to break that, it takes hours. 45 minutes is not enough to break the phone addiction. The feeling like I need to check what's going on. You need to check what's going on. that takes hours to break and it's it's unhealthy for adults, but it's especially unhealthy for kids. And I want I want to break that when when they're within the the halls of the school. I want them to not um not be uh exposed to addictions, >> right? No, I I

129hear your point >> and I know Harrisburg is bouncing this thing around. I talked to Joe Diorsy about it recently and just all the amendments that were lumped into it. >> Mhm. >> You know, he doesn't think they're they're going to get anything through and they're going to try and use it as a campaign football for the fall. >> Um but regardless, you know, whatever they pass in Harrisburg, this will pass muster. Mhm. >> You know, anything they pass in Harrisburg, even what they have, you know, even what we have now, that's the floor. You know, the the point here is having the phone, the f the kids still have their phone in their possession, turned off in their backpack, then it does not become a distraction during the school day. >> That lets them

130actually interact with their peers more. That lets them be fully present in the classroom. Um, screens You know, just yesterday, Health and Human Services put out their report, their advisory and on the harms of screen use. And you know, one of the things it says is action cannot wait until all evidence is available. One of the things that they recommended for schools to do is Belltobell ban of student ban of phones for students. >> But even in some states, Bel is so >> different things. uh inaccurate. >> Mhm. >> Um it sounds good. >> Mhm. >> But in most of those state laws, bellto bell is classroom time. >> Correct. >> It is not >> the beginning bell of the day to the ending bell of the day. Correct. They want it to sound that

131way. That's not what the law actually says. >> It sounds a whole lot stricter. in in that classification given out yesterday by Health and Human Services or it was actually I think a surgeon general's >> warranty. Yeah, surgeon general. >> Um >> the the amount of screen time significantly increases when you get into high school. I believe it's 9 hours is is the suggested maximum in high school. >> Well, no. However, two it's actually recommended two hours. What they are seeing is evidence of is up to 9 hours. They're saying that they're using them up to 9 hours to 9 hours between phones, school computers, TV. >> I just want to drill down into this what we're what's in front of us right now a little bit in that >> um the expectation of this

132bell-to-bell which essentially beginning to the end of the day cell phone put away or in a bag. >> So Dr. Reppers that is already happening in our elementary schools. Correct. >> Correct. That's already happening in our middle schools. Correct. Correct. >> So, this is really only applying to high school. What we're really only change that is really here is high school. >> Correct. >> I'm I'm >> That's correct. >> Okay. I'm just trying to make that clear. Um, so when I when I look at that and I see, okay, we're we're we're saying home room, class time, lunch, library, study halls, class transitions, um, recess, but recess wouldn't they don't have recess in high school. So recess is already covered, correct? >> Yes. But this now would encompass the entire district where it would for

133elementary recess would be included with that. >> Okay. But what I'm saying is under our current rules, recess is already included. >> Correct. >> So I'm not saying take it out. I'm just saying it is already recess is already covered in our current rules. Um so I I look at that list of things and say to myself, um most of them I can understand. Uh you know, class transition, let's let's face it, there isn't time to be you need to get between your classes. That's the purpose of the time. Um, I I can understand, you know, home room that there's things you need to be doing while you're there. I can also understand study hall. There's a purpose for why you have that study hall. The one I have trouble swallowing is lunch because they

134are we we we are proposing that as we reference screen time with our kids that we are incrementally changing those restrictions through the years because they're growing. They're able to to handle more screen time. They able to handle more things. So, I I think it may be un undue to say you can't use your phone during lunch in high school. We're already saying you can't use your phone during lunch in elementary school and we're already saying you can't use your phone during lunch in middle school. I'm assuming that's correct. Um, so to say that you can't use your lunch your phone during lunch in high school feels unnecessary. I I like it because it it establishes that while they're here, they're present here. >> They're present here and they're focused on the things that are

135happening here >> and they're and their mind stays in the focus of I'm at school. I'm here to I'm here for a purpose and you don't have an interruption in that purpose. And and you still need breaks during a day with purpose, but the breaks don't have to take you completely outside of where you are. I think that the definition of break may be relevant to the student. >> I think for some kids that may be a good word. >> So, we've spent a lot of time on this. I really feel like this is a policy consideration, not a handbook consideration. I really would like to see we are sending out the survey to the teachers very soon. We will have that information back. Um, I know several months ago, um, there was the ask

136to hold on making any Chromebook decisions until we had a presentation and I would like that to be reciprocated. Can we please hold on this discussion, get some information back from the survey and revisit this in June? >> Sure. As long as we're not approving the handbook without any sort of >> Well, I my question is, is this even in the handbook? It is not yet. No, no, not this version, but there is a cell phones and personal devices. >> There's the previous version in here, Colonel. >> Yes. >> Right. So, >> but this is not in there. >> No. >> Well, there is a cell phones, personal devices. This change. So, my change Dr. Eper put in this change has not been put in, >> but there is a section dealing with this. >>

137So, we would have to amend it to put it in. >> We would. >> Yes. >> And we need to pass it because we're going to start a new school year. I >> I have a couple of clarifications and and this still can be something that we we move on from, but I just want to make sure and this is you'll learn very clearly what side I'm on, but my clarification isn't in order to point out my side. Number one, Miss Hall is absolutely correct. This this portion of the handbook that Mr. Wilson wrote is not waiting on Harrisburg. So, the idea that Harrisburg hasn't passed anything yet, it doesn't matter because the the spirit of this was we're not waiting on Harrisburg if other board members want to go this direction. Um, and I

138do believe that we are an exceptional district who has taken the courage in the past to take stances on things before we wait for government government mandates. For instance, cursive. We weren't waiting for Harrisburg to tell us cursive. We knew that. Point number two, the point of this handbook change was it gave a clear directive. We stumbled in the past to come up with a a proper compromise and maybe we still haven't found one. When it comes to parental concerns, often away is easy. When it comes to an implementation implementation standpoint, it gets hard. It gets difficult. Often away seems to be pretty easy. Three, it is data driven. when it comes to distractions. We do know that. We do have data on that. Four, the question of whether or not cell phones in high

139school is an incident issue, whether or not the policy or handbook that we have before is good enough neglects completely the distraction aspect of cell phones. So whether or not kids are following the rule, if they have it on them and they are getting notifications, it's still that is not not something that is being um being helped. And then finally, what is the educational benefit or even health benefit of having cell phones in the classroom versus what are the detrimental losses, the net losses? I've not heard anybody argue why cell phones are a good thing in classrooms. And I think that we do need to answer that question. >> I don't think it has to be a thing, though. I mean, they're not using it for an instructional piece. I mean, we walk around with

140our cell phones. We have it. So, I don't think anybody could argue that it needs to be in there, but it's something that, you know, we culturally have become accustomed to and we have. And I think that um I heard what you were saying in the last discussion about parental rights. What if as a parent again you said maybe we don't have that right balance there but I strongly resist that you know that there is a determination for every child that this is the best thing. I mean it it just feels very big big brotherlike coming in >> it. I agree with you and I sympathize with that entirely and you helped me remember something. One thing that we were talking about with parent square was because I don't like the aspect of a parent

141not being able to get in touch. Mhm. >> Now I do also try to marry that with we never were able to get in touch with our parents when we were in school too but different times different needs I get it and Dr. Rert reminds me we did solve that through parent square and that parents will be able to contact kind of like instant messenger on the Chromebooks that we've issued them. So that's what I meant and I didn't say say it clearly part of the compromise they still will have it on them right we're not taking it away from anyone off and away with parents still being able to reach them I can't think of help me I can't think of a better compromise than that and you're absolutely right when it comes to

142logic you're absolutely spot on that not everything that's brought into class has to be a net positive for education we have lots of things that are neutral I would argue cell phones and notifications are a distraction though. Do we we have policy procedures for things that distract, right? Things that make sounds. What what what other thing is brought into a classroom that distracts that we say is good? This policy also has the advantage of we've already done it at the elementary middle schooler school levels. Our incoming 9th graders are already accustomed to this. So >> 25% of our high school will this will be no change for them from what they're used to. Uh and over the next couple years that'll jump to 50 and then you know very quickly to 100%. Um I again

143I I so I don't I don't really need to wait on this particular issue. There there are issues where I think waiting for the survey makes sense because my primary concern is you know, is this a challenge for is is you know, how does this how does this impact teachers? And I do care about how this impacts teachers. And I think that some of the deal how how the violations are dealt with is is is potentially helpful to teachers, but this is also this is what's good for students. This is what students they they need to be off their phones for an extended period of time. >> I can understand what you're saying and where you're going with that. I also see that the policy on the second paragraph the first couple sentences at the

144high school students are expected to put away their phone and any listening recording devices upon entering the classroom. They're only permitted to do it if the teacher is allowing them to use it in conjunction with the lesson. And I again I feel that we are moving into more of a a parental admonishment regarding tele these cell phones rather than sticking with what we have in our policy for the administration to be able to apply if there are already infringements on the policy in the classroom. I think that anything more is going to potentially create more difficulty for teachers in the classroom with students and having to take something away physically from a student and I disagree with doing this without having law behind us and that's why >> so what what how do we get

145to a resolution because I feel like everybody's got their opinions. >> Can I can I make yours along? So I I can go ahead and how about we do this and if everybody understand this unless somebody need needs to say something that they haven't said they don't feel like they've been heard. I can go ahead and propose an amendment to include this language. Miss Green, do you have this language so I can just refer to it as the language stated in this paper? >> Can I throw one thing out there that I think will be uncontroversial? what >> in the list of devices that are uh this is why all personal electronic devices including and then there's a list I want to add excluding calculators students are allowed to class can you do me a

146favor I'm not going to remember can you remind me when I do the amendment >> well just just write it in there just write it in there and then when you >> need to include that part so is everybody okay with me proposing an amendment and if you don't like it please just don't vote for the amendment does that sound good >> can can I make a suggest discussion. Now, obviously, um, Mrs. Hall, I I agree that we should definitely see what the survey comes back with. Would would it be can we just do the top part without the enforcement, the offense part until after we hear from the survey? Is that a good compromise? >> What do you mean by the top part? >> Um, this part here, the >> age pink to pink.

147>> Okay. Okay. Well, how about we do this, Mr. Wilson? Let me know. Let's try to do all of it and then I'll propose an amendment with just that and see if that applies. Does that sound good? >> Can you do one more thing? >> Oh my god. >> No, I'm serious. For the first amendment, can you can you I know there's going to be amendment to remove the 13th bullet point under class 2 violations, which is my suggestion. >> Can you make that one separately >> because I'm not necessarily going to vote on that one the same way I'm going to vote on the rest of it. >> All right. So, would you like that one first? >> Yes. >> Okay. I propose I motion an amendment to Okay, hang on. I'm including yours

148for >> You're excluding You're excluding mine. So to remove the 13th bullet point from the draft. >> I I I would like to motion an amendment to the handbook. Uh motion removing President Hankle's on page 86 inclusion of the class 2 violation description. May I have a second, please? >> Second. Uh, any discussion? >> We got it. >> Okay. Are are you okay if we change it to remove the 13th bullet point on page 86? Sure. >> Because I think that's what we're here to write. >> Yep. Yep. Yep. And if that makes your life easier, it's all good for me. Um, all all in favor say I. >> Well, I don't see it on 86. It's actually um >> This would be page 86 of the >> of the amended >> of the draft.

149>> Okay. All right. This says final draft. And I see it in there. But if we just say the 13th bullet point under class two violations >> under class two violations. >> Okay. >> By saying I, you're agreeing to remove it. >> All in favor say I. >> I. Any naysay or abstensions? >> Nay. You just wanted to be on record for that. >> I did. >> All righty. I propose I would like to motion a second. Well, hang on. Hang on a second. >> This is a new motion. >> It's fine because now the motion stands amended. >> So, we're back to the main motion which stands amended. >> Hang on. Amended. >> We can only do two more. Correct. >> You can only have a stack. You only have a stack of two.

150You can move to amend. You can move to amend your amendment. But we've already come back to the main motion. >> You're 100% right. All right. Uh, I motion to amend the handbook policy to include the handout that Dr. Reert gave with all of Mr. Wilson's additions. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Uh, any discussion further? >> Um, quick question. Does that include the offenses section at the bottom? >> It does. >> Yes, >> it includes everything. We're going to go for >> the whole front. All right. >> Go for rope. everything. >> All right. So, you have a motion and a second. >> I have a second. Any other discussion? >> I move to amend your amendment to include um that excluding calculators after the list of devices. >> That's helpful. >>

151Do I have a second? >> Second. Second. >> All right. Now, we vote on whether this isn't voting to approve the amendment. It's merely approving. >> If the amendment is made, calculators will be an exclusion that are allowed. >> All in favor say I. >> I. I. All right. Any extensions? >> Oh, yeah. Any extensions? >> Nay. Okay. So, >> you want calculators included? >> I am so lost in this discussion. I don't blame you. >> My is only to say calculators are allowed in the classroom even if that's what we're voting on. Yeah, that's it. Not if you if you're okay with calculators in the classroom, you should vote yes on this. >> All right. And we will try to be more more kinder in the next vote so that everybody knows what they're

152voting for. >> Now, we're back to the main. Now we're back to the main one that >> we're back to the amendment >> that includes Mr. Wilson's. So, >> can we go back? Did anyone vote no on that? Cuz I'm getting >> Mary. Are you are you a no vote on on on >> I already know that calculators are >> but I'm saying that this could >> Yeah. So moving back to the previous amendment, any eyes will be accepting as written this page along with the handbook. All in favor? >> I would like to call roll call. >> Okay, that's go for it. >> That's it. >> Can we can we amend it to remove that section? >> So a yes vote is adding this to the no vote is not. >> Do you want

153do you want to remove that? >> But I mean do we want to hold on this until we get the teacher? >> I don't personally. >> So what Mr. Mr. Wilson, what I was recommending was try to go for broke, get it all. If that doesn't pass, do another one. Sound good? >> Okay. Could >> I can just tell you I'm not going to go for it either way. >> Well, we'll do a roll. >> We're in a roll call. >> Could we have Could I speak, please? >> Did you need to say? Absolutely. >> Yeah. I I'm not sure why you're talking about the the bottom piece, but I want to quickly talk to the bottom piece. So, we know we have a lot of addicted high schoolers to cell phones. It's the whole

154reasoning at least in part of why you're proposing to make a cell phone ban. >> So on day one when the students walk out of class out of first period into the hallway and 800 students take their cell phones out, what is the expectation of the board? >> What was the expectation in elementary school when we first changed it? Well, the challenge though in elementary school, we might have a handful of kids that have cell phon. >> They're addicted. We're we're reaching and addressing an addiction to the phone. So, all I'm saying is we can tell them cell phones are to be put away. When I walk into the hallway, I can guarantee you many are going to go back to what the rule is today, which is think pull the phone out, check it,

155and put it back in their pocket. So, what I'm saying to you is I would highly recommend you reconsider this bottom part if you're definitely going with a cell phone bell-to bell ban because I do not want our staff forced to take to start taking cell phones from kids who are addicted because they're going to get a really nasty reaction from a portion of our population of kids which turns into a power struggle which turns into additional discipline. That's unnecessary if we would follow what at least our regular enforcement of the cell phone policy could be the same. The thing that's changing is that it's now bell to bell. >> Okay. So, >> and then if it's necessary to change that in the future, we change it in the we bring the recommendation before the

156board in the future. >> Fair enough. So, should we >> let's I mean we can just >> we pull back the amendment. >> Do you do we do we have support for pulling back the amendment? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> We're in the middle of a roll call. But >> yeah, we were we were about to >> But you can as a if if everyone's acceptable to say we're pull back and do >> do just this part and then we can then we can do this part. >> Is everybody okay with a friendly withdrawal? Who made the I made the motion. Who did the second? >> J. I mean, is anyone opposed to pulling back? >> Jason, technically, Jason, you'd be the one that would have to say that you're okay with a friendly withdrawal. >>

157I'm okay with a friendly withdrawal. >> Okay. So, now what you're going to move >> like Yeah. Okay. Please. >> Okay. All right. So, I move to accept the amended with calculators. Uh well actually uh so I'm just going to move to accept the first section of um the uh document that we've been provided before revised electronic violation offenses uh with the alteration that it will say non-school issued devices comment excluding calculators. Um, so I move to amend it. Thus, do I have a second? >> Second. >> All right. Um, >> roll call vote. >> Yeah, I think we've had discussion, so let's do a roll call vote. >> Okay, Jen Hankle. Yes. >> I need clarification on what we're I don't accepting. >> So, if I say yes, that means I accept it. If

158I say no, I don't accept. >> We're accepting amending the handbook to include this. So, if you don't want to include this, you should vote no. >> So, can I just ask a question? So where are the calculator? The calculators are at the very top. >> It's it's there. So it says including cell phones, smartwatches, earbuds, hand headphones, tablets, handheld games, and any other non-school issued devices. Comment excluding calculators. >> All right. Thank you. >> Should I go to the next person? >> I say my yes again. >> Nathan Henle. >> Yes. Lisa Staller, >> yes. >> Joe Wilson, >> yes. >> Jason Decker, >> yes. >> Bill Hall, >> no. >> Mary Lee Hall, >> no. >> Samantha Hall, >> no. >> Jeremy Hash, >> no. >> Okay, that was five yeses and four

159nos. >> Motion carries. >> All righty. I don't even know where I am in life. >> Uh 8.03. This is Oh, what's that? >> That was just the amendment. >> Oh my heavens. We have to >> we have to pass the pass. >> Okay. So, >> do we think this is efficient? Like this is so not efficient to me. >> I mean it's it's 9:30. We are in the very beginning of the education. >> I mean this really like this does not feel like a good board dynamic to me at all. Um >> I mean some things are are difficult discussions. >> It's not a difficult discussion. This was laid out earlier and we went through all of this when we should have just voted at the very beginning. >> Um I assume at this

160time is anyone interested in amending with the second portion? >> I am not. >> Okay. All right. We'll leave that for now. >> Okay. So we already had a motion and a second of the original one. Um any further discussion on the handbook outside of those things? >> All in favor say n. Say I. >> I. >> Any nays or abstensions? >> Nay. >> That's what gets difficult about the nays because they have enough. There's enough of a voice. >> Okay. So, I call for division of the vote. Roll call, please. >> Okay. Nathan Henle. >> I. >> Lisa Staler. >> I. >> Joe Wilson. >> Hi. >> Jason Decker. >> Hi. >> Bill Hall. >> No. >> Mary Lee Hall. >> Hi. Samantha Hall. >> Nay. >> Jeremy Hash. >> No. Nay. >> Jen

161Hankle. >> Hi. >> Okay. 54. >> All righty. 8.03. It's a renewal agreement. Dr. Refford. Give >> me a second. Let me get the other notebook. >> I know, right? >> Yes. This uh Thank you, Mr. Hankle. This is a renewal agreement with True North Wellness. uh we currently utilize them for assessments uh for our students or student assistance program. Um so like I said this will be for the elementary as well as the secondary for next year. Just a quick note last year we had 129 elementary students uh that were assessed through student assistance as well as 188 high school students that were assessed. I do not have the current as they're finishing out the uh 2025 2026 reports. >> Thank you, Dr. Robert. Move to approve the renewal letters of agreement for the

1622026 2027 school year with True North Wellness for elementary and secondary student assistance programs for $13,824.60 and $20,67524 respectively. May I have a second, please? >> Second. >> Any discussion or questions? you just to comment just clarification for the public these are assessments so if it goes beyond an assessment um the parents health care does kick in their insurance does kick in so >> excellent >> um I don't want anybody to think that you know we're becoming the third rail of medical care um these are assessments they're very important um that's basically what I wanted to say >> thank you anybody else all in favor say I I. >> Any nays or abstensions? >> Motion carries. 8.04. Class of 2026 graduates. Mr. Caleb Ross. Did you want us to pass this one or >> I

163feel like you guys probably should have. >> Okay. Well, >> I think I'd know 224 people that would be disappointed. >> 225. >> That's true. Including myself. Move to approve the 225 counting Caleb Ross graduates for the class of 2026 from Suscoenek High School pending completion of all graduation requirements. May I have a second, please? >> Second. >> Uh any discussion besides >> congratulations congratulations graduating. >> All in favor say I. I. >> I. Any naysay or abstensions? That motion carries. That's going to get really I have to get used to that one. Uh 8.05. This is a the writing program that we were receiving the um the uh Dr. Hughes and um Dr. Wine Miller um Zer Blosser Cursive Writing Program for grades uh K through six move to approve that very educational program

164the cursive for grades K through six at the cost of $38,86680. May I have a second please? >> Second. >> Um and I I'm noticing in this we're approving just the first part of it. We'll do the second part later. Is that correct? Okay. Um, any discussion or questions for Dr. Hughes? >> No, I thank you. >> I think this is great. >> Exciting. >> Um, I I look forward to us discussing something about typing in the future as well because I know that's another topic that we've discussed >> June, >> she knows. Um, you guys really did go above and beyond and it really sets our district apart. Thank you so much. Thank you for your time with us making a part of our core curriculum. Well done. We see you. Thank you. Um

165any other questions? All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any nays or abstensions? That motion carries? 8.06 H Hotton Mil Mifflin Hardcourt Reading Program. I made that for grades one through two. Um Dr. Rippert. >> Yeah, thank you Mr. Hankle. Uh I may have to defer to Dr. Hughes, but this is uh part of our literacy requirement uh for grades one and two uh that will focus on uh the literacy skills that the students need to attain. Dr. Hughes, anything else you wanted to share with that? >> So this is a part of the HL program that we have currently for 3 through 8. We added the writing program last year and then we had the um bill that came out and um at the time that the bill was coming out, our teachers

166in our K3 program were starting to come to us and say we need more. >> So they really were the ones that were the the first layer of saying, "Hey, we need more of what's going to um so this actually is putting in place. We already have the full program for kindergarten because when we bought the writing piece of this, we purchased the kindergarten, they didn't have it separated. So this then is for the first and second grade. You'll see it's a higher cost for the first year because what that does is that we have a lot of readers that will be included in this that are non-consumable. They'll be used year after year. And then um the reoccurring costs are just the components that we need for the consumable writing in journal type things

167like the other program. So you'll see the first and second grade the cost a little higher for the first year just because we have to buy all of those children's stories that go with those programs. But this will then have us in ready for um the the wall that's in place that so we'll be actually ahead of the game. >> Again, going above and beyond what what is expected and mandated and continually you I sing your praises. Thank you so much. Move to approve the purchase and implementation of the reading program as indicated in the agenda for grades one through two at a total cost of $36,528.60. 67 and an annual cost of $20,000 $20,931.75. May I have a second, please? >> Second. >> Uh, any other questions for Dr. Hughes? >> All in favor

168say I. >> I. Any nays or abstensions? That motion carries. 8.07 novel adoptions. I move to approve all of the novels listed in the agenda. Uh, may I have a second, please? >> Second. >> Uh, any discussion? It was a lot of reading. Thank you so much, Dr. Hughes. >> Uh, all in favor say I. >> I. Any nays or abstensions? That motion carries. 8.08, textbook adoptions. I move to approve the textbooks as indicated in the agenda. May I have a second, please? >> Uh, I'm just going to go ahead and note that some of these we really didn't have much of a choice. And Dr. Hughes actually allowed me to see what some of the contenders that weren't chosen were. I absolutely understand why they picked what they did. So, awesome job. Um, any

169questions? All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any naysay or abstensions? That motion carries. 8.09 stage one curriculum maps as districtwide master maps. Dr. Reppert. Uh just with the board, we have four additional maps uh just uh for approval. Uh do get ready. We will have a couple more to kind of close out the school year uh at the June meeting uh with drivers at video production, global studies as well as library uh meeting grade six. Matt, >> I move to approve the following stage one curriculum maps as districtwide master maps as indicated in the agenda. May I have a second, please? >> Second. >> Uh any discussion? All in favor say I. >> I. I. >> Any nays or abstensions? That motion carries. 8.10 updates from the AI committee. Dr. Refford and Mr.

170Wilson. >> Uh just for the we have two two additional apps uh that will be added for uh Spiro Central for the elementary and geo board uh which is utilized for geometry class. Uh one item that we have not uh that we will bring to the June board meeting will be the digital technology handbook. Uh we did receive some uh feedback after our last committee meeting. Uh we've paired it from many pages down to I believe 12 >> 12 pages right now. Um so we plan to bring that back to the board uh for your approval uh moving forward. >> Yes. >> Mr. Wilson, anything else you want to share? No, you you stole it already that we cut it down from it was 79 pages. So, but we definitely got to cut down and

171I think definitely will be much more parent consumable. Um really glad looking forward to seeing seeing the updated version in June. Thank you. >> All right. 8.11 I move to approve a renewal of the authorized provider agreement with the American Red Cross for first aid CPR AED training provided by SYCSD trained staff for a period of three years. May I have a second please? >> Second. >> Um Dr. Reppert, would you like to expound on this? >> Yeah, thank you Mr. Hankle. Specifically, we have two of our staff members that do provide training uh at uh of our high school staff. So this is provides them that ability to do so over the next three years. >> Fantastic. Any uh discussion points or questions for Dr. Reppert? >> All those in favor say I. I.

172>> Any nays or abstensions? That motion carries. 8.12. Updates from Dr. Reert. I'll give that to Dr. Reard. >> Okay. Thank you, Mrs. Hankle. Uh just for the community as well as parents, uh communication had gone out regarding Chromebook collection. uh that will be uh that'll start next week. Uh it's been set out through the elementary, middle school, high school. Uh purpose of collecting is making sure we're taking a look at the devices uh refurbishing them, getting a good cleaning. The students that had their devices, um they will get the same devices back as they go into next year, unless it's one that is being replaced at that grade level. Uh just as a reminder to parents, make sure as well as students that you turn in your Chromebook charger and protective case. And if

173those are turned in and there's no issues, uh there may not be any uh liability or charges, but if there is damage to those devices, missing keys, etc., uh there may be they would be invoiced, parent could be invoiced for those. Um and then our plan is to redistribute um uh sometime within that first second week of school. Uh there'll be communication going out about requirements. Uh you know over the summer parents will get the summer mailing and that'll come through parent square. Uh we'll need to have the emergency cards completed, emergency information in Sapphire, uh Chromebook guidelines, COPA uh signed off on the handbook because the handbook includes acceptable use and all the other components we want to make sure our students are uh up to date on uh prior to getting the Chromebooks

174reissued. uh at the beginning of next school year. So, more information to come over the summer when they're going to get them back, but more specifically, they will be collected by the end of next week. >> I heard a rumor that the process slightly changed this year and when the Chromebooks turned in, they all have to be turned into Mr. Wilson. Is that is that true or or is that just >> Well, I hope is that an amendment? >> You can neither confirm nor deny. >> Just a rumor. >> All righty. 8.13. I have no other items of business. President Henle. >> All right. Brings us to item nine, finance and budget. I'll turn over to our treasurer, uh, Mr. Decker. Thank you, President Hankle. Item 9.01 are our financial reports. So, for your information

175is our treasures report, our tax collection report, our budget status report, and our cafeteria report. I'll just provide a brief overview of our treasurer's report for April. Our general fund concentration account began the month with $696,76610. We had deposits of $3,192,734.81, dispersements of $3,233,472.39, leaving an end-to-month balance of $656,2852. Our tax collector accounts ended the month with $44,281.50. In our investment accounts, we began the month with 34,6,840 net of interest, purchases, deposits, maturities, redemptions. Um that was minus1,560,7926 leaving us with an end of month balance of 33,4131,38. The details on all of our investments are below. I did want to ask um Trevor the PSD LAF term series are is that a treasury product? It's a combined product. So, um, his lab is one of the investment banks we use and they participate in different

176investment programs. So, part of it's collateralized different banks, things like that that we're allowed to invest in to get those higher yields. >> Okay, great. Okay, we'll move on to 9.02. Um, this is our bills for payment, exonerations and refunds and budget transfers. So, we're going to start doing these as a block. So, I will move to approve the following bills for payment, exonerations and refunds and budget transfers. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Those in favor, please signify by saying I. I. I. I. >> Any nays or abstensions? Having heard none, the motion carries. Item 9.03 is the adoption of the general fund budget for the 2026 2027 fiscal year. So I will motion to adopt the general fund budget for the 2026 2027 fiscal year per the resolution. Do I have

177a second? >> Second. So, um, I'll open discussion by recognizing my colleague, Mr. Hall, who I understand would like to make a few remarks. >> Yes. Thank you very much, uh, Mr. Decker. So, um, I just wanted to take a moment to talk a little bit about, um, the tax increase or the fact that we are not having a tax increase. um which I I guess we'll be actually addressing that in the next bullet. Um so it the statement was made to me that um you should raise taxes because it's not an election year and that next year it's an election year so you know there's going to be a lot more pressure next year to raise taxes which I think is an accurate statement that next year is going to be a lot more

178pressure. Um but in a sense I I reject that. Um if raising taxes is the right thing to do, it's the right thing to do. I don't care if it's an election year or not. Um and if that is what I feel is required, I'll do it whether it's an election year or not. Um if the people are unhappy with that and fire me, well then so be it. Um, but I would like to say that and and speak to really the community that um it has been my desire through this process and I and I do believe we're going to get there. Um that we have an all the above approach to to this fiscal problem that we have. Um and we do. We have a fiscal problem. There's lots of reasons for it,

179but it exists. whatever those reasons are. Um, and that all of an above the approach in time I believe is going to incorporate tax increases. Um, it has already in our current budget incorporated some attrition. Um, now I don't know that that attrition is I feel that if we had an extra hundred million dollars in the bank that the attrition was still appropriate for the fact that our school has been declining enrollment to 11% in the last seven years or so. So although I understand that attrition is painful, um it is still necessary not because we want it but because our community is voting with their lives and it is the result of what we are receiving as a board. We don't have any control over that. The community controls that uh and we are

180representatives of the community. >> Sometimes biology controls them. >> Well, okay. Whatever the case may be, that is outside of our control. Um, I think the third leg on this stool in my mind is what are we doing to um trim our budgets to try and respond to that? And I think that that is an active process that is happening. um articulating it has seemed to be more elusive because it's sort of a unfolding issue. It's it's not something that's happening it's happening organically. It's not happening at the at the wave of a wand or the strike of a pen. Um, so I I would like to take this chance to to speak to the community to say that those are the reasons and those are the things that we have as a board have

181been wrestling with. those those three components and that it is very likely from at least my perspective that a tax increase is coming in the future because it is the third leg on the stool and you're not going to get it all done with two. It's probably going to take the third leg. Um, but I just I know that we we've received not as much communication as we have on some other more hot button issues, but we've definitely received communication on both sides of this issue. Uh, people, you know, desiring to see taxes raised, people desiring to not, you know, um, and back and forth. Um, and at the end of the day, we we sit in these chairs and we have to make these tough decisions. I just want the community to know that

182they are the things that we have been wrestling with and it's at those things that I come to my decision that I would not even though it's not suggested in here that we would raise taxes that I would be a no vote to raise taxes this year but I think that the likelihood in the future is that I would vote the other way because it would be the right thing to do. Well, I have questions in response to those things, which I don't begrudge your opinion. You know, I think that no one really wants to raise taxes, but we also have a responsibility to fund a school district appropriately to provide a fair education. And I think that if by not applying the slow and steady wins the race kind of thoughts to raising taxes,

183we're not even offsetting the running costs this year. and they're only going to increase to next year. And my concern is that sure maybe there's no tax increase this year, which I would definitely be in agreement with the 2.98% which was the lowest tax increase levy, but next year we're going to be needing to go above the act one tax index in order to sufficiently have funds for the projects that we just discussed in during our executive session or being able to appropriately put money back for the York Tech or the build the learning center for the JOC and the JOA that we just learned about that we know that there's going to be those education costs that we're going to need to fund along with other districts. And then we also have to think

184about what new spending we need to do, right? What's going to be coming down from Harrisburg? Like we of course the board would like to see the cursive coming back and we initiated that great before it was a mandate from Harrisburg but now it's a mandate and with that mandate did not come any grants that was just something that the schools were supposed to do. You see how much that costs that money just doesn't appear. We need to be able to plan for the future and there are going to be more considerations coming down from Harrisburg asking us to pay for things that we are not preparing for in our future. And I can see that we're kind of just skating through by the hair on our chinny chin chin this year. But I think

185that it is a a remarkable feat that we have so much attrition this year. I don't see that. Correct me if I'm wrong, Dr. price and that is historical attrition in one year. That typically happens over time, not in one year. So, I feel like that is definitely not going to be able to happen next year to offset the costs. And on top of that, we're also going to have increasing running costs. We're going to have increasing um funding staff, right? We just saw in our executive session how that looks, right? There's a lot of dollars that are going to need to go out the door there. So, I feel like we're we we're sure not raising taxes from the feel of the board this time, but I feel like this is going to hurt

186us next year because we're going to have to go and double dip next year and that's going to hurt even more than slow and steady. Um, I understand that York County taxes increased every year since 2014. The district hasn't done that. I know that from talking to a local tax collector that there isn't a rumbling out there, but there is an expectation because it's been so long since the school district has raised taxes. Everyone knows costs are going up. Our own costs and our own families are going up. So, the district is not saved from that. Those costs are going up. that money can't keep coming out of our fund balance and just dripping out our savings every year. We have to be able to be responsible and keep that money in there so that

187we have those dollars for unexpected mandates that come down and expenses that come in from education. So I think in in my perspective it's not responsible to slowly give a little bit back to the school and the only way we can do it the only way we can do it is how Harrisburg has mandated school boards too and that is through property tax and if a tri if a person needs to really understand that that is not us that is going to our legislators and asking them, "We need relief. We can't have our taxes raised all the time in our property tax because that is just killing us. It's too much money." But that is the only way Harrisburg has allowed us to be able to fund the school districts. And even though no one

188wants to do it, we have a responsibility to fund it. What happens if we don't have the money? Then our students are absolutely going to be affected. And I've heard lots of board members tell me if it's affecting the students then we are going to raise taxes. There's no way around it. But you think this isn't going to affect the students. Not to be disrespectful, but all of it is. I'm I'm already hearing staff members that are concerned about behavioral support that that's not going to be there. And that's concerning for me because we all know there's always that one little kid, right, that Bill was talking about earlier that might disrupt the entire class and there's just no getting around that one. >> Um and and you need support. Our staff need support, especially

189when we have so many wonderful retirees that are leaving. That is going to be felt and that is not just going to be felt on staff members but students too. So, I I think it's pretty dangerous what we're doing here. You know, it might feel good to not raise taxes, but I'm thinking I'm staying up at night because that act one index, I'm thinking that might be a problem for us next year and that's my piece. It's 9:52. >> I'll let somebody else go. >> Mr. Hall, could I ask you a question? You said that, you know, you were not that if we have to raise taxes, we have to raise taxes. What is it? I mean, we are running a $2.6 million deficit. Is that right, Mrs. Green? >> I think that's about what

190we're using for fun. Maybe a little bit more. >> Okay. Um, >> pull it up. What What would convince you that it's time? Um, as I've said before, the one of the legs at the stool is is uh is me understanding what we are doing internally outside of attrition, what we are doing internally to one respond to the fact that we have less students and two respond to the fact that we are trying to rein our spending. which any family would have to do in those circumstances. >> But we've already every family in our community is already doing because that's just the current economic that times that we live in. I have not seen that and I've asked the question. >> Um we have been informed that with some time because it is fluid we

191will be able to see what that looks like. we will be able to see what that internal modification to budgets looks like. But as to this point, I've not seen it. And >> we just got it when we talked about the budget in March. >> We got a list >> with all due respect, with all due respect, that is not what I'm looking for. >> Okay? >> Because I asked the question, are we cutting the budgets, the athletic budget? The answer was no. Now, we're not increasing it, which I can respect that. I can I I get that. I respect that. But we're not cutting it. So, it's not that I have this overarching desire to cut the athletic budget. I don't. But I do have an overarching desire to understand where are we cutting

192and what are because it can't all come from tax increases. It has to be all three legs of the stool. And I do not feel that I have ever gotten an adequate answer to what are we cutting, what are we drawing back up, what are we trying to do internally. Now, I understand that answering that question is going to be unpopular. You know, it is going to create um maybe undo um pressure from the individuals that are being directly affected by this. It's not that I don't understand it. It's that I cannot look at the taxpayer and say, I am raising your taxes until I can look at them and say, I am raising your taxes, but we're also doing this and we're also doing this. I can say then we are doing attrition. That's

193clear. That's been very very well publicized. But I can't say that we shouldn't have done that anyway >> because of our dis declining population of of kids which we don't have any control over. What I can't say to them is I know we're asking more from you but we're doing more too. We're doing the best we can to as I'm asking more for you. Now, I do believe that that is going to come in time and I also believe and understand that it may not be that simple at this moment, but I believe as we go through this budget, it's going to become clearer and more apparent and that that quote unquote list of things will become apparent and then I will have a I will have the understanding that I know we are doing

194the best and then we can raise taxes. Right now, I don't know that >> outside of that, isn't that salary and benefits, right? That's the majority of the budget. Um, and then we do have, you know, evidence of the district going back through to receive grants and apply heavily for grants. We we received um 96,170 ready tolearn block grant last year as just one of them. That's almost a million dollars. >> That's not the same thing. >> Well, it is though our district doing what they can to find funding outside of the tax levy. >> Still not the same thing. >> Well, when we have situations come in, that's your perspective. >> We're not supplying $2 million by not having colored paper, right? >> I agree. Throwing that out there. No, but if you add

195up all the situations and times that we have had come up in in these meetings where, you know, we've seen, hey, somebody's coming to us and saying, we need money for this. Well, why did it happen? Well, it wasn't planned for. Why not? >> Well, just wasn't. >> Wait, wasn't were you agreeing to >> um one of the situation is the trucks that we looked at. Trucks were not properly >> Hold on. They were budgeted. No, >> they were in the budget. You chose not to to do them, but they were planned for. They were budgeted. So, I just want to be clear that's that's not inaccurate. >> They were definitely >> because the maintenance was not what the the proper maintenance was not done on them, what it could have been done to keep

196them running longer. Are are are we referencing like undercoating the truck, not to go down a road, but I I want to say if we're talking about a 15-year-old truck that spreads salt as part of what we do with it, and we're saying that we should have got 20 years out of the truck or 25 years out of the truck. And I'm thinking to myself, I struggle to keep my own pickup truck on the road that long. And we're going to blame somebody for that truck rusting. Rust never sleeps. Like I I I'm struggling and and I am struggling to say that we're not doing enough or we're not being transparent. We will do whatever you're looking for us to be transparent with, Bill, honestly. But when I go back and we look at the

197presentations where we're cutting 10% from all the building budgets, we're losing 20 people through attrition. That will impact kids. I do agree with you. Can it be Can we deal with it? Can we move forward? Can we still provide a high level of education? Yes. But it will have an impact. >> But can we lose 20 more next year? No. >> Because we would need to lose that. >> No. A for two reasons. I don't think you will have that same perfect scenario where the positions that are lost are ones that we can reshuffle and it becomes much more difficult to reshuffle at that point. Um you would you would you wouldn't be able to do it because we wouldn't the population of the school is not going to decline. >> It's declined 11%. It's

198not going to do that one. >> We had our ination over over I'm sorry just over the past 10 years has been 38.75. So like we've seen 30 kids a year disappear. 30 kids a year. I mean that's not 300 kids in one elementary school. So you can't say like oh and I thought the same thing too. I I was like 300 oh my gosh that's a lot. Why weren't we on top of that? But you're not feeling it all in one place. And then when you look at what that and I I just I want to say one other thing. Mrs. Hall and I have been on the board since 2021. Okay. I want to let you know what I'm seeing. I want to let you know that for all the almost five years

199that I've been on the board, I've rejected every tax increase. And why I see it differently now and that is when we first came in, we were in the middle of COVID and we got a lot of COVID money, right? A lot of COVID money. And so we had a surplus and our fund balance, you know, we were we're going up with that. We would see budgets where it would look like we would need to take out money from our fund balance, but then when you know, the staffing, all of the things, Mrs. Green does a wonderful job of being able to, you know, give us a budget with some padding. And so we were always every year able to replace that money back in the fund balance. This is the first year we will

200not be able to replace what we have allotted from the fund balance back into the fund balance. This is the first year that we have been presented a budget less for next year slightly than it was for this year. When we look back at the inflation, part of the reason why as a board we were not having tax increases is because we had a surplus of money coming in and the inflation in 2022 was 8% and we said, "Hey, we are getting money coming in. We cannot pass this on to our taxpayers." But we are no longer in any of those situations. We are not going to be able to get next year $2.6 $6 million from a truck or from it's that I mean the math doesn't math to me in that way and

201I'm not a finance person it just doesn't make sense that we can do that and so we are in this situation where we >> if we don't do anything it compounds next year and I didn't understand this probably for the first couple years but essentially every year we don't have a tax increase it's like a cut so every year we are cutting because that money that we get that year compounds and goes into the years thereafter that. So we've had Mrs. Green, can you remind me again in the past four years we have had tell me again how many over how many years? >> This is our sixth year we will not have a tax increase. >> Six years. >> Is that what you're asking? >> Yes. >> So six years we've been running a

202budget cut against inflation against all the other higher costs. So to me again I was thinking about this like what does it mean to be fiscally conservative? What it means is you have to have revenues coming in to take care of your expenditures. And we are $2.6 million below that. So I'm not saying this to be argumentative. I'm not saying this for any other reason than to say this is what I see having sat on the board for 5 years and why I see it's different and why I think it might be time. And can you tell me again, Mrs. Green, even if we did the most modest of the tax increase that 2.96? >> 2.8. Yeah, 2.96. I think that's right. Right. On an average property, what does that equate to over a year?

203>> I think it was $110. >> And that like the property value assessment is like $200,000, $180,000, >> like 189 median. >> I think it was $1847 something, >> right? Just under 190. Yeah. >> And it $112 over the year. >> Yeah. >> Something like that. >> Yep. Something like that. So, I mean, what I want to hear is tangibly what is our plan? Because if we do the building projects that we say, and I saw the slide that I think that I saw, we would have $9 million left in our fund budget. That's less than four years of being able to use our fund balance to balance the budget. >> So, a couple things on that. I I think that we've already had some discussions about some of the items in those building projects

204as not not necessarily being things that we have to do or that we have to do in the way that they're specified. So, I need to I need as Mr. Hall does, I need a better understanding of what we actually need to spend. uh because that was we're we're pursuing greatest needs and that we're not pursuing wholesale um building projects, but I don't we're not really down to greatest needs was that was fairly clear to me in the latest presentation. Um which is fine. I mean it it's it is their job to present us with it would be efficient if you're going to do this it would be efficient to do it at the same time but we do decide are we going to do that? Are we going to do it in that way?

205Um, >> so can I just like ask like so so just the struggle that I have with that is like so how much like I would like to know >> if we're thinking we have time $9 million left if we're not going to do that what what like it's the lack of specifics that's what's making me angsty right now. Like I hear what you're saying and I and I know that but we just don't know what it's going to be. >> Yeah. I mean it makes it the lack of specifics is also a concern for me because we have to make those decisions and that's that's a hard process and it takes time. Um the the one thing I want to mention is the the idea of saying when it affects students then that's the

206line. I can't draw a line like that because that doesn't recognize that every every decision of this sort is a tradeoff. There are two people two there are two groups of people affected taxpayers. Well, there are more than two but we'll we'll just say taxpayers and students. So, we said we won't do this. We won't do something that would affect students. Well, that means we're willing to do any we're willing to do anything to the taxpayer. No, for me it has to be a trade-off. And so I'm and I'm not saying that's what you're saying, but I I I feel like it needs to be raised that it's not that okay, here's the line. We can't do anything that would impact students. No, it can. We need to weigh the impact that it has. If

207it's a small impact and it's a temporary impact or it's an impact that's okay, they may not get to do this thing that they like to do, but we can't do everything that a student would want to do. And it's always harder to take away than to add. That is always the the the the challenge. It's much harder to take away than to add. But at a certain point, you have to if a if a school declines to a certain size, if a school declines to have 300 kids across the whole district, you're not going to have nine different sports at that point. So I do think we need to we need to continue to look at okay we've had attrition which is completely appropriate given that there was basically there had there wasn't really

208a reduction in staff until recently. There was a reduction in students over time over time over time. There wasn't actually a reduction in staff to to to meet that until then. That same thing has to be looked at with programs that okay we might want to offer this program and that program. Maybe we need to scale this one back. Maybe we can't offer it to as many. And yeah, that's going to be unpopular with the people who want that program or want it expanded, want it to be larger. But there's another side of that which is the taxpayers. And the increase can be small, but the amount over time >> is a lot. So it it it grows very slowly. And that's the income tax started at like 1%. Now it's, you know, >> went

209north of 80. >> Yeah, it went went more than 80, but it's, you know, it's it's on the top brackets. It's like 35 38, I believe, now 38, I think. Um, you know, and the average tax rate is lower than that, but it's still a lot more than 1%. And it affects a much larger group of people. So, these things do grow slowly over time. And I'm very, um, I want to be very careful, as Mr. Hall mentioned, to make sure we've done everything. We we've looked at the staffing. We've got to look at the programs. We got to look at other things to see, okay, what what is appropriate for a district of our size because it's not the same size it was 10 years ago. Can I say a couple things? >> Yeah.

210>> So, um you know, first I want to clear up some misinformation. I've I've seen a couple comments from the public where they apparently think that people were out making like anti-ax pledges. And as you know, being part of the campaign, I can tell you I'm not familiar with that taking place. So what was pledged and what was a central campaign plank was fiscal responsibility. That is very different from an anti-ax pledge. It's it's irresponsible for somebody to say categorically that he or she would not raise taxes under any circumstance, right? There's emergencies that can come up. Um, I'm against deficit spending. Now, that's different from a structural deficit where you're where you're paying with some fund balance, but when it comes to actually adding debt to the school district, I am against that. And

211so, if I was confronted with a choice where you either have to add debt or you have to raise taxes, I believe that you should be paying for today's government with today's dollars. And so I would be against um something like that. Um our budget document shows that our long-term indebtedness in the district right now is $77 million. Um 69 million of that being bonds payable. And so that's about $8,500 per tax parcel or about 2.5 years of school taxes on the average tax parcel. So, I certainly would not be in favor of adding to that. And so, I think it's irresponsible for anybody to say categorically that they never under any circumstance would raise taxes. But I also think it's even probably even more irresponsible for somebody to say that they will never under

212any circumstance cut programs, right? because um you know our cost per student right now our vice president here did some chart work and we're looking at a cost per student right now that is about 15 to 16% above the rise in the cost per student is about 15 to 16% above the level of inflation. So we have when we plot inflation on a chart and then we plot cost per student on a chart, you actually have a parabolic line on the cost per student. That's a red flag to me. To me, that's that suggests there's a scaling issue that that needs to be looked at and that there's more that needs to be done before we would consider something like a a tax increase. And quite frankly, I I I said this in previous meetings,

213a school district with 3,500 students has different programs, extracurriculars than a school district with 2500 students. You were just making that point. So you you can't say that you're never for any tax increases because there's certainly emergencies and cases where you have big expenditures that you need to fund. And actually when you have something like a building expenditure, I actually think that funding that with a tax increase instead of deficit spending is actually pretty smart because what you're doing is you're actually creating a mini moratorum on that building expenditure and you're taking it right to the voter in the form of a tax increase. So um that's basic basically what I wanted to say. >> Any other discussion? Um just real quick I mean next year we're looking at our comprehensive plan obviously the programs

214we do you know kind of the long range sort of okay comprehensive plan well that includes all of our planning what our programs are going to be um what sort of education our students are going to receive um and you know obviously screens are going to be part of that conversation you know moving Moving away from as much digital learning as we are would require us switching to something well that may be print. There will be costs associated with that. You know I would foresee if that's what comes out of the comprehensive plan that that would have to be funded somewhere that we don't currently have. So again, I think the comprehensive plan is a good opportunity to address a lot of the concerns that I'm hearing at least here tonight. The point about the

215first step student spending exceeding inflation is an important one to me because that if any expense that persistently exceeds inflation is ultimately unsustainable if it exceeds it by very much. You can exceed by a little because of GDP growth, but economically you can't exceed inflation by much because if if if you could do it for a little bit, but you can't persistently do that uh because you will eventually use all avail all possible revenues. Um, so I I do think that that I I do need to see us address that and that if that means if that means certain program cuts, whatever it means, we can't just mathematically that can't happen forever. So, so we have to address that. We have to address the trend of per student spending exceeding inflation. >> So, how are

216we going to do that? >> I think there's there's going to be so this that's the SP I mean I that's per student spending. So revenue doesn't fix that problem. It fixes it temporarily. But if your trend in per student spending is increasing faster than inflation, eventually you run out of revenue. So it has to be addressed through spending cuts. It has to be addressed through finding the things that with our district at the size it is now rather than the size it was 10 years ago. What are the programs that this district should have? and and it can't be done, you know, within the, you know, within a contracted budget season, right? It's an all year thing. >> Well, I mean, that's really what I'm asking. So, >> what is the plan for the

217future, >> right? Like h how do we do that thing that you're saying like what does that look like? Is that a year planning? Is that bringing somebody in to audit our finances? like what you're you're asking some of us who feel uncertain to trust in not having a tax increase but it's not being offset with well what is the plan to figure out what it is that we need to do is right sizing what whatever it is like I don't even know what that means what does that mean do we have a number for what right sizing is do we have a number for does this board have a number for how many students do we have like 2700 what is a right-sized plan for that do we No, >> I mean that'll there's

218a lot lot of work to be done. Yeah, that'll be the budget. >> Are we going to do that this year? So that for next year? >> Yeah, that'll be the budget development that happens this year. And I'm not saying that. >> So who will do that? >> Trevor will do a lot of it. Uh Dr. Bryson will do a lot of it. >> How is that? How can the board task this type of work without funding? >> Well, this is the future. We're using a year going into a deficit. >> It feels like punishment to me. >> I don't I don't understand. >> There's been responsible fiduciary activity going on in our school district every day, right? We see it, every month. it comes in and we're placing the responsibility of a future budget

219plan without the idea that the board is going to support the budget >> that's going to yeah it's going to be a conversation this year >> that I that is not sustainable and I I understand that there has been loss of students right with enrollment however the administration understands that too and when you have two students in this class, two students in that class, two students in that class. Does that really mean that you can sustain all of that staff reduction? No. You might still have 20 instead of 22 or 24 instead of 22. But does that mean that you need less teachers? Not necessarily. Spread out over five different schools. So, I can see where you're saying, "Oh, well, there's 300 students." Well, okay. But we also see that there are more students that

220come in and it flows and we have to really think about that student to staff ratio too. And I I we want to provide a stellar education for every student. I don't like to hear well we're not going to be able to provide that program. Well, what program are we talking about? We we are in a position where we are really getting in the weeds on something that as board members we can't efficiently understand that we are not educators. We are not administrators. Our job is to fund the school district, hire the superintendent, evaluate the superintendent and build policy. That is our job. So I'm I'm feeling like we're really getting into something that is going to cost our students greatly when it comes to their education. and you were just at the presidential excellence

221award night and saw all of that opportunity and all that potential that's coming from the elementary school through the middle school into the high school and I'm not going to want to look at that student and say I'm sorry this is not available for you because we didn't have the the courage to do what we needed to do and we need to be able to fund this district and I feel like not doing anything this year is going to put us at an act one risk next year where we're going to be above the index. And I I just don't agree with any of it. I think that we should make an amendment and that we should do the 2.96% at the very least this year. >> That will come on the next item. >>

222We're not even selling anything. >> Yeah, >> we're not selling the L. >> Can we vote on this? >> Yeah. So, this is the this is just the budget vote. >> So, we have a this is the vote to approve the budget and the next item is the is the tax rate. We we have a motion and a second on the budget. Those in favor say I. >> I. >> Those opposed? Nay. The extensions. Motion carries. >> Can we give a thank you for Caleb once again? >> Thanks, Caleb. Thanks, Caleb. >> Thank you, buddy. >> See you all at graduation. >> Now that we voted on it, right? >> Now that I just got Okay. Sorry. >> Do you pump in the >> Is that super loud for you? >> I have no idea.

223>> Okay. >> I wish I had an answer. >> Okay. >> Wasn't 4.0. >> Maybe >> my pre-cap grade is not amazing. >> Oh, do that. >> All right. So, I uh the next item is 9.04. This is the adoption of our tax levy resolution. So I will make a motion to adopt the tax re levy resolution for the 2026 2027 fiscal year. This resolution does not include a tax increase. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Is there any discussion? >> I would like to move to amend the motion to strike the language of 0% and insert a 2.96% tax increase. >> Okay. Okay, the motion is on the floor. Is there a second to the motion? >> Second. >> Okay. Any discussion on the motion? >> I mean, I think we largely

224had it >> just now, but >> I think we I think we just did. >> Yeah. >> Um Okay. Um why don't we do a roll call vote on the motion >> to amend motion to amend to add the tax increase. >> Lisa Staler. Nay. >> Joe Wilson. No. >> Jason Decker. >> Nate. >> Bill Hall. >> No. >> Mary Lee Hall. >> Yay. >> Samantha Hall. >> Yay. >> Jeremy Hash. >> No. >> Jen Henle. >> No. >> Nathan Henle. >> No. >> Okay. There's two yeses. >> 72. >> No. >> 72. The amendment fails. We'll go back to the main motion. >> So, the main motion was on the floor. We had a motion. We had a second. Those in favor, please signify your vote by saying I. >> Uh, I do a

225roll call. >> You want to do a roll? >> Roll call. Okay. >> Do a roll call on the main motion. >> Yep. >> Joe Wilson, >> yes. >> Jason Decker, >> yes. >> Bill Hall, >> yes. >> Mayor Leeh Hall, >> no. And I want to give rationale that I think that not raising any taxes this year is going to mean that we're going to be up against the act one tax index next year. and I feel that that's irresponsible. So, I don't agree with a 0.00 tax increase and my vote is a no. >> Samantha Hall, >> no. >> Jeremy Hash, >> yes. >> Jen Henl, >> yes. >> Nathan Henl, >> yes. >> Lisa Staller, >> yes. >> Okay, that was 72. >> 72. The motion carries. Item 9.05. 05 is our

226homestead farmstead resolution for the 2026 2027 fiscal year. I will make a motion to approve the homestead farmstead resolution for the 2026 2027 fiscal year. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? Those in favor, please signify your vote by saying I. >> I. Nays or abstensions? Motion carries. Item 9.06 is revisions to the tax collection and policy manual. Um, so I'll make a motion for the approval of the revisions to the tax collection and policy manual, including the approval of the senior citizen property tax rebate resolution for the 2026 2027 school year. Do I have a second? >> Second. Um, Sue, it looked like a lot of mostly cosmetic changes here. change on some dates, but not a whole bunch of >> Yeah, it was just to update for the current next

227year budget. >> Okay. Any discussion or any questions on this? >> Those in favor, please signify your vote by saying I. >> I. >> Any nays or abstensions? That motion carries. Item 9.07. No. >> I'll make a motion for approval of a tax collector resolution to appoint Rachel Wetzel as tax collector for the 2026 2027 fiscal year for railroad burrow taxes. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Those in favor, please signify your vote by saying I. >> I. I. >> Any nays or abstension? >> Having heard none, that motion carries. Item 9.08 is our alocart menu prices for the 2026 2027 school year. I'll make a motion to approve the alocart menu prices for the 2026 2027 school year. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> I do

228have one question. >> Sure. Um so when I look in the um cafeteria report um I see we're somewhere around 52% participation rate somewhere in that neighborhood. It's a lot of numbers to try and crunch down into one. Um, is that a good participation rate for our agreement with Chartwells and does this have impact upon that agreement as well? >> Does does the alleart pricing? >> So when you have the national school lunch program, I'll start with the alle cart because the pricing for this is based upon you can't subsidize the the meal. So, this pricing has to be high enough to cover labor costs and cover. So, so that's where the pricing increases come from. Um, you're also trying to incentivize students to buy the whole meal. So, if you take or offer versus

229serve, which means if you take three components, it's a meal. So, if you take any of the three individual components, they have to add up to more than a meal price when you do them all a cart. And so long- winded way of saying we have a lot of allocart sales but we're really trying to continue to push them towards the participation. So when you say 52% I feel like that's pretty good. A lot of lot of families choose to to to pack and you know that's that's perfectly fine. The other thing is honestly when you're you're standing because we we stand behind and audit them and just make sure they're doing what they need to do. Um a lot of kids won't take three components. they they they want to have slice of pizza

230and they they won't take a fruit. They won't you know so we encourage can't make you encourage and so um that's why we do see alo cart >> I guess my concern was more that we're we're hitting the numbers that Chartwell needs to continue doing business with our district and we're in a three-year contract but that's going to come to an end. So I and I also understand that this is supplementing that and I just want to make sure that we're that this is keeping that salt. >> Yeah. No, I think I think we're doing well. Um now like when you look at the guarantees and stuff, we had some snow days, so we've got to we've got to factor that into it. Um because obviously they're not selling meals on those days. Um just

231want to make sure everybody understand it's a fiveyear so we can go to five years. No, we we will be in the third year next year, but it is a five up to five years, but you have to renew it each year. That's how food service works because it's a federal program. Um, but I don't know if I answered your question. >> Yeah, I just wanted to make sure that if if this if this is keeping them where they need to be, then that was really ultimately what I was trying to make sure. >> It's keeping them where they need to be and it's keeping us in compliance if we get audited that we're not allocart's not subsidizing the the free and reduced meal. Okay. Okay, >> I have a motion and a second. Those

232in favor, please signify your vote by saying I. >> I. >> Any nays or abstensions? Okay, >> that motion carries. Item 9.09 is our renew renewal of our network security software. So, I'll make a motion for the renewal of network security software at a cost of $13,372.50 50 cents per year for the 3-year term of July 1st, 2026 through June 30, 2029 to be purchased through the Lincoln Intermediate Unit. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Is there any discussion? >> Quick question. Is this pretty much like a anti virus thing for our whole network? Is that what this is? >> And yeah, it's for for that and for hardware. It's it's the security behind hardware. >> Thank you. >> The servers and all this. >> Why are we getting it through Lincoln Intermediate?

233Is that just >> consortium pricing? >> Ah, okay. Those in favor, please signify your vote by saying I >> I. >> Any naysay or abstensions? That motion carries. Item 9.10 10 is the renewal of VMware licensing. So I will make a motion for the REM renewal of VMware licensing at the listed cost for the 35month term of August 1st 2026 through June 30, 2029 to be purchased through the Lincoln Intermediate Unit. Year 1 483984 that's prorated. Year 2 5280. Year 3 5280. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> Is this the same deal kind of thing? >> Consortium pricing. Yes. >> Right. >> Those in favor, please signify your vote by saying I. >> I. I. >> Any nays or abstensions? Having heard none, the motion carries. Item 9.11, online payments

234for property taxes. Um, so this is anformational item. Sue, >> um, so you have a board briefing attached. Um, years ago when we collected taxes within the district, the um, we we did offer credit card payments when we switched to elected tax collectors, they the company would not do individual agreements with the tax collectors. So, it's why we didn't have credit cards for whatever it's been 12 years or or what have you. Um, they're now it's the same company we use, which is a great company. Munis pay um is working with our tax collectors and shout out to Mr. Carrington who's work with them. Most of our tax collectors are um open to collecting via credit cards, which I think would be good for um the taxpayers. And then for us, we do collect for

235railroad. I think it's 108 parcels. So, um, we would need to bring that back in June. Um, because one thing we want to make sure of is if you live in southern New York, um, you'd have the same ability to collect do a credit card transaction. We don't want it to be like if you live here, you can, but, if you live over here, you can't. Um, so we believe we'll be able to have that in place for next year. >> So, it' be districtwide >> hopefully, but again, each agreement's with the tax collectors, so they'll have to follow through. But um it seems initially in talking to them that they're supportive of that. >> Thank you. >> That's great. Thank you. Thanks for the work. >> Item 9.12. Other items of business. I have

236none. >> I just >> I would like to um see if I could add something to that. I would really like to understand what our next step is with a plan for looking at our budget for next year. I would like to understand timing of that. Are we assembling a committee or a council for that? Just anything to start to break that down for me. Would that be reasonable to come back and report in a month? Would it be reasonable to come back in August? Just to understand what is the what are our board officers thinking for that because we just want to I want to know. >> Let's I think we'll take that offline and um yeah, we'll come back to you and we'll definitely >> would that be June, August? >> Let's have

237a discussion item in June. We can use it if we're ready and not if we're not. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, >> President HLE. >> All right. Uh, brings us to personnel and policy and I'll turn it over to Mrs. Samantha Hall. >> Thank you. Item 10.01, appointments to the Southern New York County School District Foundation Board of Directors. Um, I make a motion the board, sorry, the board of education to consider appointments of the following to the Southern New York County School District Foundation Board of Directors for three-year terms effective July 1st, 2026. Um, so I make a motion to elect Mary Lee Hall, school board appointment. Robert Bryson, school board appointment, Trevor Carrington, school board appointment. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? Any all of those in favor

238say I. >> I. >> Any naysay or abstensions? Motion carries. Item 10.02 board treasurer. Um I would turn this over to Mrs. Staylor to um talk to us about the nominating process and our quotes. >> I received one Thank you, Miss Hull. Um, I received one nomination for Nathan for um, Mr. Decker for the treasurer. Um, as far as nominations, I sent out a posting requesting anyone who wanted to nominate any um, another board member for the the U position of board treasurer to send their nomination to me. Then I reached out to that nominee and requested a prospectus just listing their um qualifications, why they would be, you know, why what makes them qualified for the position and I presented that to everyone for vote for this evening. >> Thank you. Do you want

239to >> conduct the elections? Do you want me to do it? >> Yeah, it says board president. >> Oh, does it say >> Yeah. >> Oh, all right. Um, all right. So, I'll open the floor for any other nominations. We have Mr. Decker in nomination. Are there any other nominations? All right. Hearing none, I'll move to close nominations. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> If you're in favor of closing nominations, say I. >> I. >> Any nays or abstensions? Okay. Nominations are closed. Um, all right. And because we only have one nominee, we'll just take a voice vote for uh for that. Uh all in favor of Mr. Decker for treasurer say I. >> I. Any naysay or abstensions? Hearing none. He will serve as our treasure for another year. >> Okay. Thank

240you. Item 10.03 board secretary. Again, I turn it over to you for the nomination. >> That one. Um, >> oh yeah, yeah. Uh, so yeah, so there's a recommendation um that I'll go ahead and nominate. Um, so I'll open the floor for nominations. Um, and I will nominate Mr. Trevor Carrington as board secretary. Um, are there any other nominations? >> Doesn't the board secretary have to be an employee by the school for certain reasons? Yeah. So, uh, there was some discussion about, you know, just as roles are changing, you know, I honestly I looked into it because I was like, can we take some things off of Trevor's plate because he's taking along a lot of stuff. And the answer was no. You'd actually make it much harder if you tried to because there are

241legal requirements for a lot of uh a lot of things have to be done by the board secretary by law, specifically the board secretary. And some of those things like the example Mrs. screen mentioned to me was turning the audit around. It'll arrive uh and the there's a scramble to get that thing turned around like same day and it has to be signed by the board secretary. You can't delegate we can't even by policy delegate to anyone else. It's by law. So, uh with that understanding um it made sense to yes continue to have the board secretary role be someone in administration in our district and I think Trevor will do a great job with it. Um, I just wanted to understand whether that was anything we could take off his plate and it turns

242out no. So since we can't take it off your plate, you'll do great with it is my my opinion on you. Um, so anyway, are there um so that was also my endorsement. Uh um any further nominations? All right, I will move to close nominations. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Um motion and a second. If you're in favor of closing nominations, say I. >> I. I. Any nays or extensions? Nominations are closed. As we only have one nominee, we'll signify with a voice vote. If you're in favor of uh electing Mr. Carrington to the role of board secretary, say I. >> I. Any resentions? Hearing? None. Congratulations. >> Condolences on. >> Okay, moving on. Item 10.04, the 2026 2027 compensation and benefits program. I make a motion to adopt a 2026 2027

243compensation and benefit program to cover non-UN support staff, non-act salary staff, act 93 administrators and cabinet administrators, including updated agreement, other positions and substitutes. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> Uh those in favor say I. >> I. Any nays or abstensions? That motion carries. Item 10.05 is for your information. Uh just a quick little update on it. It's the first reading of board policy 815.1, which is our acceptable use of generative AI in education. Um, as I always share, um, a little bit about how we got to this point, um, as part of our board policy process, we made changes, um, that were discussed, uh, I think two board meetings ago and it required a legal review and it had to go back to a first read. So, tonight represents

244the first read of this policy. Um, and it will be published for public review next week and then we will move to a second read in June with a board vote. And upon the passage of that vote, the policy is final approved and effective. Yes, effective. Item 10.06, review of updated policies. Um, again, this is just for your information for policies that are on the cycle. Um, and we'll be up at our next board meeting for our first review, our first read, and then it will go back to a second read at our August meeting. And then item 10.07, other items of business. I have none. Thank you. >> Thank you. Moving on to buildings and grounds. I'll turn it over to Mr. Hall. >> Thank you, President Henle. Moving to 11.01, we have the

245buildings grounds report and water test report and use of facilities. That is there for our information. U Mr. Buffington, would you like to speak to any of those things? >> Yeah, the water test reports, you know, are favorable. Um, and the building grounds report just for your information. Okay. Thank you. 11.02, we have information uh in regards to um the water test reporting uh with lead. So, >> thank you. annually. Um, as the board may recall, I I come and give a report um about testing for lead in drinking water. Um, so just updating the board uh you know, in our community, we follow the Pennsylvania D um schedule um particularly for um the main campus because we have a well as well as Friendship Elementary, we have a well. So they they have intervals

246of when and how many tests to take. So we obviously need to follow that. We also um follow that same schedule for Shrewsbury even though it's a public build public water uh building. So um we follow that schedule as well. The other update I'd like to give the board is recently within the last um I believe two weeks uh the Pennsylvania Department of Education came out with a um guidance of to um lower the limit to zero parts per billion. There's been discussion throughout um schools and um the water testing um about how how that can be achieved and things like that. So there there definitely is areas that um we're working through um with testing and and uh looking into different things on that that subject. So in our history um would we still

247meet the new qualifications in you know our past readings? >> In our past we we've had times when we've had um traces you know so was it zero? No. you know, so there there was, you know, um tests that were had traces but met the um uh we're we're under the limit the the limit. >> Yeah. Well, the not zero, but we're under 15 parts per billion. Um few years ago uh at Shrewsbury we actually took some tests and then decided to um replace uh faucets there because we were getting um traces and then one uh test was actually uh hit over the 15. So um we had a conscious effort to replace um faucets. >> Yeah. Because that that building's plastic water on it. just had to come from the faucet. >> Yeah. Yeah.

248>> Cuz some of your older faucets were lead and brass. So, >> yeah. It either came from the faucet and or uh from the public water coming into the building, >> right? You know, >> which is really hard to do something about. >> Yeah. Um certainly, you know, we're all focused on having, you know, good quality water for our students, staff, and public to drink. you know, it's how you achieve that, you know, that that can be challenging. Um, particularly when you're saying the the limit's zero. You're right. If I could add something real quick. Um, I don't know if this is accurate, but been around long enough to see these the new standard come out and then they back up off of that because they realize it's not manageable. Um I you shared something

249with me recently that somebody had shared with you that the the parts per billion in a purchased bottle of water is on average around two parts per billion. So they would all fail. >> So now think about this. If you were required to have water shipped to your buildings because you weren't meeting >> the current standard, you'd be far worse off than what >> we were at once. Now we have to buy bottles of water with two, >> right? >> So, so there is some potential uh push back on. This is why I was like five minutes, Randy. spend 5 minutes because this one's going to evolve over the next 6 to 12 months because I just don't think it's doable. Um, >> what I heard was you're on record now attempting poisoning board members.

250>> I'll have some, you know, and we the same thing happened to us and that's why we have plastic water piping in Shrewsbury Elementary. for a short window of t window of time. They were very concerned about copper content in the sludge and we ended up with plastic water lines in the building. It they very quickly realized that it was not not sustainable and it all went away. So hopefully this will put us in the same. >> So we'll not we'll try not to give you a monthly update on that, but we'll we'll learn more and then share. >> Yeah, certainly. Okay. Thank you. Moving on to 11.03, we have additional information on the potential upcoming capital projects. Mr. Buffington, take take it away. All right. I have Mr. Spar with me here again tonight.

251We'll give you a brief update of where we are, but just want to kind of review where we've been. We're we're looking at the immediate and high needs um from a holistic uh point of view. um continued look at the long-term capital improvement needs um and the goal of keeping warm, safe, dry environment for students and staff and our public. Uh this process has included um various stakeholders including construction managers, contractors, engineers, architects, uh district staff and uh even uh Mr. Hall has sat in uh some of our meetings as well looking at scopes of work and things like that. Um this process has also included a feasibility study that was completed in April of 2025. Uh from that point um we developed a scope of work and this board approved uh going ahead with

252a um boiler room project as well as um roofing at Shrewberry Elementary and uh rooftop units, canopy and skylight um coatings as we're looking at the next greatest needs. Certainly uh the three buildings that are on the front uh screen um are Shoesbury Elementary, Southern L and Southern Middle. Um so looking into that ultimately um we started to develop a scope and uh looking at the build of summer what what we could do in the summer of 27. Um, so just to kind of point out, you know, most of the projects that are uh part of this are replacements or maintaining existing systems, not not a lot of new things that we're doing. It's it's maintaining um existing systems that are near end of life. Uh so what we're trying to do is minimize risk.

253So this evening our agenda, you know, we'll obviously talk about um the proposal for the build of summer of 27, which um would be at Shreberry Elementary would be the proposal for that. Um, I'll point out it's important that um, many of the same needs occur at Southern Middle and Southern L. And we would, as we look into the future, propose a project in 28 for Southern Middle and in 29 for Southern Elementary. We'll discuss factors of the scope uh, decisions and how, you know, we arrived at that. Uh, we'll give the recommendation as well. Um but the one thing I want to you know accent it's important in order for us to meet the summer of 27 uh we would need to get started in design in June. So we would be coming back

254to the board asking you know for um that approval to start start design because if we want to hit the summer of 27 uh we would need to start um by next month. So then we'll wrap it up with schedule and next steps. So Mr. Spar, >> thank you. Good evening. Nice to see everyone again. What you're seeing in front of you are tables that you've seen before with immediate and high priority needs as well as remaining project needs and options down on the left side. And that's all part of the deferred maintenance and necessary overall planning for the district. Over $14 million of projects, and you can see in that top red box, were identified for Shrewsbury Elementary in the immediate and high priority with about $9 million identified for Shrewsbury Elementary School for

255the lower priority down with the the box you can see on the bottom left side. And meaning that Shrewsbury Elementary had a total of over $23.5 million of deferred maintenance identified. So then we have to boil that down to greatest needs and in listening to the board meeting, you know, we understand we have to really look at the greatest of the greatest needs. So just as a reminder of the history of what we're looking at at Shersbury Elementary, the bo the red box on the right is that summary. So, if you take the cost of the summer 2026 projects out and look at the recommendations that we had in April, which are down for May presentation, you'll start to see that really where we are now and today we have more than $1 million at

256that school that we're deferring. And remember, every year you defer $10 million at 5%, it's about half a million dollars. That's that's the reality of it. But there's also gets balanced out of getting more for the the systems that you have in and doing the best that you can fiscally to get the most out of them. Just like you know we give the idea of the car all the time. The next slide is a reminder of really the overall work deferred and what you can see there building by building are the remaining immediate and high priority. So that's what's shown there. The total of that is about $22.5 million plus anything that's important for Shrewsbury Elementary School that we're looking at tonight that we decide to defer further. So those are the highest priority needs

257that really need to go into your planning calculus for the future. When we looked at further reduction of the recommended scope from April, we looked at risk factors and there are several systems that we're looking at that if they fail, they will cause the building to be shut down and not be able to be used or classroom to not be able to be used or or wings. So Mrs. Green has said, you know, we're kind of fixing the engine with the boilers and now we have to go out and make sure each classroom is going to be able to operate. And those impacts for Shrewsbury Elementary School are listed at the top. So end of life HVAC equipment, end of life for fire alarm and specifically paging systems because we can't continue to get parts

258for those. Then there's electrical distribution systems and generators. And those are things that when they fail, kids don't come to school or kids don't get to use spaces in schools. So those became the highest risks and and the things that we really wanted to pay attention to. Of course, carpets there as well. And there's some other built there's some other uh areas with safety and access that should be reviewed by the district including some safety projects and some accessible parking at the track. >> Can you expand on the generator? If all of a sudden a generator would fail, um we're not going out to Home Depot to buy one. Uh what would be the process? So when a generator fails for a school district, typically the kids are not going to be in school right

259away because it's required for code to be able to have an operating generator. Your generator at all these schools is exercised every week. Something goes down, the generator comes on. It's life safety. There are places that you can rent generators. So we would rent a generator. Generator would come in. We would pay the connections to connect it, test it, then kids come back to school. Then if we don't have one designed already, we design a generator. We order it and procure it. And I'm going to say that that's better than it used to be. That's at least 6 months though, I think, is really what our that's what I would tell you to expect. So you're renting a generator and you're doing that hookup and disconnect and then when your generator comes, then you're putting

260in. So effectively, you're losing days of school and you're spending $50 $60,000 at least to to do that to deal with that as a failure. And by and large, school districts that I see everywhere worry about that generator failure in their electrical system before they worry about almost anything else. So that's what happens when we run into a failed generator. So there are other um there are building functions that these critical building functions and we've put them all together. So HVAC work is really what we focused on because that equipment is at the end of its life. It's got failure rates um and the condition of it continues to be challenging for the school district to maintain with replacing HVAC. There's some finishes work. When you take out fan coil units, you have to deal

261with flooring or you have to deal with some painting of walls, etc. Sometimes there's a little bit of ceiling tile. So, at the top you have the HVAC equipment that should be replaced plus those plumbing fixture connections there at the bottom that we know if we run into a problem with those fixtures that those connections they could uh flood part of the building. at the bottom is the finishes that go with it. Now, the very top line is there is the carpet replacement. That carpet is worn out. That the number that's in there is for replacing everything uh all the carpet. The majority of the carpet, and we had this conversation with Mr. hall. Majority of the carpet, and I'm not going to tell you it's absolutely 100%, but it's it's most of it is

262is in either classrooms, library, or offices that are heavily used, and the carpet's been used over 30 years. What we're able to do though is look at the needs for those finish and say if we buy the carpet for the for the district because the carpet is so very worn and we limit to about $107,000 the painting and any other flooring and any ceiling tile. We think that a good target estimate to deal with the finishes that go with the HVAC is about $800,000. >> So question before you move away. Yes, sir. Does that also include the finish repairs that would happen because of the plumbing connections? >> The between the plumbing and those finishes, I think we would be able to absorb that. I would want to look at that very closely, but we

263want to be as unobtrusive as we can and really thoughtful about how we make those repairs. >> Sure. >> Yeah, that's a great great question. So all of that in total is about 4.15 million and the recommendation is design this work now so that you're able to prosecute prosecute it whenever you want to whether it's you know the recommendation is do it first because if you see the ranking on the right side the the highest priorities based upon what we've seen and what what the administrative folks have seen are those top four things. So that's why we're recommending that gets designed and it's ready to go so you can replace that equipment quickly. The next slide shows other critical building function work and this is mostly related to electrical and again you'll see that those

264rankings are also very high. These are things like the generator or making sure that our switchboard um can be maintained. We know that we cannot get fire alarm uh um devices and and really maintain the fire alarm system. We know the same thing with the paging system. So there are systems that we we really need to replace soon because if they fail then you're back to some sort of uh hodgepodge of of dealing with it because the systems failed and you have to meet code and that's not anything that anyone anybody wants to do. So the recommendation is get those issues designed. Part of what we would want to do is like the switchboard replacement that you see there. Instead of replacing it, service the switchboard. You can go in and you can look at

265the electrical gear with infrared technology and see is are there hot spots? Is something not working and maintain it better. So there are ways within this to really work toward maintenance and not replacement. We know though with the paging system and the fire alarm that's really not possible. So we think that designing out those needs or or kind of working through all those to know what we do have to do and not have to do or what we can maintain is recommended. There are projects that we simply took off because they we cut them and cutting them here is means that we defer them further. So those are listed there from last month. there was uh about 1 point just under $1.7 million of projects that we said you know what these can be deferred

266further because we know that we can't fix everything right now and we probably wouldn't do this at home and we have to think that way with the with the tax money as well. So that should go in as future budgeting as you plan but these are the things that you get to move around. You know what we don't need to do it this year and you push it down the road. it's okay to do it. A lot most school districts do exactly the same thing. It's fiscally responsible to do that. There are three other projects that are important for the district to talk about, for the board to talk about. Two of those are security projects and one of those is access for parking at the fields behind the high school and they should be

267discussed separately. So this next slide takes uh and puts a total to to those areas. So you can see critical building function of the HVAC 3.3 million. The related finishes about 800,000. Uh other critical building functions electrical in nature a little over a million. Uh obviously zero in for projects deferred. uh and then other important work uh including their security projects um under 900,000 there. So for a total of um 6,72,323 now as the design would start you know and as we've done with the other projects you know we would continue to look at the scope and try to refine you know uh and hopefully drive that number down. That's not a guarantee where if we start to get into things and it's worse than we we know at this point it could go up

268but the hope is to to try to drive that drive that number down. Um so just to reiterate about deferred projects you know uh two things. One any project that's needed that goes into the future as Mr. as far as stated earlier uh is going to cost typically more about 5% every year we would defer it. The other thing that I just you know mentioned to the board is as we defer these items it also increase our risk a risk of failure uh and then you know trying to keep school in session uh with some of these some of these sess some of these systems. So certainly, you know, come back to what the schedule would be if the board would let would approve moving forward with the renovation uh in 27 for Shrewberry. Um

269we would need, you know, authorization to start design. Um we'll bring that back uh at next month's board meeting um for your consideration. Questions? Um, excellent. Really, uh, very very clear, um, consolidation of the the meeting that that we were in. Um, I just do want to to note to the board that um on the on the like this the final slide that summarizes everything um the the related finishes that $800,000 is directly connected to the first. Like you're not going to do the one without the other. Um, if you if you if we choose to do the um HVAC building function work at the 3.3 million, the 800,000 is coming is coming with it, >> right? Cuz >> so that we're we're clear on that. >> If you cut into the ceiling tiles, you

270got to put in replacement ceiling tiles, >> right? And and when you cut the wall open, you have to fix it. When you tear up the carpets, you you need to replace it. So on and so on. just so that I know there are two line items in there, but I want us to all to understand that really we do the one, we do the other. Uh that would not necessarily be the case with with the generator, which is the the the million dollars that's more standalone. Uh and then the other those other works, there are multiple jobs inside of that 861,000. They would not have to necessarily all be done. They could be broken apart. We discussed some of those earlier. Um, but I do think it is a super clear breakdown and I

271I feel like you have you've already sharpened your pencil in in a lot of areas, especially when it comes to the fit and finish work, you know, at the end. You've really already sharpened your pencil on that. Um, I mean, I do think that, you know, you may you may pull some things off like you did with the rooftop units where, you know, you can save >> 30,000 or 40,000 or something. That is certainly a possibility. It's not guaranteed, but it's a possibility. >> Um, but this is this is about as clear as it can get, you know, and we just have to decide as a board, you know, where we're moving with with these pieces. >> Mr. Hall. It might be worth noting one of the reasons why we talk about the timeline we

272do is because when we there's one thing about deferring work, we push work off until later and it costs more money. When you defer design, two things happen. One, if there's a problem, you don't have a design in a box and you can go get what you need right away. That's one thing. Two, when you defer design and all of a sudden it's the end of the year and you want to design something and now you want to look at doing parts of a project or all of it. You're you're getting so close, not only do you have lead time issues, but your contractors get busy and the price for the same thing if you'd have bought it a couple months back goes up. And that is one of the worst things we can do

273with taxpayer money. So figuring out what we can do and we want to do early or even and and designing it so that you can make decisions or going through the process and saying you know what we can repair and maintain the switch gear we don't have to buy new switchboards or whatever. Doing that early puts you in a place to get it as cost-effectively as you can and it also has a plan that Randy has in his office so somebody can say Mr. Buffington, this happened. What are we going to do? Well, I have I know what we need to do. It's right here. We just go buy it and procure it and and get it done and you're ahead of the game. So, that's why the timeline looks the way it does. >>

274Okay. So, so talk to us about um the the four uh major components that you have listed there. Um, if we if we say to you in June, um, let's design it all. Let's do the design work on all of it. And then after that design work comes back, you're you have a lot more information after that. >> You understand more about the switch gear. You've done, >> you know, your homework >> and we have refined numbers, right? Or or maybe we even have pricing and we have real numbers. >> Right. Right. >> Yes. >> Um and you come back to us and then we say well um in light of that then maybe we hold off on the generator you know in light of your findings. >> Um where where does that put us

275with you? >> So when when we do this and and it happens often because there's a lot of folks out there thinking about this the same way you are. we we start our design. If we start our design and we find out, for example, we're talking about the switch gear, the switchboards, hey, we don't this is what we need to do and that's it. We're not going to design a new one or go, you know, that's it. We we know what we have to do and and we stop. If we find out, for example, um that we need something that's a little bit more, we'll alert you to it and then we'll start looking for ways to reduce the cost impact of it or eliminate it some other way or whatever the case may be

276as you go through that design because we will come here and we'll talk about it. We may not do it as as deeply as we're talking about the consideration for what we're going to design and ultimately build, but you'll get updates so that you'll know, hey, we don't need this. We will need this. We were able to do something differently. We go through that design process and effectively what you're asking us to do is design something that we would get paid for to do later when we were ready to build it. And so what we would will ask the board for is that direction to do it with the understanding that and understand we don't have to really design carpet. We select carpet. So there's not like a big design fee when we're just going

277I like that color. It's you know that doesn't really cost a whole lot of time much less money. >> But when it comes to selecting equipment etc. we'll go through that process and you'll be up to date with it. We can bring pricing to you. Then you're deciding about what you want to buy. No, we don't need to buy the generator now or or whatever that case may be. When we do this through Giza, we get that direction because that's a commitment from the school board to say, "We understand we're buying design from you, but we're saying not only are we going to do this without getting paid all the way along the way, but we're going to stop. If if something's simple, we're going to stop. We're not making into making it into a

278science project." And but what if we did this? What now? The simple solution is here it is, we figure out the way to make it work, make it last 20 more years, we're finished, we stop. And that's really generally how we do it. If that makes some sense to you. >> Yeah. So if I just play out a scenario to you. So um if if we were to say okay let's let's look into the design of all four components and and you come back um into the process and you say um okay this this is what we have uh come up with on the uh the unit ventilators and and all of that process and we say and then you see this is what I've come up with um on on the the parking lot

279and and we say to you all right we want to move forward with the unit ventilators. That is sufficient >> from site logic's perspective >> and we don't want to move on with the parking lot. >> Right. What and what we would do is we would document everything that that all the work we've done. So you'd have a parking lot design that you'd be able to if somebody came and said, you know, we really need that. You'd be able to take that work, finish it or or bid it out and and finish it. till you do the design, you own that design work that's been done, but you pick what you want to build from there on out. And if these weren't all the greatest of greatest needs, I'd say, well, what do we not

280have to design? Because I don't want to see anybody I we don't want to design things that we don't need or not going to build. That makes no sense. But when they're the greatest of greatest needs, designing it, even if you want to defer something and have that design on the shelf, is quite prudent. And a lot of school districts do that. >> If I can real quick for the greatest needs, those components we're looking at, what is if we say go ahead and design that, how long are those designs good for and what is that what is that costing us at that time? >> So design and have it on the shelf. So the way I look at it is you you know when you design something as you design it it gets deeper

281deeper then you kind of get to a pricing stage and there's a little bit more work that goes in from the designer after to over to understand what got put in and make sure it's okay. I I typically would say depending on what it is, it could cost it could cost 6% when you start talking about what's going on out and it could even be more when you're doing the civil engineering outside because civil engineering tends to cost more on those small projects. But when you're designing carpet, it costs almost nothing. It's it's literally a few hours of somebody's time to sit with the district, figure out where the carpet goes. And we're not saying, "Hey, pay us a percentage based on the construction value." We're saying just pay us for the engineering that it

282took us to do it or the the design it took because I don't want to get I I get aggravated when architects or engineers do simple things and they get paid on a huge construction value. I I want to do everything based on a level of effort. So that's what we're looking at. So there's a range. The most expensive thing to design will be that work outside behind the high school. The least expensive thing to specify, I'll say instead of design, it's just going to be carpet and paint and stuff like that. And then the normal things that we're designing, I I'm thinking it's in the 5% range. So if you take five just round numbers, if you're taking 5% of 6 million, it's about $300,000 across all of them. and some of it will

283be higher and some it will be lower. So that's the commitment level plus minus that you'd be talking about. I think maybe that's kind of what you were asking me how much it would cost if >> so that's costing us right when we say go ahead and design that we're you know you get bring back designs we pay that 300,000. Well, if we if we're doing Giza projects, you pay that after we select them and and start and if you don't want to do anything, then we'd ask you to pay for that and we turn over the design that you would own. >> Okay, >> that makes sense. All right. >> So, you don't pay for things that you don't get and you don't get things that you don't pay for. And that's I mean

284that's typically and usually um it works out really well because oh and I didn't finish answering a good question you had. How long does it last? If the code changes or the model numbers change on this stuff because you've had it for 3 to 5 years and not used it. You pick it up again and you compare it very quickly. Model number perform like let's say it's a fan coil unit. the fan coil unit in five years that's a different model number has the same performance that the one is and you change the model number. So you might have a little bit of brushing up to do but theoretically it should last you I I would have to imagine it's going to last you 5 to 10 years very easily without much to it and

285unless you really wanted to change a system it should last you for quite a while. If we're using the generator as a as the example, you know, we say, "Yeah, let's design on the shelf for now because that's saving us time in the >> yes >> future. We're not going to use it till we need it, >> right?" >> So, it's going to sit there. >> That's going to be a quick check. Is this model that we specified still available? Are there any code changes that happened? If not, you're off to the races. If they're already, make a small adjustment and you're finished. >> Jump in there a second. So, so you save the design time. you know, it's already designed, but you're not going to save the 6 months lead time it takes to

286get the generator. >> So, we're still going to be out 6 months to get get the get the generator. >> Um, you know, and unfortunately lead times fluctuate. So, during CO, >> they're much higher during other times. So, not just CO, throw CO out the window. Um, other times, um, lead times can fluctuate. So, that six months is kind of the current. Yeah, >> it could be more, could be less, but probably not much less. >> Yeah, I I would say that things are I hate to say this, but things are kind of back to normal when it comes to those lead times. Things can change it, you know, but >> at least we would have the design part out. >> You'd have the design part out of the way. So, you're picking up you're

287picking up a couple months of time and depending on how you buy it, you can move pretty quickly if you need to. And when it when it comes to greatest of greatest needs, that's a very prudent way to attack it. >> Um, and I I assume that when we're talking about having a design and then we keep it for a couple years and it needs updated, um, and if we need you to update it, again, based on that idea that you're charging for effort, if it took you if it took 10 hours to do the design, but it's only going to take a half hour to update it, we're getting charged for a half hour, correct? So, it's going to be a minimal cost to get it um to to modern specs. Um I wanted

288to thank you. This is really this is very responsive to what I I was asking for at the last meeting. Um so, thank you. Thank you very much for this. I I even appreciate having the finishes broken out because even though they have to be done with that, it's helpful because then when I see paint or ceiling tiles or flooring, I'm like, why are they doing Oh, cuz it's part of the finishes that we have to do because otherwise I see I see paint and I'm like, well, if we're just painting room that's already painted, do we have to do that? Right. This is a place where we cut into the wall. >> Yeah. And that that's where we're saying, well, we're going to patch we're going to make it look nice, but we're not

289necessarily painting the whole wall. Um, but the carpet being in the situation it was, that full carpet line item is in there. >> Well, and one thing that Dr. Bryson brought up in that meeting, which I thought was very um astute. Um, so we we spent a lot of money this summer. We were going to see none of it. None of it is visible, you know, and as we go into this particular project, if we spend, you know, $3.5 million on on the the heating and air, that's not really visible either. >> Mhm. >> But this $800,000 is going to make someone walk in the room and be like, "Oh, wow. >> This looks great." You know, so there there is some uh intrinsic value to the fact that we will be it will be

290visible. >> Not not to mention that that we're going on almost 30 years of kids getting sick on that scene. >> Right. Right. Right. >> Even if it wasn't deteriorating, which it is, >> it's time. >> Yeah. Right. It's time for sure. But that we can't I I don't want to discredit that because it really is true >> that you know at this at this point you know we'll be if if we do those things we'll be pushing $10 million that we've spent and we won't really have anything you can see >> well this will be something that you can see >> so thank you very much really great presentation thanks for all of your hard work. >> You bet. >> Really, really do appreciate it. >> Happy to be here. >> You too, Randy.

291Thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> Okay, moving on to 11.04. Um, I have a motion to approve the quote from John Klein Septic Service of Mount Joy, PA in the amount of $7,500 for the replacement of two grease traps in the kitchen at Southern Middle School. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> We have any discussion? Any naysay or abstensions? No. Um, all in favor? >> I. >> Any nays or abstensions? >> Hearing none. Moving on. Motion passes. 11.05. >> I have a motion to approve the proposal with John Klein Septic Service for routine grease trap services for a fee of $1,32. I have a second. >> Second. Any discussion? >> Is this a yearly cost? Is this a recurring yearly? >> Yes. Yes. >> Um >> is there a duration of

292the agreement like five years, two years? >> This is just for one year. >> Annual. It's for it's annual. Work will be done this summer. >> Okay. >> But we don't have an ongoing like contract with them that we pay each year. >> Right. No, that's >> okay. So, so it's the same bid bid every year. >> We get a proposal. Yeah. >> Okay. Yeah. Thank you. >> I mean, certainly we could look into three or five year, but we we look at pricing and things and try to make sure, you know, we get good pricing. So, >> any other discussion? >> All in favor? I >> I >> these are abstensions. Hearing none. Motion passes. Moving on to 11.06. Uh this is there for our information. Oh, no. This is other items of business

293which there are none and I have none. Uh back to you, President Hankle. Thank you. All right, we'll turn it over to Mr. Hash for our transportation health and safety. >> Thank you, President Hankle. uh 12.01 the student transportation report for April 2026. In the month of April, there were four um stop arm violations and that's about it at the moment. Um 12.02 others of business I have none. Back to you, President. >> All right, moving on to >> That's how you do it right there. >> Athletics and extracurricular. I'll turn it over over to uh Mrs. Mary Lee Hall who will not get through hers. >> No, she will not be. >> Well, there's so many wonderful accomplishments. It's going to take a while to get through those. So, >> you'll be just fine.

294All right. So, I'm going to start off with the article from the May issue of Southern York Living. So, there was a really nice article about the Saskuhanak Lady Warriors basketball team, which I will pass around and it's about uh Coach Fans and their postseason run. And I just wanted to just read one of the final takeaways for it um which was just beautiful from Coach Fans. Um, he says, "As the seniors move on and the underassmen look toward next year, Fans hopes the lessons from the court translates into real world success. He knows that the specific plays won't stay with them forever, but the resilience will. Few will ever need to remember to weak side help off a ballside screen with a hard edge, but they will need to remember what it is like

295when things aren't going your way." Fant says he emphasizes that while the wins are great, the real success is seeing his players pursue their next challenges with confidence. We love winning big games. We love playoff opportunities, but we love hearing from our graduates that they are doing big things in life. So, there's much more in there to read and there's some pictures to look at, but congratulations for the Lady Warriors. They fought hard, did a good job this year for the basketball team. And with that, I will move forward with the rest of the athletic reports submitted by Mr. Blandon with a few additions that I added in, but not many. So, we'll we'll go as quickly as we can. So, all the Warriors spring sports teams have wrapped up their regular seasons, and we

296have a few still competing at their postseasons as of today. Here is a summary of the current highlights from the season and postseason competitions of the varsity teams. Boys tennis. The Warrior boys tennis team finished the season with a league record of 4 and three in the York Adams Division 2 games and an overall record of 8 and five, placing 11th in the PIAA District 3 2A power rankings. They qualified for the PIAAA District 3 2A team tournament where they lost to East Penn on April 28th. The doubles team of Jacob Iwanowitz and Aiden Turk placed fourth in the York Adams doubles tournament and Jacob Iwanowitz place placed third in this Yorkams singles tournament. Girls lacrosse. The Warrior girls lacrosse team had a great run, finishing their regular season as York Adams champions and going

297on are going 12-0 in the league. Their overall regular season record of 14-1 placed them second in the PIAA district 32A power rankings and they lost a close one in the York Adams tournament championship game May 12th to New Oxford and finishing as the York Adams tournament runnerup. They won their PIAA district tournament Tuesday night this week against Kennerdale 175 in the quarterfinals advancing to the semi-final match which was tonight against third seated Wyom missing. I did reach out to Mr. Blandon but unfortunately I did not get an update. Dr. Bryson, did you maybe get a text from him? >> Oh, I don't looked it up. >> Oh, did you look it up? What is it? >> I think 11 to 9. >> Oh, no. 11 to 6. 11 to six. I'm sure it was

298a hard fought game. >> In addition, Lucy Black was nominated for game time PA athlete of the week, scoring four goals in the league championship game against New Oxford, including one last minute in the game to pull off a win for her team. >> So to add to that, >> so tonight against Wyoming, >> no, May 26th, >> Uhhuh. >> we will play here at 7:00 against Redland for third place. All right, let's go. I think we should have a board section. Boys lacrosse. The Warriors boy, the Warrior boys lacrosse team had a comp competitive season overall, finishing with a 6 and10 overall record and 58 in York Adams. They finished 13th in the final PIAA district 3 2A power ranking and one place from qualifying for the district tournament. Track and field. The Warrior

299High School boys and girls track and field teams have had a great season with the girls teams finishing fourth, three and three record, and the boys team finishing second, 4 and2 record in the York Adams regular season. In addition, we had the following students athletes set new school records and advanced to the PIAA District 3 meet PIAA state championships. So the new school records set this season were the girls discus Mattie Marks at 121 ft 1 in and 4Runners sprint 100 meters boys relay that was Liam friend Patrick O'Brien Nikolai Graham and Nick Tora and then the boys pole vault that's Patrick O'Brien 15' 1 in and the athletes who qualified for the PIAA District 3 championships were Patrick O'Brien, Danny Bador, Jaden Bullshaw, Maddie Marx. Athletes who qualified for PIAAA state championships on May

30022nd, tonight and the 23rd, actually tomorrow night, excuse me, and the 23rd at Shippensburg University will be Maddie Marks. She throws discs. That will be on Saturday at 9:00 in the morning. And then Patrick O'Bri O' O'Brien jumps tomorrow at 1:30. And for unified track and field, the Warriors unified track and field team finished their regular season in fourth place in the league and qualified for the championship meet on May 13th at York High School where they finished second place. And then for baseball, the Warriors baseball team finished their regular season in fourth place of the York Adams Division 2 standings with a league record of six and six and overall record of seven and 13. And for softball, the Warrior softball team finished their regular season in second place in the York Adams Division

3012 standings with a league record of 9 and three. Their overall record of 14-4 placed them ninth in the PIAA district 5A power rankings and they advanced through the York Adams tournament to the championship game where they lost a close one to Kennarddale to finish as tournament runnerup. On May 18th, they traveled to Lower Dolphin for the PIAAA District 3 tournament opening round game where they fell in another close one to end their season and postseason run this year. Elo Wetszel was also nominated for PA Game Time Athlete of the Week when she hit a home run and struck out 10 opponents in a league championship game against Kennerdale. A lot of Kennarddale in here. Uh, boys volleyball. The Warrior boys volleyball team has shown continued improvement this season, finishing with a 4-9 record in

302the York Adams League play and 510 record overall. And then there's some further information that Mr. Blandon included including uh some changes that are going to be coming up with intercolastic sports starting 2026 2027 school year. So YAA is moving to SCAC. So, as we head into the summer, the York Adams Intercolastic Athletic Association or YAA name will be transitioning to the South Central Athletic Conference, SCAC, to reflect the expansion of the league into Franklin and Cumberland counties with three new schools being added. So utilizing and promoting uh a promotion and regul re relegation system. This will allow high performing programs to experience stronger competition while affording building teams a more competitive balance. So, I have some further information here if the board would like to review more details regarding compet competition and um division

303alignments with a grid here of all the schools that are going to be participating and what that looks like. And Mr. Blandon also in your board report put a couple links in there. So, if you wanted to see those more closely on your own time, you certainly could. And with that, that concludes my report. Can I add one thing, Mrs. Hall, please? Um, the game that I referenced earlier for the girls to fall team, if they are successful in Nerburg place bid, they will go on to the IAA state. >> Well, let's hope they are. >> I'm not taking it back from you yet, though. You got one more item. >> Yeah, I know. >> All right. So, that takes us to 13.02. the T-Mobile Friday Night Lights Award application. So, this is really incredible.

304I'm super excited about this and thank you very much um for doc to Dr. Sterner and Mr. Blandon for looking out for this and applying for it. So, I just want to give a little background u for the public who may be listening later because I think everyone's sleeping right now. Um, but T-Mobile has been offering the Friday night 5G lights award for the last 5 years and continues to expand the contest, providing funding to rural markets and their athletic programs. During the 2025 season, over 2,000 schools participated in the contest with schools winning various prize amounts to improve their athletic programs. So, the potential awards range from $5,000 to a million dollars, all to be used to assist the school's athletic program. So, this year, T-Mobile's T-Mobile is increasing the 5K Friday sweep stakes

305from 450 winning schools to a thousand, which increases the chances of more schools winning. At a minimum, if SYCSD were to win the $5,000 prize, the funds would be used to offset regular uniform and equipment updates in the athletic department. If the if the district was fortunate enough to win 25,000 or the grand prize, then the funds could be used for improvements and upgrades to athletic training facilities such as the stadium, fields, gyms, and weight rooms >> or an endzone camera. >> So, there you go. So, this is something great. So, I'd like to make a motion to approve the administration to submit the T-Mobile Friday night lights award application. Please second. >> All right. That was pretty eager. >> I think any discussion. >> I also think it's great. It's excellent. >> Thank you,

306T-Mobile. >> Exactly. And for Dr. Serner, Mr. Blanding, finding that and applying. >> So, all in favor say I. I >> all right nos or abstensions and hearing none that motion passes and 13.03 I have no other business. So back to you President Hankle. >> All right that brings us to item 14 committee report other business. I have none. Anyone else hearing? None moves us to 15.01 legislative council. Mr. Wilson. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Henkle. Um, lots lots of stuff going on in Harrisburg. We talked about the big ones, cell phones going um both the Senate bill and House bill. Both have ended up being committed to the uh appropriations committee for review. So, we'll see what comes out of that. Other committee meetings that took place, Senate took up uh put three

307bills out of committee. one for displaying the PA Constitution preamble in schools. The US Constitution preamble display is another bill. And the third is a bill about um requiring appraisals before school district real estate purchases. So, we'll see what comes of those. um House Education. They had informal hearings on AI and K12 education um and higher education both that was Pittsburgh public schools and Carnegie Melon that participated in those hearings. Um they had a couple voting they had a voting meeting on a let's see I think the biggest thing here is the CTE curriculum modernization grant program. So that I believe moved out and also in May they had an informal hearing on educator workforce challenges. The one thing that did get signed into law this month is Act 17. It's called Greg Moyer's law.

308It requires AEDs at all PIAA athletic events and practices and emergency action plans. Um there was some limited u session activity was limited because of the primary election period going on at the same time but um there are some new referrals for home education updates to Senate education. Um no new funding or broad policy overhauls have shown up this month. So that is what I've got. President HLE. >> Thank you. 15.0 zero York uh York County School Technology. >> Um a lot of similar discussions as to our maintenance um are happening up at York Tech as well. They're trying to figure out the best way to address some of their infrastructure challenges, fire fire alarm systems, fire suppression systems, um paving, that kind of thing. So JC is taking a look at those and how

309to get those funded up there. Um, tomorrow is the last day for students at York Tech. So, >> for them and their graduation will be next Thursday. >> Are you going? >> I don't know if I could do Thursdays there than Fridays here. Two in a row. Might be a little much. >> All right, brings us to 15.03. Uh, we've got LU12 report. Anything to report? Nothing to report. All right, 15.04, 4 York Adams tax bureau >> open to report 15.05 Southern York County School District Foundation Paul. >> Yes. All good things always. The foundation is such a pleasure to serve on. Uh so the Southern York County School District Foundation hosted the leadership recognition dinner funded by foundation members on May 7th honoring donors nominated by the foundation board of directors for their service

310and generosity and support of the high school students at Sescuana. Among those honored were Keller Brown Insurance, Eric and E, excuse me, Eric and Karen Paulace, Robera Tolman and James and Anne Divinity, and Bruce and Deb Bowman. Sure, you remember Bruce? When he left, he decided he was going to fund a scholarship. Great things. So thanks to the generosity of the community of donors through fundraisers, volunteering and sponsor sponsoring scholarships, the foundation was able to award 89 students a total of 150 scholarships valuing over 182,000 for the class of 2026 and that just happened on May 13th. It was wonderful to be a part of it. It's a beautiful thing to see all those students so eagerly awaiting to hear their names being called and then all of the donors coming out to give them.

311It's just a wonderful culmination to a year of work. So, as a board member of the foundation and school director, I'm humbled and so very appreciative of the amazing community support we have here, sending our students to higher education with a little something extra for their educational journey beyond high school. definitely a gift. And our last event will be the distinguished alumni dinner funded by the alumni association and individual attendees. That will be Friday, May 29th. Hopefully, you all will be there. We'll be hosting the alumnest Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Schultz, a 2002 graduate who will provide a wonderfully motivating keynote speech to our graduating class. And after graduating from Sescohan in 2002, he himself went on to earn a bachelor of science and biology and a minor in professional writing from York College. He then

312joined the Marine Corps in 2007 and after completing officer candidate school and further training in Quantico and Johnson, North Carolina. His first assignment was with Combat Logistics Battalion 3 in Hawaii where he deployed in support of several contingency and combat operations in the US Indo-Pacific Command and US Central Command. So, I'm sure there'll be plenty to talk about during that dinner before he gives his keynote speech. And we are super grateful for Mr. Schultz to return to the district and encourage our graduating seniors at commencement this year. a lot of accomplishments and I haven't even scratched the surface. That was just a little bit of information about him. Mr. Carrington might know a little bit more being a part of the alumni that are bring bringing him to the district and the foundation will meet

313again next year in September right after the start of the year. So we are adjourned for the summer. >> Thank you. >> 15.06 06. Other items of business? I have none. Brings us to the secretary's report. Uh 16.01, the student activities report for April 2026 is attached for your information. 16.02. Um I'm pleased to announce a donation of $6,96048 from the Giant Company through the feeding schools kids initiative. So for that, >> so if I could ask where where does that money go, Susan? be it does go into the um cafeteria fund and we work with chart bills on what's needed. Thank you. >> Thank you. 16.03 Resignations and retirements. There is a list there for your information. 16.04 other items of business. I have none. 17.01 01 uh the home education outside cyber charter

314and LU Lincoln edge cyber program numbers are there for your information 17.02 Announcements by board president and superintendent. Um I have to announce that we had an executive session immediately prior to this meeting to discuss uh safety and security as well as personnel issues. Did I miss anything? Uh, student discipline. >> Student discipline. Okay. All right. And student discipline. Um, and the next regularly scheduled meeting of the board of education will be held on June 11th, 2026 right here at 7 p.m. >> Dr. Bryson, >> I'll finish up by just saying although he uh rightly got up and went home on time, big thank you to Caleb for all his volunteerism um and working with the board over the past year and also congratulations to all 224 soon to be graduates. >> Have a green.

315>> All right, brings us to item 18, new business. Anyone? Item 19. Uh, I'll entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Motion and a second. Any um all in favor of adjourning say I. >> Any naysay or abstensions? >> Hearing none, we are adjourned.