001I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America 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. >> Bill Hall >> here. >> Mary Leeh Hall >> here. >> Samantha Hall >> here. >> Jeremy Hash >> here. >> Jen Hankle >> here. >> Nathan Hankle >> here. >> Lisa Staler >> here. >> Joe Wilson >> here. >> Thank you. All right. Moving on to item 2.01. I'll entertain a motion to approve the January 15th agenda as presented. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Any nays or abstensions? Hearing none, that motion carries. Move on to item 3.01. I'll entertain a motion to approve the December 4th, 2025 minutes as presented.
002>> So moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Any nays or abstensions? Hearing? None. That motion carries. Which brings us to item 4.01, our student representative report. Caleb, >> thank you. just a normal couple dates and then I have a couple other announcements for you guys. Uh starting well actually a couple days ago on [snorts] uh January 12th was the end of marking period 2. It's very very hard to believe that we're already halfway through the year. I feel like it was September just a couple days ago. Um then on the 13th of January there was the principal advisory committee meeting. Um, then tomorrow the JA STEM summit for the freshmen. I have very fond memories of that, making those foam hands. I don't know if any of you guys ever I know. Yeah, [laughter] it's
003very fun. Um, then next Monday on January 19th, school will be closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Then report cards will also be available on the 19th. Then scholarship information night and dollars [snorts] for scholar completion night will be at 5:30m on January 22nd. [snorts] Then life after SHS career exploration and trade opportunities will be at 5:30 on January 28th. Then the following night will be the student council winter carnival coming back for a second year. It's been very fun to plan. Um I can confirm with Dr. Sterner that Brickers will be there. That's a big selling point. Um, but it's just a great community event and it's followed by the theater one act play at 7 p.m. Um, and I believe that was written by a student. So, I'm I'm very excited for
004that. Um, then the following day on January 30th will be the Winter Olympics, which I'm competing in. Um it's a a floor hockey tournament and um it ends with a game of students versus teachers at the pep rally. Um usually the students win, but I'm consistently surprised at how good some people are at floor hockey. Not myself, but just other people. Um, then getting into February, February 5th is the joint high school and middle school band winter concert at 7:00 p.m. Then February 10th, the principal's parent advisory committee. Then the SHS curriculum fair from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on February 11th. Then schools will be closed the 13th and the 16th of February for President's Day. Then in some other notes, this is very exciting. Um TJ Shu, a friend of mine, passed the
005Pennsylvania, the abbreviation is PAPL, um but it's the Pennsylvania Realators exam and he's now certified to sell real estate in Pennsylvania. He's taking the national exam next weekend and he's currently working with Birkshshire Hathway. >> Um and another note, it took 75 hours of training to prepare for the exam. Um, and a special thank you to Miss Rupert and all of our career practicum program. Um, she was very helpful. I asked him a couple questions. He's saying he could not do it without her. So, very fun seeing people doing crazy stuff like selling houses. And that's all I've got. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Moving on to item 5.01. I'll turn it over to uh Dr. Bryson. >> Thank you, President Hinkle. Um each year at this time, we have the opportunity to recognize
006and honor those serving our district as school board directors as January is school director month. Uh this role involves a great deal of time and extensive commitment at an equal value. Our district is so fortunate to have the best and the brightest in students and in staff. Uh and this evening, in order to make this a special recognition for the board members, uh we turn to those who inspire us each and every day. [snorts] We are greeted this evening by wonderful students, poised and professional, who are part of Miss Karen Duca's culinary arts programming at the high school. The treats were designed, prepared, and served with the students hands in heart. When Mr. Luca was asked to be a part of this evening's recognition, she responded, "Supporting my students in preparing specially selected treats to
007serve and share with others is my passion, which serves as a role model as they prepare for life. The tasty treats at each place were prepared also with a great deal of enthusiasm and heart by the middle school's family and consumer science teacher, Mrs. Holly Long, and her students, capitalizing on a portion of the current curriculum involving practicing close adherence to selected recipes to ensure the anticipated outcomes. Mrs. Long shared that her students were beyond excited to be a part of this evening's shared appreciation. and on and on the delivered boxes containing the delicious wrap uh delights and there is a handwritten note reading. Thank you for all that you do. [snorts] Mrs. Long and Mrs. Duca and each staff member, a big thank you to each of you for participating in the recognition this
008month. Um Mr. Duca, I'm going to turn it over to you. if you could just recognize individually uh the students that were here this evening taking a little bit of time from their busy schedules to support our school board members. >> I'm sure they would love to stand up. [laughter] >> These three students have been with me in introduction to foods. They all took advanced foods with me this fall. They are now members of the warrior kitchen catering team. And all three of them will also be serving as teaching assistants in my one of my classes next year as seniors. So they also have a passion for what they do and we're so happy to help prepare everything and to be here tonight as well. So this is Mattea Gwen, [snorts] this is Caitlyn St.
009and this is Colton Garcelon. >> So thank you for all that you do for us because our program would not be what it was without all of the support from you. >> So thanks for having us. Thank you. [applause] >> The desserts were fantastic. The ones we've had so far. >> Yay. Leave them here. [laughter] >> In addition, the booklets at each place from cover to cover were created by students throughout the district as a way of expressing their appreciation for your service as school board directors. And I could not be more moved by the sincere warrior thoughts and kindness shared in each and every page on those booklets. A special appreciation to Southern Elementary School art teacher, Mrs. Ashley Gonzalez, and her amazing students for designing each cover. And to Friendship Elementary School fifth
010grade teacher, Mrs. Erica Sterner, and her class, as well as Sus Sescu High School's life skills teacher, Mrs. Emily Hedrickk and her students, business education teacher, Mrs. Jocelyn Roupert and her students, as well as English teacher Miss Caitlyn Will and members of her home room for the wonderful, memorable thank you cards and notes that we hope you will enjoy for years to come. We are truly very fortunate to be a part of the Southern family where dreams really do become realities and where we continue to strive to make a difference in the lives of our students, our families, and for each other. And we appreciate you sharing in this valuable journey for the future of our nation. So, thank you to each one of you and thank you to our students and staff who helped
011make uh this appreciation possible. >> Thank you. >> These are amazing. I'm I'm going to I'm going to spend hours on it, I'm sure. It's beautiful. Thank you so much. >> All right. Uh moving on to item 5.02. I'll turn it over to Dr. Epert. >> Thank you, President Hankle. school board. Congratulations. This is your month to be appreciated, but we appreciate you uh for what you do for our district each and every month. But welcome back. Uh I hope everyone had a great winter break. I hope the winter weather does cooperate uh with us. I know there was a little bit of touch of concern whether or not we're going to get some wintry mix this morning, but unfortunately we did not. Uh but we're getting ready to kick things off. So, uh, continuing
012on, uh, the focus of safe, supportive, and collaborative culture, I wanted to take a moment, uh, to recognize and thank our district safety team. Uh, on January 9th, it was designated for law enforcement appreciation day. We're so thankful for Mr. Litel, uh, Dio Mendes, and Sergeant Smuck as our SRO for the continuous focus on the safety and security within our school district. And uh special congratulations to Dio Mendes for successfully passing his act uh 235 certification become eligible to be armed security. And that'll be something that'll be on our agenda uh a little later. Uh but I want to let each of them know that we do appreciate uh what they do each and every day for our district because they are making a tremendous impact. So Dio, Matt, would you like to come up
013please? I know Theo, I know you're going to love this >> on the spot. >> Yeah. So, like I said, on behalf of district, we really appreciate all that you've done. I know uh Sergeant Smug cannot be here this evening. Um but you know, you're on the forefront of all the safety, the security, and the support that is going on within our district. And uh I uh you know as your assistant superintendent want to thank you on behalf of all the the staff and the students and the community for all you've done. So >> THANK YOU [applause] JEREMY. You want to say >> Matt or Matt and and Dio both we appreciate you both for what you do in the district. Um, and Dio, you you stepped up um and you went through the training.
014Matt, you know, helped you out with that. And we we really appreciate you, you know, stepping into the third role of our security team. So, thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Under supportive, uh, congratulations goes out the following high school choir students auditioned and earned spots for the 2025 2026 PMEA District 7. Uh, sorry, this is for for the orchestra. I do apologize. in January, not the choir. That would have been Joyce Kramer, Madison uh Framer, Jacob Aanoitz, Allison Noff, and Logan Trimble. Uh congratulations goes out to Christian Wadski Watkins for graduating from the York Builder Association trade pre-apprentice apprenticeship program. Since September, Christian uh has been learning different aspects of construction and building. Uh this included OSHA training, framing, plumbing, electrical, masonry, HVAC, drywall, and tile. So, if you need a job
015done, contact Christian. He is ready. Uh, and another one pretty excited about is congratulations goes out to Jack Hammonds, who's an SHS senior. Jack recently earned his CDL partnership with the White Marsh Fire Company. Take to to take his commercial driver's license test. He needed to drive from the firehouse in White Marsh, Maryland in the morning to go through an equipment check with the engine, drive with the supervisor to Harrisburg, PA. Um, you know, to take the test and then drive the engine back down to White Marsh, uh, Maryland. You know, I know, you know, I drive a truck every now and then, but could you imagine driving that fire truck as a senior in high school? Uh, but congratulations, Jack. Real proud of you and thank you for your service. Uh, also we had
01669 families receive food boxes and gift cards uh from the York County Food Pantry during our give a meal distribution, plus extra donated food, bags, socks, hygiene items, laundry items, and coats uh and winter wear from the coats of friendship where they distribute over 150 coats. Uh this is prior to the uh the winter break. So, thank you for all the staff that assisted in the uh event. uh one of the collaborative wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for all the district staff that participate in many of the committees throughout the district. You know, all these district committees have a different focus within the organization. You know, safety, wellness, you know, the building lawyer, K12, student services, emergency procedures, and many more. Their time and commitment does matter because this is additional
017time that our staff are putting in, you know, and focusing in those areas. So I want to appreciate them for their collaboration and support. Uh this after or earlier today myself, Dr. Bryson and Mrs. Green had the privilege of being part of mock interviews with Mrs. Rert's uh career seminar class. So we had the opportunity to interview, you know, all the the students that have come through. uh there had over 12 volunteers uh participating in interviewing the students and it was just an awesome opportunity for me as a former middle school principal seeing the three students that I had interviewed that came through in seventh and eighth grade and at the end I was able to let them know where I saw their areas of growth and they're all amazing and um you know it's
018being able to see where they were to where they are as seniors we do a phenomenal job in preparing our students for that next step in life, whether it's college or career ready. So, really proud of Mrs. Roupert and the preparation for those students and for those interviews. Um, as a reminders, many were covered by Caleb. Uh, just a reminder, spring uh teacher conferences will be February 11th and 12th. Middle [snorts] school has sixth grade scheduling and transition night uh which will be held on Thursday, February 12th. Uh we'll see everyone back here on the 17th for personnel and policy. Uh then school board meeting on the 19th. Uh we do have Battle of the Buildings which will be on February what 18th >> in between those two. [laughter] >> Uh so that that'll be
019coming back up. Uh great community event. Hope to see everyone there. I want to wish a happy belated birthday to President Hel and a happy upcoming birthday to board director Lisa Staler. So, let's have a great 2026 or not. Choice is yours. >> Thank you. >> Right. Moving on to item 6.01. Uh, public comment. Uh, I believe we have two signed up and I have a lot of papers here. Uh, do you have who's the first here? >> Oh, thank you. Uh, Val Dennis. Good evening. My name is Val Dennis and I live in Shrewsbury Township. Tonight I will speak about curriculum. It is crucial that we continue to maintain our curriculum and to expand our curriculum so that our students are ready for adult life in the US and in the world with all
020of its complexities, humans and the environment. We have shared humanity and we have different experiences. My hope for our school system in 2026 is that we continue to see the value of public education as the education of all children and teenagers without exceptions. My hope is that we continue to work on welcoming all families without exceptions. Any of us could be born black or brown or white or Asian or indigenous. Any of us could be born into a family of any religion. For this reason, it makes sense for us to not see any person or group as better than to continue to above all listen to, learn about, and understand the people who grow up and live with the experiences that are different than our own. We do this through curiosity and public education and
021learning and exploring. Some see exploring as a luxury. I see exploring our states and cities and countries as essential as we work together toward goals for all of humanity and the planet that we live on. I could buy Starbucks every day and the cost of this would equal several plane tickets. I could buy expensive cars or clothes or cigarettes or anything. I would choose to value experiences locally or out in the broader world. I will always choose a plane ticket over remodeling our kitchen. Our students deserve at the very least to be educated about the spectrum of human beings in the United States and in the world. Recently, I stood in the Nobel Peace Center and thought about the man who created this award to honor various elements of human achievement. I stood there on
022December 12th as an exhibit called Democracy on the Brink opened at the Nobel Peace Center. The Venezuelan woman who won last year's Nobel Peace Prize was standing in the same exhibit the night before. We stood with Venezuelans, sum in tears, as we looked at the actual ballots that had been ignored during the last election. People risk their lives then and now to preserve their democracy. Democracy is worth preserving. And just as James Madison asserted as his two primary goals in writing of the Constitution that created this place where we live, it is essential to have freedom of all religion or no religion. It is essential to have public education. I grew up as a Christian with the instruction that it was not my job to try to make more Christians. It was my job to
023live as Jesus lived, supporting anyone who is being oppressed and to genuinely love thy neighbor in all the easy and challenging ways that this represents. I was taught to believe that public education is essential because this is what moves humanity, beyond fear, beyond stereotypes, beyond violence to a place where we can honor this life that we have been given, learning and growing throughout our lives and contributing in positive ways to the community in which we live. Each of us are given the opportunity to determine what that looks like today. My hope for our school system is that we continue to have more conversations in person, genuinely listening to each other. I will be continuing my community discussions in a variety of ways this year and places. One of the blessings of social media is that
024we can invite each other to have conversations in person. We went to Norway in December to meet our exchange daughter who studied here at Saski seven years ago. We visited the four corners of the country, sometimes in large cities, and not once did we see anyone who was homeless. We saw a focus on children and families being outside in nature no matter the cold. We saw more people reading books than on their phones. We walked with indigenous people with their herds of reindeer as they have for centuries, focusing on community and the environment as they did here before the Europeans arrived. We can continue to learn and we can continue to understand each other. Each of us evolves throughout our lives. I hope that our students will realize that education never ends. We always have
025new opportunities. In 2026, may we continue to focus on public education and how we can each contribute to humanity and to the environment that we all share. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Next, we have Erica Rurick. Good evening, Erikica Rick, New Freedom. I appreciate the work the district does on behalf of our students and I want to be clear that my comments come from a desire for strong schools and responsible governance. However, I'm very concerned about the proposal to increase school taxes, especially at a time when student enrollment is declining. When enrollment decreases, the district is serving fewer students. That should prompt a careful reassessment of staffing levels, facility use, transportation routes, and administrative costs before asking taxpayers to contribute more. It's reasonable to expect that existing resources are being fully and efficiently aligned
026with current enrollment realities. Anything less than staffing level decreases under these circumstances suggest potential feather betting. An analogy to this issue in the private sector would see a business raising prices as they are steadily losing customers all the while refusing to recognize or adjust to market dynamics. History shows this does not end well. Many residents in our community, particularly seniors and families without children in schools, are already facing rising costs of living. Increasing school taxes places an additional burden on people who may not see a direct benefit, especially when overall student numbers are falling. Recent local examples of rising taxes include Glenrock Burough's 2026 municipal tax increase of 50.7% in addition to a 2026 York County 9.4 tax increase. It's also important to note that when enrollment declines, per student spending often rises even without
027a tax increase. If spending per student is already increasing, the board should clearly explain why additional revenue is necessary and how it will lead to measurable improvements in student outcomes, not just maintain existing structures. I'm also concerned about the long-term impact on our community. Higher taxes can make it harder to attract new families, businesses, which may further contribute to population decline and enrollment challenges. I would be remiss not to mention the delterious effect this tax increase will have on property values. In addition, if any of these tax increases are earmarked for salary increases or benefit packages, the taxpayers will be further burdened with associated legacy cost in perpetuity. Before considering a tax increase, I urge the board to prioritize transparency and explore alternatives such as consolidating or repurposing underused facilities, equipment, etc. Reducing administrative or
028overhead costs, cost savings and continuous improvement initiatives. benchmarking, sharing services with neighboring districts, seeking grants or other non-ax revenue sources. Fiscal discipline today helps ensure trust and sustainability tomorrow. Thank you for your time. Thank you for your service and for considering the perspective of taxpayers who want both strong schools and responsible conservative fiscal stewardship. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Right. Item 6.02 board discussion of public comment. Do we have any >> I do. Um Mrs. Ric, did you have that in written form and could you send that as an email to us? >> Yes. >> Okay. You don't have to do it right now, but I just your points I loved I loved a lot of your points and I wanted to to use those to kickstart on conversation. So, if you could just
029email board directors, that'd be lovely. Thank you. And then I just wanted to say that for my part, I specifically liked the if we're going to raise taxes, we need to have measurable outputs that are not just facility maintenance. I very much like that point. Any others? All right, moving on to item seven. We have the consent agenda. I'll entertain a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented. >> So moved. >> Second. I >> have a motion and a second. Is there any discussion? >> Any nays or extensions? hearing. None. That motion carries, which brings us to item eight, education. I will turn it over to Mrs. Hankle. Thank you, Mr. President. 8.1, we have uh a report, which is just information only. It's the quick uh data for high reliability schools. I'm going
030to pass that on to Dr. Reert, and I believe you're going to pass that on to Dr. Hughes. >> Well, thank you, Mrs. Hankle. Uh just for the for the board uh every other month we are providing you with an update with a specific focus with uh level two. Uh this one is level 2.3 which focuses on the instructional practices. So the information you'll see will be what our administrators are observing when they're doing their informal walkthroughs within the classroom as well as what the teachers are utilizing regarding uh the strategies that uh they're instructing there. Okay, >> that's where we are with HRS 2.3. >> Excellent. Thank you. 8.02 and 8.03. These are both the res revisions for the um curriculum guide both for the high school and the middle school. Dr. Reppert, can
031you take us through 8.02, please? >> Yes. Uh so for the uh for the board and the community, 8.02 is the curriculum guide. uh that is a critical component that starts the pro this the process for the recommendations that our students will be receiving and the courses they can select for the 2627 school year. [snorts] So, you do have a uh within the executive content, uh you have a a memo, uh that specifically outlines what are the changes that were within the high school curriculum guide, um as well as anything that may have been deleted um as a result of some changes within the curriculum guide. And then the second document that uh is there is the full uh curriculum guide uh that you would have. We utilized the memo as a way just to
032highlight and push out, you know, what are the changes within the high school curriculum guide. >> Thank you. Going to go ahead and move to approve the revisions for the Suscohanic High School curriculum guide for the 2026 2027 school year. May I have a second, please? >> Second. >> And does anybody have any questions? I have a few, but I will go ahead and listen to what anybody else has. Anything? All right. So, more high school than the middle school one. Um, and I spoke with Dr. Hughes and Dr. Refford this morning, but for public information, there's a couple of points of clarification that I had, so I'm sure other people have some as well. Um, my first question would be what the process for curriculum is. Um, how do certain classes get recommended? How
033are we downgrading certain classes? U Mr. Mrs. Raric was asking things about, you know, with student decline that entails curriculum as well. What is that process? Could you spell that out for me? What does it look like when it comes to creating curriculum? >> So, just just for the clar uh uh clarity purposes, when we're looking at curriculum, we develop the the curriculum maps specifically and they go through uh a five-year cycle. As uh the board has experienced this past year, uh you received one for the middle school. Now, I know we're talking high school, but just to give you an example, when there's a new course that is created, that course will come to the board for approval, once that course is approved, then that course will go into the next year's curriculum guide
034for the students to select. [snorts] Um, so I think the biggest part as we're looking at the curriculum is what we're providing for our students. Now, going back to Mrs. direct but we also take a look at enrollment in the courses. So why it's you know important for us to start this process with the curriculum guide in January [snorts] is that will start that that process for students selecting courses or being recommended for courses. So then as the high school puts together that master schedule based on those recommendations, they could determine if a course only has five students or a small number of students, Dr. Sterner would say that's not a course we're going to offer for next school year. So those students would have to pick an alternative uh course that that is within
035the uh curriculum. It could be an elective um or it could be a core area. So that's the the biggest piece that we are taking a look at. We do have a lot of courses that students can take whether, you know, as elective courses, you know, based on their interests, but we also determine based on the enrollment in those whether or not those courses would be offered for the upcoming school year. And I would assume that as kids are signing up for classes when you see not as many classes, you know, the more popular ones and the least popular ones, sometimes you can combine classes to based specifically in the high school if you know an extracurricular wasn't as popular one year. You >> well, we can give an example. One of the uh courses
036that has been combined was the global studies at the high school. [snorts] So it was a there was three separate courses that had low enrollment with but when they took a look at the standards they found that they were able to merge that course in one so with the the hope let's put it that way that that would attract more students to that one course as opposed to those three separate. >> That makes sense. >> M if you don't mind um Dr. Can you I really liked what what Caleb was saying about his friend who went through the realer training and the CDL. Can you expound a little bit more on what else is offered? I I like hearing that more hands-on stuff. >> So, I know that our and Dr. [snorts] Sturder can help.
037Um, one of the things that we as a district have taken and really tried to do more of is getting more internships and more opportunities for students that do real world types of opportunities. Um we've done things even to help our teachers to see more about what is happening in the job market. So um several years ago we had all of our teachers go out to businesses within our footprint and they were able to to set up um like a [clears throat] collaborative partnerships. So, some of our students have been able to take and have opportunities to go either do internship shadows or go visit those places. Um, we're also looking just like our um class that we have where students with the IRB process where they've had the opportunity to look at when you
038get to a college level class, how do you go through those IRB processes? Um, we're trying to look and have more partnerships with even our colleges. So, the drone class that we've added, all of those pieces. So, we're looking for opportunities for students to be able to get ahead of and start exploring um work areas so that they're not going into a college situation where they may start something and be like, "Wait a minute, this isn't something that I have any interest in whatsoever." For example, if we have a student that is interested in a medical field, we want to try to get them into a medical opportunity to see like, are you going to be okay with some of the things that will happen with people getting ill? We find out very quickly that
039some students that is not they think of it as being like, oh well, when I go see my my doctor, you know, I I'm just having this. They don't understand that when you work in a hospital setting that's very different. So trying to have more opportunities and we're always looking for ways that our students can get out and explore more of the job market. >> So you do you see this expanding in the future? >> Absolutely. >> Okay, I like that. That's good. >> Thank you. >> Um so the uh curriculum guide came our way via the guidance counselors. Uh Dr. Dr. Robert, could you help me understand what the role the guidance counselors have in crafting specifically curriculum in our district and how is that different than what Dr. Hughes does? What is the
040cooperation between the two? So, if we're talking specifically with the curriculum guide, the the school counselors provide a support where when you have departments that are looking at specifically the course descriptions or what they're going to be offering, uh they provide as as a conduit, they work in collaboration with the teachers uh with those departments, with the subse facilitators and the administration to develop, you know, that curriculum guide. The curriculum guide is not solely developed by the school counselors at the high school. They're the ones that work with the students, you know, for career counseling with course selection. Uh they're having those conversations with students. So, as those uh modifications are coming in, you know, from those departments that are reviewed, Dr. Hughes reviewed by the high school administration. those changes are put together and
041that's what's within that memo that has come to to the board. Uh but each and every one of those changes, those modifications that are coming in are approved by our administration. We know our administration at the high school is extremely busy. Um [snorts] they're involved in, you know, events. They got a lot of things that they're working with. So they're providing our counselors the opportunity to be part of that process of kind of pulling all that together. So that when it comes to the board, you know, we have a we have that information in one package. >> Is it more than just schedules and what would what would work with the student population? Is it actually core curriculum that they're influencing as well? >> Could I jump in? I I would summarize that by saying
042they're not doing curriculum. >> They're simply putting a package together that they're able to put something in front of the students where they know what they're signing up for. So, it's just a guide >> and how to sign up. Um, yet at the same point, they do have to be familiar with what the basis of the course is because they're the ones that are going to get the questions on, well, I don't know if I want to take this or that. And that's where the dialogue would kind of fall into play with what are you thinking about doing in the future, etc. This might be a course you want to you want to investigate because it fits your interest. >> Dr. Do you have something? >> Um, one of the things just for our board's
043knowledge, um, we're actually working with three other districts right now to help, um, as Dr. Bryson was saying, we feel that it's important for our counselors to be able to understand what curriculum is. They may not be a person that's helping to write a physics course or anything along those lines, but they need to be able to look and say to a parent, these are the skills that students are learning or these are the the knowledge pieces that students will be learning. So, we've identified that that's a problem across a lot of schools in our our area. And we have two um three other districts, York Suburban um Redline and Southwestern that we're getting together to kind of come up with a brief training for our counselors and other ones from other districts just to
044help them understand a little bit more about the curriculum process so that when they're having conversations with parents, they're able to have those conversations and know more about what is in a course. So when we're looking at these curriculum changes, I think like I'm kind of piggybacking on what you were asking. When we're seeing these changes, it can come from a teacher, it can come from department head, it can come from you, you like it can come from a variety of ways. It's going to end up here regardless, >> right? >> Depending on who wants to, you know, >> y often times when um the way that a course would usually come up, we have our our courses that we have in place. So as um Miss Hankle and Mr. effort we're talking about. We
045have three courses right now that we're just not getting enough students to sign up for. But we have if we merge those three into one, we could get more students. But we also have to look at and see where are things happening in the future. Kind of going back to what you were saying with like our new courses coming up. So standards come out. We just had personal finance standards that came out and they wanted to um we had to then look and see can we implement this in a current class that we have or do we need a new course. So when we have a new course we're try to get that to the board by October. That's our goal. Now, sometimes with when the state releases their standards, we're not always able to
046do that, but we try to have that to the board in October knowing that we have to bring our curriculum guides to the board in December, January time period usually so that we can start getting students to sign up, see, you know, are we going to have enough students to run some of these courses. But we also want to look at what is um kind of on the the the trends out there of work. What kind of work experiences are students going to need? Are there new courses that we need to develop to try to help get our students to be prepared for those opportunities? The FCC drone course is another, you know, great example of, hey, this is an area students could go want to go into. So we really look to see not
047only like students interest state standards but also um you know as we're going through a teacher may be teaching a unit and saying like this is actually could be a whole course in itself and I have a lot of students that really really like this. So that can also help us develop and kind of bring things to the table. So, I think that's one of the things is that we really want to continue to look at our curriculum and see what can we make and what courses can we bring that'll meet our the needs of our students. >> So, I have a um question just in terms of so what I'm hearing is that student interest could sort of highlight a need, the standards if there's changes could highlight a need. Does anything come from
048our comprehensive plan just in terms of needs? Yes. So, one of the things in our comprehensive plan, we have to have certain um we have to address all of the standards. >> So, as we go through, there's a piece of the plan that actually asks, have you implemented all of the the English standards? Have you implemented all of the science standards? and we are able to say yes because we have these courses and we've been able to duplicate like so when you have like three classes that you're merging in one you have to make sure that all of those standards are still being hit in there. >> So that is something that does come out of our comprehensive plan. >> Okay. >> And another part included within the comprehensive plan is the graduation requirements. So,
049uh, when you take a look within the [snorts] comprehensive plan, the graduation requirements are in there. So, right now, our students to graduate need to earn 25 credits, uh, which was, uh, board approved back in 2014, but was changed back in 2009 when it was at 24.5 credits to graduate. Uh, but then there was an addition of the career seminar class which added that additional half credit. Uh so that was recommended by the administration back in 2009 um for the class of 2013. You know they would so from that point on uh graduating with 25 credits. So just to build off that question so I understand now how it's coming in through student interest the standards comprehensive plan trends with work experience and then I guess my question would be from the time that it's
050identified till it gets on the curriculum plan what is the vetting process for that like have you ever determined somebody suggested a class and you're like that doesn't really fit with what our educational goals are >> well we continually go through that evaluation even though as I started off it's every five years we're reviewing the curriculum but if there is curriculum content that we determine no longer is viable that we want to uh continue to focus on that would be something that would be a recommendation from the administration that or the teachers to the administration that we would remove from the curriculum guide. Uh but then there's also courses that we may offer but we just don't have the enrollment for. It'll still go in the curriculum guide as something to offer but the administration
051would then make that decision that based on the enrollment it's not a class that we would offer. or then we would have to find, you know, other options for those students to enroll in for that upcoming school year. >> Aren't you kind of constantly reviewing though? Since um student enrollment has come up a couple of times now just in the early parts of this meeting roughly I know you can't possibly have memorized an answer but of the last two years can you think off the top like how many classes have we had to pair down due to stool student enrollment or interest? >> Dr. Stern, can you speak to that? >> So it's not not as much about pairing down a class as it is how many sections of a class do we run? what
052what courses do we run in a larger school? You may have a schedule that you can basically roll over yeartoear. We don't do that. Our schedule's completely based off of student requests. So, and and that that is a little bit unique, but it's essential to do for us. So while we have graduation requirements, a given graduating class could have a greater proportion of students taking AP courses uh that meet a graduation requirement or regular level courses for that. We staff and and schedule sections based on what those student requests are. The same thing trickles down through electives as well. What the student requests are really dictate what our master schedule for the whole building is. Uh so that's why it's so important that we get the curriculum guide to share with students what courses are
053available so that they can have those conversations with content teachers that they have parents um and then eventually with their their school counselor to talk about how that fits in to their journey and their plan for post-secary uh uh employment at some point. So, uh, there's a lot of steps to that, but again, our whole schedule for the high school is based off of where is that need, where is that want, what staffing is available, how do we fit those needs and and support our students through those requests. >> So, you you actually answered one of the questions that I didn't even ask. You were saying that aside from the mandatory uh graduation requirements, largely large portions of our core curriculum is by student request >> elective courses and then even within the core curriculum
054the level and the level of rigor that they take is is largely uh determined by them. Do they want to advance in that? And then there's opportunities even beyond that uh for independent study or dual enrollment or um career practicum like Caleb had shared both uh the example from Dr. Rapert and from Caleb are both students that are in career practicum. No, we don't have a a CDL course in the high school. I I don't know that I could get enrollment for a course like that, but um Jack taking that course fit fit his journey and we're able to fit it within the career practicum uh content. TJ uh taking care of uh the uh real estate license that's something that fits his journey but is not common place in a high school. But through
055some of those creative curriculums that we have, it gives us some ability to provide some flexibility. Diversified occupations and work experience is another opportunity to give students a lot of latitude and opportunity uh to steer their journey and their experiences in high school based on what their needs and preferences are. >> It kind of sounds like what some universities do when it comes to interdisciplinary programs, just being able to have the flexibility of merging certain things unique to whatever path you want to take. It's a different population we have every year and and different interests. So, we want to support them. >> All righty. >> Um, quick followup. Um, so just for the board's knowledge, when do students start selecting these courses based on this curriculum guide? >> So, after a vote here in a
056few minutes, >> uh, we crack it open. So, uh, up until this point, teachers in core curriculums have made recommendations. So, for example, if I'm in biology, uh, science teacher, my science teacher would make recommendations, have conversations and counseling with me on that of what does that look like? Why might I want to take this course or that course? Uh, so those things have already happened and then with positive vote tonight. Uh, we will open it up to students um, moving forward and then the process rolls straight through uh, fourth marking period. There's a lot of behind the-scenes work of taking those requests and punching them through. So that timeline actually actually will be released to students and parents late this week, early next week. >> So you're saying there may be students watching this
057board meeting right now with baited watching carefully to see when does the vote happen and then they'll they'll watch for you to to run out. >> Sounds like my students. [laughter] >> Uh one of the questions that I had asked Dr. Hughes and Dr. record that they absolutely answered to my satisfaction, but for the public to know. Um, board members in the past had indicated a need to have more involvement with uh, schedules specifically in the elementary school as it pertains to proper recess time. And since the curriculum guide and schedules seem to be on a different cycle, how can we ensure that the timelines for the curriculum guides don't interfere with what we need for schedules? So with the elementary, the elementary will not you will not see a curriculum guide for the elementary.
058You'll see one for the middle school and the high school. But going back to your qu uh question, Mrs. Hangle is it's an it's going to be uh an expectation that our elementary is when you look at their schedule when you're looking at times for their core classes for their specials for the lunch for the recess that we have consistency across the entire district. uh we're already working and have been working with the uh the elementary administration uh regarding that. Uh and they're they're ready, you know, obviously we're their lunch periods for first grade. It might be different from other buildings. sorry based on how they have it scheduled. But you know, our expectation is that we have that consistency across the board so that you know we don't run into any potential concerns about
059you know one this one school in the future having more time for recess, more for lunch etc. But we are uh looking forward like I said we've had some conversation already and even speak with the administrators today. They're already in the process of planning for that going into the 2627 school year. >> Love hearing that. Love it. >> And uh when will that be shared with the board for approval? >> The elementary will they'll be working on that? Probably through part of the summer. Uh because schedules don't go out, you know, until August. Till August. So, a lot of it does depend on the, you know, the situations where you might have staffing that they're going to be working through. Uh, I know one of the, uh, components we're going to be talking about budget
060regarding staffing through attrition. Mr. Rick talked about the decreased enrollment. So, that's going to have an impact, but I know that they will have that ready by the summer, the early summer as we're looking at them finalizing their schedule for the uh, beginning of the school year. they're at a little different place than uh we are where the middle school and the high school because it's based on those course recommendations that they have to put together. Okay. >> And just to follow up on that, like obviously we got PSSA results and Keystones in November, how is that influencing how we're scheduling what our curriculum is, especially in elementary and middle? >> Well, when we're looking at the recommendations based on the results of the PSSA, and I'll I could say if we're looking at ELA,
061we're looking at math or we're looking at the um uh the biology or the science, we do not just base our recommendations on that single test. There are assessments that go on throughout the entire school year that our teachers can see where our students are, how they're growing. Um as Dr. Sterner talked about regarding the high school. There's different levels within, you know, with within a specific content area that students could be recommended for. So, it really comes down to not just how the students perform isolated on a test, but more specifically, how are they performing throughout the year, how are they performing on the standards uh that the students are being assessed at in the elementary, in the middle, and through the high school. Okay, >> last question for me. Um, I noted that
062you talked about the career readiness that was implemented in 2009 and then affected the 2013 class. Was that correct? >> Yes. >> Um, how are graduation requirements outside of what is mandatory by the state chosen? What does that process look like? And then specifically, when was the last time that a school board provided input for mandatory classes for requirement? So the last time there was the change which I mentioned earlier which I had to do a little bit of research was in 2009 and that was an administrative recommendation to the school board to change the graduation requirements from 24.5 to 25. Uh from the research that I was doing earlier I could not find anything specific to where the school board had made a recommendation regarding anything. Uh but that was the only one I
063was able to find based on policy uh because that was a change in in the policy 217 uh that we were able to search through board ducks. >> I don't have any other questions. Does anybody else have questions? >> I just wanted to say that when we get to the personnel and policy, I wanted to draw attention that 105, which is curriculum, will be on um for review. So if there are any things that you need to look at, any questions that you have, it certainly could be considered as part of that policy review schedule. >> Anybody else? >> Thank you. >> All righty. We had the motion. We have the second. Um discussion. Any nays or abstensions? >> All right. Hearing none, that motion carries. So Dr. Sterner, your students are going to be
064emailing you right now. [laughter] Um that brings us to 8.03, 03, which is the same thing, but it's for Southern Middle School curriculum. Um, I'll go ahead and move to approve the revisions to the Southern Middle School curriculum guide for 2026 2027 school year. Can I have a second, please? >> Second. >> Uh, any questions about this one? All righty. Any discussion? Any nays or abstensions? >> Hearing none, that one passes as well. 8.04 04 is a grant through project lead the way. Dr. Refer, can you explain this one for us? >> Yes, thank you. Uh Mrs. Hankle, uh school board, you know, the one thing we're always looking for is opportunities uh through grants and that we can help, you know, fund some of the programs that we have. We have an awesome opportunity
065with Caterpillar, you know, to approve the grant through project lead the way of $10,000. that money will now go to support those pro uh the programs resources uh that are needed within the program any additional professional development. So, it's just another way of us to be able to continue to do th those uh enhancements within those classes uh without having to come back to the board and asking for public funds to support them. >> This is an easy one. I move to approve a grant through project lead the way for $10,000 for materials associated with the cost of the program through Caterpillar. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Does anybody have any questions? Thank you so much for doing this. Um any naysay or abstensions? Hearing none. That one carries. 8.05. This is
066costs associated with speakers approved through the vetting process. There are two here. This is the bugman. Ryan the Bugman for his uh Mother Nature's Miracles program to the Southern New York County School District first grade students. Um and then the second one is the Burns Health Education Center to present their Grow and Know. Going to go ahead and move to approve the cost associated with the following speakers. There's the bugman at uh first grade students at a cost of $385 per school and the Burns Health Education Center to present the Grow and Know program, like I said, to all Southern New York County School District fifth graders at a cost of $9208 per school. May I have a second, please? >> Second. >> Does anybody have any discussion? I will note that um Ryan the
067Bugman has done this presentation for many years in our district. He is absolutely phenomenal. And the Burns Health Center, the Grow and Know program, I believe myself, Mr. Jeremy Hash and Mrs. Samantha Hall, we all attended one of these presentations. Did I? Oh, okay. >> President Henle as well. Did I leave anybody else out? we we all went to separate ones and um for public purposes uh it will they will not be discussing reproductive health at all. That's not a part of this presentation and normally when it comes to these sorts of presentations we go ahead and have them be an optin because this is a field trip. It's opt in anyway. So if it's something that you don't feel comfortable as a parent having your children go to it, don't sign the permission slip.
068We like to make that very easy for you guys and we like to have we we definitely respect parental authority with that. So use your conscience. Sign your kid up if you want. Don't if you don't. But does anybody have any other discussion? Any nays or abstensions. That motion carries. 8.06. Speakers approved through the vetting process. I did have a question about this one. This one's just information only. Um this is one of the things that I really love having a working relationship with uh Dr. Eert and Dr. cues when they hear somebody that would be fantastic to come into our district that the time is kind of crunching in between board meetings. We don't have the ability to. Now, this didn't this wasn't a cost to the district at all. So, it wasn't anything
069that the board had to vote on, but they just ring me up, send me the materials, I take a look over it, and then I go ahead and just sign the vetting process. And that ensures that our students aren't missing any opportunities. So, I love the fact that you guys are constantly looking for opportunities and that you feel comfortable sending things my way. Thank you so much for that. >> And Mrs. Hankle, if I could just take a look at that date, that was January 5th. >> That was the first day back from break. So, we had coordinated this, you know, uh, just prior to over the break because we wanted to make sure that, uh, uh, Bart's Brigade was able to give this message to, you know, the message, uh, to the students during
070the girls basketball game. So, Mr. Nel, thank you over your holidays being able to make sure that this did happen, that we were able to put this uh, in place for uh, you know, the girls basketball. The dessert tonight made it all even. So, >> all righty. Um, that brings us to where are uh 8.07 stage 1 curriculum maps as districtwide master maps. Dr. Refford. >> Yes. So, for the board, just uh so you're aware, we do have eight maps uh that are for approval. We do have uh the drawing, biology, Latin, uh computer science, and then the social studies K uh one two uh which is number one, six and seven on the list, and then the personal fitness and sports. Uh so big thank you to the teachers and the uh facilitators as
071well as Dr. Hughes and staff for continuing to take a look at uh these maps, updating them, and putting in uh getting them ready to be approved so we can move forward with them. >> Absolutely. I move to approve the following stage one curriculum maps as districtwide master maps as indicated in the agenda. All eight of those. Can I have a second, please? >> Second. >> Um, does anybody have any questions? >> Thank you, Dr. Hughes, as always for these. Any nays or abstensions? That motion carries 8.8 is a annual subscript unlimited subscription to Woodcock Johnston Johnson. Uh, Dr. Uh Repper, can you please walk us through this and explain briefly what this is so that everybody can understand? >> Yes. Yes. Woodcock Johnson, that is an assessment that we have been using as long
072as I have worked within this district when they're looking to uh assess students, you know, you're looking for, you know, could be a learning disability, you know, in reading, math, etc. Uh we have utilized the paper version, the consumable version for many years. the Wood Wood Woodcock Johnson no longer has now it's electronic. Um and within that I just wanted to kind of go through I know as a as a board as a district as a community one thing we really want to focus on is the data the the protection of data. So some of the information I did want to share publicly regarding the Woodcock Johnson is the information is stored on their server. Uh the information is encrypted while it is being sent or while it is being stored. uh there's multi- uh
073multi- authentification so there's a single sign on then there's code so there's a lot of steps in order to get into the system which is primarily used by our school psychologists who are doing these assessments um and they also do some ann annual penetration tests you know having hired you know uh individuals to see if they can get within the system because we know that data um is is very important uh and keeping that secure But this does give us an opportunity to continue to provide those support services. And just for the board, it says pricing determined by per student fee. You know, we have, you know, approximately 2,700 students within our district. You know, that per student fee includes all 2,700 students because it could be at any moment [snorts] that a student may
074be referred for special education that needs to be assessed and evaluated. This does give us that ability to provide this our school psychologists this tool that they can assess the students and determine you know what levels of services they may need as a result of it. >> Thank you for that explanation. Going to go ahead and move to >> I got a quick question on that real quick. >> Go ahead. Go for it. >> You said how many students >> district 2700 >> right? So that's for 2980 test available right? It basically I think it's like a site license so we can use it for any student within the district any grade level. >> Okay. But it has a price per unit. So I was just a little confused there. >> Where's the price per
075unit? >> Yep.$125 at 29.80 which would be more than the students we have even at the district. >> Well we also include you know we have our students in our our Lincoln edge. We have students in out of out of district placements. you know, not that that attunes to that that total amount. Um, and the other question and I I have for clarification are homeschool students included within would that be included within our total enrollment >> and our total enrollment? No. >> And the private schools private schools and Okay. >> I know it's not a lot of money, but you know, the the point being I want to make sure we're not paying for more than we need. >> Yeah. And to that point, is this a universally applied test or is this somebody kind
076of passes some sort of initial screening or there's an issue and then they receive a test. >> So, one person could take it a year, 20 could take it a year. >> Well, >> we're paying the same price. Is that correct? Well, what what occurs is they're when the school psych psychologist, they're not only evaluating new students that might be referred, but annually students that have an IEP, they have an evaluation that has to be done every three years. So, those students can also continue to be re-evaluated as a result of the process. But there wouldn't be more than a couple hundred students that would need to take this test, right? Based on um test results or whatever the initiating factor is, right? >> Yeah. What would necessitate an unlimited subscription versus what we're doing
077already, right? Is that >> Well, and it says in the quote message, eligibility a state or fedally federally reported student enrollment number is required for purchase. Mhm. >> So it sounds like they don't let you purchase the number you think you need. they you purchase based on a reported enrollment number with they them understanding they're going to get you know they're going to get a multiple of what's actually used based on that enrollment number >> scalable pricing >> but but that enrollment does the enrollment does seem high compared to what we were actually at right 2019 >> and and I'm not familiar enough with this particular software but if it does include private schools and it does include the potential potential that a homeschool student would need to be evaluated then then it does seem
078reasonable if the population >> so it covers private school students because because the public school can be required to provide services >> which we do >> to a private school student >> so this is basically all school age children >> in our district pretty much is that that's what that number is actually coming from >> and again I'm I'm look at this but that population makes sense if it includes all those pieces >> which it well very well But >> and since I was uh I mean I was talking with Dr. Reppert a good bit about that. I asked him all the security questions which >> bugged him. No, >> thank you. [laughter] >> Um but the reason that we're going this route now is that this >> used to be a consumable product that
079we would use. uh the company has cho has decided to go to a online only digital model which you know and discontinued anything that's consumable that we would have used last year. >> That is correct. So there there's not that option because Mr. Wilson, we had that conversation. Is that is there potential of consumable over it? And there's no longer the the option for the consumable for the Woodcock Johnson >> because I assume with the consumable, it wasn't an all or nothing deal. It was you use what you you pay for what you use, >> right? >> Well, it was still we still had the when you look at the license, you know, because we when I talked with Dr. Rogers, he indicated that, you know, we still had to pay over close to $3,000
080with the consumables because it goes back to the uh I forget the verbiage that uh they're norm reference test. So, it's not just complete the test. It's they utilize data, norm reference it to be able to say where the child lies from a nationalwide database. It's not we're just going to grade your assessment and give it back to you. >> It's a nationally normed assessment and it's psychological assessment, not your typical, you know, you're going to take a math math test or, you know, response to a a text dependent analysis. You're doing a writing sample. This is for uh psychological uh services to determine what where the student has performed to determine if they have a disability in a specific area. So then there could be a recommendation for an individual educa individualized education program
081or uh 504 if you're just going to put support services in place, you know, the best service that student to be uh successful in school. >> So hypothetically, let's say our district came up with 5,000 students, right? We would be paying 5,000 because you need availability to every student and that's what you pay. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> So, >> seems to be how they charge >> in our current >> consumable format. How is that data being stored? Where is that data being stored? Because >> in this format >> it's digital, >> right? It's going to be digital. So, and it sounded like stored in their servers >> on site. >> Yes. So if that is a departure from where we are or if that's new, um I have concern that we should have a
082format where parents understand that that the data for the assessment of their child is being stored in an offsite location that I mean in a data world nothing is nothing is really truly locked down and safe. So how are we how are we handling that data now >> versus the proposed way it would be handled in this >> currently under the consumable what would occur is after the assessment is scored school psychologists would have to enter it into the system because that's where it gets goes into the system where they could determine the norms based on that student based on that grade the what by doing the electronic version now they don't have to they're automatically putting it in the system whereas the paper they have to transfer it into the system >> it's still
083currently being stored in an offsite >> yes I is the is there any PI PII the um off-site storage any student like personal information or is it anonymized >> the the personal information that they're looking at It's grade age because that those thing those two are important when you're looking at the norms because you want a fifth grade 12y old to match up with a fifth grade and 12y old >> but is it attaching it to that specific student? >> Are they sporting information that would allow that >> student name? No. >> Student name. No. >> That's where I was looking. >> Thank Thank you for the clarification. Student name. No. >> That's exactly what I was looking at. >> Yeah. So I mean in the database it's comparing it to to these national averages
084but not attaching the data to an actual physical student. >> Not they're not storing that information associated with a particular student. >> There's no identifying markers for student >> other than age and right here. Yeah. >> And in that respect this is no different. >> Right. And let me and if I can give another example, we have students uh over the last few years uh this year more importantly uh with the keystones our students are taking state assessments online. So it's it's very similar situation, you know, because when they're looking at how our students are performing and you're looking at growth, they're utilizing that data, not the student individual name data, but they're using that data to determine how do all those students that are taking this PSSA at the eighth grade, how are they
085performing? So when we look at growth measures, you can utilize those data points to kind of point out where that student would be projected to go. Any other questions? Right. I don't believe I ever put the motion on the table, so let's go ahead and do that now. I move to consider an annual unlimited subscription to the Woodcock Johnson fifth edition assessment system for the use of psychological assessments at a cost of $3,725 from February 1st, 2026 through January 31st, 2027. May I have a second, please? Second. >> Uh, any other continued discussions? >> I have one quick question. Uh, motion to consider. That seems like usual language for >> an agreement. >> Is it should be motion? >> Typically it says motion to consider approval of. So, >> okay. >> Word approver business. >>
086All right. >> So, we can we can change that >> if everyone's okay. Okay, we can change. >> So, we are I [laughter] I'll move to amend it to uh say motion to consider approval of >> second that. >> Any discussion of the amendment? >> I think it is fitting. >> Any naysay or abstensions? That motion stands amended. Back to you. >> All righty. Um any ns or abstensions? >> That motion carries. >> So, can I just add one more comment? I apologize, but I was kind of looking up while you were talking. Um, so another agreement that we're coming up on is Vector Solutions, and you'll see that's based on um number of staff. Um, and when you look at that one, it says 490 staff, which we don't have 490 staff. We have
087400 staff. But then when you look at individual coaches or substitutes or anyone that we So, I think it's similar to what we were talking about with the student population, um, kids coming and going and and all those things. We need to to account for all that. and then you put the private school. And so um I think there's a kind of a relation on these um these subscriptions uh for um software um that they're looking at the the entire possible population level service based on population. >> Yeah. >> Even though knowing those 2,980 are not all going to be taking that test. >> Right. But I think what they're doing so a lot of these subscriptions they're looking at the size of the organization based upon those parameters. So, um, we have other subscriptions
088where they say if your student enrollment is between 3,000 and 5,000, here's the cost. If it's between 5,000 and 8. So, they're doing a lot of those kinds of things based upon either number of staff or number of students and they're looking at any given student during the year, not necessarily um your actual enrollment at one point in time. So, if we've had kids coming and going, we'd have a higher number than just one static number. So try to help explain where that's from. >> And is that similar or different from like how we handle like our Google licenses for >> Yeah. So so some of those things again I don't remember off the top of my head how they work but [clears throat] I know a lot of our subscriptions are based upon that.
089So, I thought that might be helpful to kind of explain because we're we're coming up on vector which is another one and you you know when you look at that you because I know I asked that question like why is it 490 when we have a little under 400 staff and here's why because we have to account for all of those other pockets that we may have to have training for those folks. >> So, I thought that might be helpful >> discussion again if you want. >> No, just thought that might be a helpful explanation. >> All righty. 8.09 your nine updates from the AI committee. I believe I'm going to hand that to Mr. Joe Wilson. >> All right. Thank you, U Mrs. Ankle. So, yesterday afternoon, the AI committee met. Um, there's a
090smaller turnout because some staff meetings. We need to, you know, Dr. Stern, you need to plan that a little better next time. But, uh, it was a good conversation. We talked about the three new apps that have been added to the website. um and that we, you know, we're the district is really taking the lead on, you know, through the AI committee and our questions about that, uh to really evaluate a lot of the tools that are in use across our buildings. For example, we had there's like what five or six different communication programs in use between like high school and different elementary schools and middle school. And we're trying to centralize all that so that you've got, you know, for the parents that have a kid in elementary and middle school and high school,
091they're not jumping it around between the four different apps that they need to keep track of things. So, um, challenge is a lot of these tools were because of the number of people using them, we're kind of in the free ad supported realm, which frankly doesn't protect our data as a paid service is. Again, anything in the technology space, you're either paying for it or you are what is being sold. >> So, that's it's been a really um productive thing for the school to take a deeper look at these things and make, you know, make good decisions that protect our information, our students information, and our even our staff's information. Um, we did discuss the red, yellow, green that we're working through as far as like when a generative AI can be used in um
092in the uh curriculum. Um, right now we are not using any AI in our curriculum, but this is just planning ahead for when we do get to that point. You know, red, can't use it, don't use it. This is you got to use your brain for this. and really embrace the learning yourself. Yellow is a little bit more of a mixed integrated approach and green is sort of have at it. We're not going that way and I don't I don't think Dr. Hughes sees us going that way anytime in the near future. And I imagine that probably the first time that would be is a class that is designed to teach you how to prompt AI or where the whole point of it is is not to replace your thinking but to learn to use
093the tool would I imagine be the first green we probably have. And um we did did also get some feedback from the staff as far as the survey um just talking about AI the policy um like 92% said they understood the different types of AI that are under consideration or in use not even just here just in the world. Um so that was positive that was after the training that was done in December. >> Yes. Okay. And we are also working on an AI handbook that is for staff, parents, and students. Anything you guys want to add to that? Any questions? >> Um, just with the survey, how many what type of participation they had with that? They had about 85 90% pre precipitation precipitation >> well over 300 >> 370 >> uh participation which
094is very high >> I mean when even though Miss Green mentioned about like the 490 uh when you're looking at professional staff you know looking a little over 400 so you know we have uh nice participation throughout the district on the completion of that survey Any other questions or >> just something real quick? Um, Encyclopedia Britannica, how is that related to AI? [laughter] >> Cuz I remember when it was 26 books on a shelf. >> Well, they they have to keep up with the times. >> Yeah, but how is it AI? Like it's information. It's just >> it it is it's a research tool. It's kind of a >> Dr. Hughes. >> Yeah, Dr. Hughes. I'm going to hand Dr. Hughes. So um yes so I remember like the the encyclopedias that used to sit
095in you know the >> it's now an online component and it's a digitalized version that they um update very frequently. The problem that people have with um encyclopedias are that you purchase them if they're in a written format they're updated within a year or two. So this is encyclopedia bratannica is part of our um >> library resource package that we have. So we had destiny approved but then we were like wait encyclopedia is one of the subscriptions that's in there. So we wanted to make sure but it's for research and those other pieces. >> Can I just clarify this says approved technology tools are all of these AI tools or this is just Yeah. So that might be the confusion is is >> so I'm sure there's some AI in the back end of it
096just to help. >> I mean are you just like asking it a question and then it's using the encyclopedia Bratannica to answer the question? >> It's um you can pull it up just like you would have done with a a encyclopedia that was hardbound that you can put in a subject area and then it brings up the information for you. >> But that's not but this >> but it's not generating this. Yeah. No, these are not >> generative. >> No, but these are tools that were approved through the pro the technology request pro process that were >> currently we have no generative AI tools right now for students and we're once again and I'll put this out there in every one of our meetings we're asking our teachers and staff to use Gemini. The reason
097for that is that we have a paid subscription to Gemini, which means that it doesn't it's not a learning model for the outside. It keeps us within our district. It doesn't push it back out. So, it's another safety feature that we're able to ensure that um our data is staying safe. So, once again, I know a lot of people came back from the survey saying, "I use chat GPT. Um, I use chat GPT in my home, but when I am in school or on a school computer, I use Gemini. >> You don't want to feed the large language model, right? >> And that piggybacks on what Mr. Wilson was saying about either you're the one that purchases it or you're the one that's being purchased. >> Yes. And so we'll be bringing to you um,
098for example, we are f like determining right now for a typing program. will be bringing that for board approval because the one that we were using was it was having advertisements on it. >> Don't want that. So, we want to make sure that we have something that it and it's a paid version of you know the best thing out there for us to be able to use that. >> And I'll just add as a clarification. So, I think the confusion came this is updates from the AI committee and then we have this list of tools that are not AI tools. The reason that's happening that way is the AI committee formed and said, "We're going to take a look at all the AI tools." And the first thing was, "We don't know which tools those
099are because they're embedding AI and everything." So, we have to review anything that basically runs on any kind of computer or or electronic device because it might now have AI components. So, that that AI review became a whole technology review at least especially of our educational technologies. So you'll see things come up here that have now been reviewed and that could mean the review found that the AI component was zero or that the AI component was, you know, 10 20 what a percent whatever percent of it and and here are the fe the AI features. But that'll show up in the the AI committee stuff because it's being reviewed to see does it have AI? If not, is it useful? In which case, we'll approve it and continue to use it. If it has AI,
100then it goes through an additional >> evaluation. Yep. And >> just a reminder, just a reminder to the community since we haven't had this discussion since November, when [clears throat] you see those tools that are on there, it's just another reminder. These have been approved. They're on the website and curriculum under the technology tools. Uh so we will continue to update the community when we have new ones at the board meeting uh during this section so that they're aware of what the new uh technology tools are that have been approved by the district. So, are all of the um approved technology tools going to be on this list or there'll be a separate list that show the ones that have AI components? >> So, when we when you have the um the website when you
101go to the the website as a parent, it clearly states what's AI. Um we're in the process, this is a good time to also state that we're going to be sending out our um child safety online safety where we've compiled all of that. It's called COPA. Um but it really does COPA is looking to make sure that everything that we're using meets the legal requirements for students and safeguards their information. Um as part of our committee, we send it out usually at the beginning of the year. We're sending it out in January again so that we can keep that list updated for our parents and our community so that they know what's so that'll be going out um either tomorrow or early next week. So um those are types of things that this committee has
102been really focusing in on. So when you see some of the the apps coming through, we will clearly state if it's AI on there. Otherwise, it is a technology tool that has gone through a rigorous vetting process. So, we are looking at every privacy policy. We're looking exactly to see what if they're collecting anything. And the whole purpose behind this is make sure we have safe tools that our students are using. >> This copa, what does that stand for? >> Child child protection act. All right. >> Now, [laughter] now to jump back on that, there's also an update to COPA rules coming out in >> April. April. >> April. >> Yes. >> And the the big change is >> so the new rule is stating for students up to the age of 18 where it
103used to be 13. If it is targeted advertising, um, it needs to be disclosed. So, it needs to become a part of this. We're looking to make sure that what they're trying to do is make sure that students information, going back to what Joe was saying, we were talking about free is never free. Um, what a lot of these companies are doing is that they're collecting student information and then they want to sell it. Like, you know, a student is looking at this robot or whatever and then they sell that to the company to say, "Hey, we had 34 hits of this." or it's bringing up advertisements. Um, I know one of the things that one of our parents was were talking about when we look at communication tools, one of the problems that we
104have with Class Dojo right now that we've been using as a district is that parents keep getting asked, hey, if you sign up for this, it's this much money. You can go, we want to find something that will meet our parents needs but not have all of that on it. So, we have been looking at a communications tool that we'll be bringing to the board for permission to move in the future. Um, we've been evaluating different tools that will streamline and help our parents have one place to go as Joe was talking about >> and more than likely there's going to be a cost associated with that because again, >> either free or you're what's being sold. So, we'll have to evaluate where that comes in when >> we're looking also to see like, okay,
105if we can get rid of some other pieces that we pay for that'll help offset that cost. So, we are looking we're trying to be very transparent and very um active in how can we decrease the price as much as possible, but also our number one goal is to make sure that our students are safe. >> Yes. >> And that is where we're really going with this problem. came up um communication tools that that are out there really a lot of them are saying this is designed for high school or college students. Even some of our apps that coaches would use with um families about like hey this our session tonight is canled. A lot of those tools aren't meeting the policy re the policy requirements. So that's why we have to look at at
106a solution to be able to help us in the future with this. >> Thank you, Dr. Hughes. Any other questions? Okay, I'm going to hand it back to Mrs. Hle for 810. >> 8.10. Um, renewal of agreement with Vector Solutions. I'm going to go ahead and put this motion on the table so I don't get confused and then we can have discussion if that's okay. So move to approve a renewal agreement with Vector Solutions at a recurring cost of $8,7710 per year beginning July 1st, 2026, plus a one-time cost of $99459 for a PR-rated subscription for the remainder of the 2025 2026 school year. May I have a second, please? >> Second. >> Discussion. And Dr. Reppert, if you'd like to explain before discussion. Yes, as we talked about uh briefly uh two motions prior
107>> [snorts] >> uh vector solutions is something that we have used for many years within our district gives our us the ability as administration to provide training and push out training online to our all of our staff including their par profofessionals. Uh the addition that we uh are looking at adding to vector solutions is a parent training component. Uh one of the uh compliance monitoring uh pieces from special education is what are we doing to provide our parents with training in the area of special education. We could send them to the Lincoln intermediate unit. We could send them up to Harrisburg to Patan. Um we could ask them to come here, but we're not getting the the parents are consistently or able to go to those. This now provides our parents the ability to get
108a login uh from our district that would get pushed out to them. They can log in and they can choose specific training modules based on what they see the need as as a parent to support their child with within special education. The other component that goes along with it is the there's a safety component that goes along with additional safety trainings. So, uh Mr. Wilson talked about the AI. We've had AI uh trainings that we have pushed out through vector already to our staff, you know, to give them the experience, you know, and and kind of that knowledge base. Uh the one thing we are reducing and eliminating uh from the district is the master teacher, which was a program that we have had approximately $2,600 that we're utilizing. So, we've taken a look at
109what we're using for training resources for professional development. We knew we needed to add something for parent uh as you know for parent training. Uh but we also knew that we can eliminate the master teacher uh because by adding these uh you know this as well as that safety compliance now provides us with more of a bank of training opportunities online training opportunities for our staff, our teachers, our staff but more importantly our parents now will have an online training that we can not only send out and we can also have a uh you be able to document how often it's being utilized by parents and how that will get to parents through IEP meetings through those evaluation meetings. Uh when the school psychologists and the special education department is meeting with parents, that's where
110they'll share that information specifically with those parents and give them that information and say, "Here are some resources that you can utilize from the district to get more knowledge in those specific areas that they may need. Quick question on that. Are we adding a link to this somewhere or visible on our website for parents? You know, obviously if if I'm in an IEP meeting, you hand me a piece of paper, I'll lose that paper. I know in speaking with Dr. Rogers, that link and information was going to get shared via email with the parents. uh we have not discussed the component of putting it on the website because initially we're looking at you know the utilization for the uh the special education parents but I do believe in time it would be something that we
111could provide that to more parents because you never know you know there could be parents that could have some uh uh [snorts] some some children at home that might have some needs that they might have some additional training that they can utilize. >> Okay. And it's invite only for parents. you go and just jump into it. >> That is correct. They would receive the uh the link which would be the login as well as a password that they're able to log in and uh you know view the multitude of assess not assessments trainings that are available. >> Did the vendor provide any information on other districts and the percentage of the parents that actually use the the tools? My concern would be paying for it, making it available to parents, and then parents don't use
112it. Um, >> we did not receive anything, but one of the, as I mentioned earlier, this was this came out of a special education audit for compliance that we needed to develop a way of providing parent training. And by sending, like I mentioned earlier, we could send give them flyers to go to the Lincoln Intermediate Unit or somewhere else. Um, but I know in speaking with Dr. Rogers, those parents aren't traveling those distances. This now gives them the opportunity to now take those in their home and we'll be able to assess and monitor that you know by you know through the end of this year in through next year to determine how many parents actually you know participated logged on and completed the assessment. So we would have that actual data for ourselves. >> This
113is a compliance issue for yeah but it but we can we can be compliant in other ways. So it doesn't have to necessarily be this way. this is what you're bringing to the board to say that you would like, but it's we can meet compliance other ways. Um, but that does put the burden on the parents to travel like you said. Uh, could could we go ahead and just request as a board uh what would be a good time for an assessment update on parents usage of the tool should provided that we pass it. >> We we could provide something June. Sorry, I'm up. Well, I just say we could do one at the end of the school year in June and then obviously when we get to before the renewal or we can go
114next January so you're getting by annual uh data update that I can bring back to >> I would love that. Does anybody have a problem? >> We got one quick thing. You said you're tracking who's using it. >> So I'm going to go back to Mr. Hall's question about >> No, not the who. Once the information goes out to the parents to sign in, >> we just get a we'll just get a report that it was that you had a number of someone that has completed it. Not that it was Mrs. Hall or Mr. Wilson. We don't get that report. Okay. All we do all we'll get a report back is how >> how many >> 10 distinct users this month. >> Does Vector have that? >> Well, they have to have the login information.
115If you've got individual, >> are they keeping it safe? >> Are they data protected? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> I mean, the vector I would assume >> for for our teaching staff for our teaching staff. Yes. >> Okay. Because you have to log in with a username and password. But for the parents, they're given a district login and a password. >> Generic one. >> So, it's not that generic. It's not well it's not a parent, you know, they're not getting, you know, Samantha Hallsycd.org. They're given a parent login and a um password in order to get in there to complete. >> Is each parent given a unique? >> No, that's what he's saying is. >> Okay. It's they all >> they all use the same one. So the tracking you'd have you'd have like >>
116analytics of how many visits, but you wouldn't be able to tell the different, you know, the different parents you're working with, whether they accessed or not, >> it would still give you a good idea of whether or not it's being utilized. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> so the the master teacher um subscription that we would be dropping um this this carries those same components and I'm assuming that's generalized teacher training. >> Generalized teacher training. What is the master teacher component? Yeah. >> Yeah. So, MA master teacher was um a software that we've been using for years and years um mainly with uh our pair of professionals um for some of their certification. So, when this was brought to uh Dr. Reppert and to me to discuss adding on additions because it is the parent piece, but
117there's also some special education pieces in the vector training. Um that's part of the parent. you have in order to get the parent piece, you have to do the special education piece. So that's part of all this. So as we looked at it, we said, "Okay, we know we have these other things over here. Um are they duplicates?" Um so um we had that committee go back research that and when we looked at it um we feel that between this and some free trainings that we get through Patan as a school district we can meet what we use master teacher for before we can meet those needs by dropping that um that subscription. So what we didn't want to do is just keep adding things adding subscriptions. So, um, whenever we're brought these, um, requests,
118we we take a look at what we already have, how we're using it, and then do we need it all. So, we wanted to be able to to to meet the needs and the requests that they have, but we didn't want to have duplicates. >> So, in this this $8,000 subscription, we're getting uh safety and compliance training. We're getting the the parent component for uh the special needs program. We're getting um generalized teacher training that we were getting in master. So is it is it like three in one or four? The way I would look at it, it was three because you'd have our standard subscription, which is what we currently have for our for our teachers and staff that we utilize. The parent component as well as the uh safety piece. So, we have
119two components that are added to this uh overall subscription. >> Okay. So, the the the parent and the safety is really was new. >> Yes. And then we're we're dropping the other subscription to >> for the master teacher. >> Right. >> You said that was how much? 2,000. What? The master teacher? >> 27. Basically, it's >> gotcha. >> 2673. You're really adding about $2,000 for the >> Parent component. That's the question. Mhm. >> Um, the vector system, not to add to the length of the conversation, really is one of our only ways for compliance to document who's taking what, when, and where. >> Any given teacher can have eight hours of mandated training and it's all separated. So, it's an hour here, it's a half hour there. Um, it's virtually impossible to document that now.
120paper, [snorts] pencil in person. Or it may be the ability to um for all staff, whether it's support staff, teachers to review a policy and check off that they've reviewed the policy and understand it. >> And we then are able to drive uh anybody that's missed that or still needs to do it. It's an automated email system that follows it up that says, "You've still not completed. Please log on." So for me, the value in that even just from a compliance perspective is well worth the couple extra dollars in my opinion. But >> I understand. >> And and the last point, we can add trainings to that. I know Mr. Litel uh worked on adding uh additional uh trainings for Act 55 for safety and security. Uh those are put in there. Uh Dr. [snorts]
121Bryson indicated about policies. Uh we have our EL uh for EL training which is annual. There's a presentation that goes in there McKenna Vento for homelessness you know annually there's presentations that Miss Plattz has created that we've put in there. It just as Dr. Bryson said gives us the ability to push those out and then for the requirement piece we can identify who has completed and who is not. That's also a way for us to track you know uh the hours that our teachers are required to complete for act 48. You know every five years they have to have 180 hours that they have to complete training. This is a way for us to utilize that data uh of completion and identify you know what teachers have completed what hours they have completed etc. >>
122So quick question. So the cycle for this subscription, this agreement is July to July. >> And we have a PR-rated basically a pr-rated subscription from now till July. >> Yes. >> Um is are we currently out of compliance that we need this for for the next six months? We had >> we had talked with Dr. Rogers. We are out of compliance. Uh this would now give us the opportunity to get this training in the hands of you know our special education teachers that are running the uh those meetings and give that to our parents to do so. Um and it gives us another way to also track you know what they are completing and how many they're completing. >> Well, not the parents. We're not tracking them. where the number of completed sessions. Yes. >>
123Okay. >> So, >> the only reason the only reason I was asking about that was because it is a prorated subscription for the next five months. I was going to ask if we would if it'd be beneficial to just start July 1st. So, so we did ask that question when we had our meeting with the committee and and um the answer we got um because we were kind of looking at it the same way you're looking at it and and one of the answers we got was um as you're going into the spring you have a lot of IEP meetings and you have a lot of meetings with parents and this would be an excellent time >> [snorts] >> um to get those resources to those parents as you're meeting and working with them. So,
124um, really in their mind, I think not putting words in their mouth, but what I took from it was this this is really the a good time to be able to to help those children and those families with these resources. So, that's why we're recommending the prorated versus waiting till July 1st because we kind of ask that same question as do things, >> right? >> I figured you guys did ask some questions. >> No, that's No, no, I didn't. Yeah, I didn't mean it to come across that way, but yeah, sometimes we don't put all that in the briefing, but we Yeah, we grill them. I mean, I'm just going to [laughter] >> Okay, thank you. >> Any other questions or discussion? >> Any nays or abstensions? Motion carries. 8.11 update on student Chromebook usage.
125U Mr. Wilson and Dr. Rupert. >> I'm going to hand to Dr. Rupert because he hasn't shared any of the information with me yet. Uh so just real quick for the school board and uh community, we had uh wanted to give an update to the board and community based on the Chromebook reduction uh to 2:1 in grades K through um K through 4. Uh for the board, you do have uh two documents in front of you. Uh uh the one specifically that you have in front of you is just a chart uh which was some collected data uh of last year of the averages that uh students were utilizing the uh Chromebooks and this actually started last March. So if you recall we started collecting this data last March. Uh so there's weekly data that
126was collected throughout the year. So that was the average use of students during what we say a 15 week uh 15-day span. So what happens is you take a look at a specific date, you go back um 15 days, you get an average. Then the next week that you collect the data, you go back 15 days and collect the average. Uh that's the way Google has collected it in speaking with our technology department. And what we were able to determine is if you take a look at what the averages were and this was at the end of last school year uh by grade level uh we just started collecting that data as of the 12th. So the first week we're back from school. So we know it's pretty you know students had come back uh
127you know that first week of school kind of getting back into uh the use of devices and you could see that there was definitely a downward trend in use based on the devices in class. Uh so kindergarten to give you an example um was 24 minutes as an average from last March to the end of the year down to 16. So there's significant reduction of the use of devices even all the way up through um all the way up through seventh grade where there has been a reduction and there was an increase in 8th grade. I will say I I was in classes uh when I came back uh in the social studies classroom students were working on uh projects and they're working on them on their devices. Now, I can't say they were doing
128that in all their classes, but I know specifically when I was in there, they were on on their devices. Um, they're in the middle school in the eighth grade. So, we did have a reduction of the use of the Chromebooks. So, I just wanted to share that data. What we will continue to do is collect that weekly data from this point on to continue to take a look at the average trends as to how it compared to last year. Um, just real quick question. The 112 numbers, that's not a 15-day average, is it? We didn't really have 15 days. >> What number are you referring to? >> The the whole column for 112. >> Yeah. Now, remember these are minutes. >> These are, but I'm just saying we haven't had 15 days of school. >>
129No, but it went back to that. It actually went back to, >> you know, it went back 15 days, but we actually didn't utilize 15 days. It wasn't 15 days of data. But >> what if students were on the Chromebook over that winter break prior to that time could have counted, but they said the majority of the time that was collected was when we came back on, I believe it was the 5th through the 12th. So you're looking at that was the average of the students that were utilizing uh uh minutes per day, which would include, you know, time in class, but it could also be time that they're working on their Chromebook at home because at the secondary level, middle school level, those Chromebooks are going home with them. So they are working on
130their assignments at that time and can't be working on those assignments including the weekend. But so is those numbers do they do they in you said if a student was on the Chromebook during Christmas during the winter break um that would get logged as and and included in this. Yes, we it could it could be included because it's no different than a weekend, >> you know, because if students are utilizing their Chromebook to work on assignment, that's still you that would still be calculated uh based of use of that of >> are these artificially low because >> yeah, we're see >> they could and that's what I mentioned they could be. Now, as we go into next week, >> okay, so >> and and then what I plan to do is each month I'll come
131back with as we do with HRS where I provide an up we provide an update to you, we'll provide an update with this chart to the board so you can kind of see where those trends are. >> So assume that this is not going to be normal. Well, it I think it might be because I mean if you look at the you know the 8th through 12th these are very similar to what we saw in our initial >> kind of numbers that we got last year. >> Mhm. >> But there you see a significant drop off in elementary where we made the change. >> Yes. >> So >> and we'll get to that in a moment when we go into the curl book survey. >> Don't want to get ahead. >> Any other questions with
132that? But I will come back each month. So next month you'll see probably an additional 3 weeks of data. Uh you'll see the 19th, you'll see the 26th, you'll see the first week of February. Um and then when we come back to the next board meeting, you'll see uh at least uh four four more weeks of data that was collected weekly. >> Yeah. Aside from um not having a full 15 days, what do you think why do you think it changed with the upper elementary school since our Chromebook policy didn't affect them? Why is there such a defiable? >> Well, please keep in mind when we looked at the reduction of Chromebooks, we also took a look at how are the schools going to be utilizing the Chromebooks. So there may be opportunities where a
133third grade may be borrowing from a fifth grade, you know, uh but in speaking with our with the elementary the students may they're not relying as they're not and we're just looking at one set of data here. You know, we'll see more uh more specific as we go over the next couple weeks collecting that to see is it consistent, is it higher, is it lower. Um, but I would I would be more interested to see over the course of the next couple weeks by time we come back to February, does that sit closer to the average or is it still going to be low based on the uh usage right now? But this is one week even though I mentioned it is a 15-day uh collection of data. It is really one week of data
134and the first week students came back from a 12-day break. H >> so it's the nature of the period of time and >> yeah I would I would believe it's the nature of the period of time but only data and time will tell as we go go through the next month. >> Thank you. Uh but I do want to take a moment. We did send a quick survey to grades K through four. Ky click to the next screen. Uh so when you look at total participants uh from kindergarten, first, second, third, and fourth grade, uh we did have 43 responses. It does show the breakdown uh based on the grade. So we did have very solid participation of the staff member through kindergarten, fourth grade in all three elementary schools. >> Um how many like
135how many people did it go out to? I guess Mrs. Hall asked earlier about you know total total then how many responses was it like a >> I do not have the exact number of K through four teachers >> just a ballpark >> well we I know my thinker's going to come up with that in a moment sorry I did not have that and I think you're >> 90% with that that's >> right that's five grade levels Yeah, eight to nine teachers per >> grades or three buildings. >> Okay. >> I'm just curious. >> Yeah. Can you move the next one? So, the first question uh that was asked since moved to 2:1 uh in the elementary school with Chromebooks indicate the impact of instruction. So, this is the in the impact of instruction, the
136teachers instruction uh during the first semester. Um as you take a look at the uh the pie chart up there uh 48.8 uh% indicated that there was a significant impact uh based on going from 2 to one. Uh we had 37.2% indicated that it was minimal impact and 14% indicated no impact uh compared to last school year. >> Is this meant to indicate negative impact? >> Negative impact. No significant impact is a negative impact on the instru a significant impact on the instruction based on the reduction of the Chromebooks. The ones that indicated no impact that means that you reduce from two to one they believe it did not have an impact on the instruction with the reduction of the devices. >> So what we're saying is from a teacher's perspective the orange the 48%
137the significant impact would be a negative. Yes. >> So what we're saying is 48% of our teachers are not happy about or is that >> that is correct. >> Okay. You go to the next slide. So then the second question uh that we want to ask is you know since the move the two one in the elementary school with Chromebooks impact impact I mean indicate the impact on student use of the Chromebook. So when you're looking at student use, how has it impacted the students in the classroom regarding the use? Um you know based on the 43 teacher responses significant impact you know 69.8% of the teachers indicated that reducing that has impacted the students in the classroom. uh 20.9% was a minimal impact and a 9.3 indicated that it did not have an impact
138at all uh based on the students. So the first question dealt with teacher instruction. The second one dealt specifically on they how they believed it impacted students >> in terms of how much time how how much use of the Chromebooks there is. >> Yeah. >> Excuse me. in terms of how much use of the Chromebooks there is because this all all says actually both charts say use no impact of use minimal impact of use is this so what was the can you give us like the actual questions that were asked for these two surveys >> those were the questions >> okay so you >> and and the Lyker scale rating was indicate significant minimal or no impact >> so what I mean what's interesting there is to me significant impact doesn't necessarily say positive or
139negative. >> I mean it could be either. It could be either. >> No. In in the in the email that we had sent, >> did it have an impact >> Yeah. >> on the instruction, >> right? >> Did it have an impact on student use? Uh I also had an additional comment which I will put I have an additional document that I will put in the board drive. Um, tomorrow there was a I did open up an opportunity for them to provide comments, you know, because I thought that was important and many of the comments that were in there. 26 out of the 43 had provided specific comments in there and comments were the reduction has impacted our ability to provide the assessments because they're consistently sharing devices or trying to work out sharing um
140impacting especially at the early elementary impacting their keyboarding and typing skills because they're not using it as often. And another part re The comment that came back with the assessment is at the elementary they're utilizing uh I Ready and assessments that they're specifically using there. Uh several had noted concerns for the grades three and four who will be testing the PSSA online. You know, are those students going to have the necessary skills, you know, to be able to you to take those tests? whereas when they were one to one they had a lot of practice with the devices uh when they were utilizing you know the assessments last year. So this is just feedback and uh the one indicate uh several indicated the sharing and borrowing even though they have procedures in place. Some have
141indicated that they're just utilizing, you know, the traditional instruction within the classroom because it has become a barrier with the uh the borrowing, especially when they're looking at uh their PLC's when they're trying to discuss where are students at regarding uh certain assessments that they're working on. If Samantha uh Jeremy and Mary Lee are both third grade teachers and they want to get together on a Friday to talk about that their how their students are performing, you know, where they might have been able to do it all in one day previously. Now it may be one day of assessing here, next day with Jeremy, the next day with Mary Lee. So they may not be able to get within that week to have that uh quick data discussion because they're looking at because they have
142to uh coordinate the sharing of devices not only between their team but potentially pulling from a fourth grade you know and using uh devices you know for third grade to support them with an assessment. uh so I will have uh the comments that will be attached and I'll include that within the uh within the board director's drive in education under Chromebook uh Chromebook survey. So I I wish the the question maybe would have been a little less ambiguous because if you look at the second question >> um you know has basically the usage >> uh I I would assume decreased >> it's been decreased. So if the if the usage has been decreased by essentially 70% which is is what it says >> then a significant portion of the of the 50% claiming significant impact
143could be that the significant impact has been an increase of instruction because of less Chromebook usage. >> But wait, they're talking about assessments here. They're talking about assessments that they're supposed to be taking on their Chromebooks. So maybe we need to walk back some of it. >> I mean the question doesn't the question doesn't really indicate >> whether or not you are labeling that significant impact as a positive or a negative >> but the comments do >> right but comments tend to be negative. If we had 43 comments, then I think we could >> we could subscribe that yes, that is true. But if you have if you have 10 negative comments out of 43, that doesn't necessarily confirm the data. I mean, >> well, but the data does indicate that the majority of folks
144do say that it's definitely impacted. And with the comments coming in, even though they're generally negative, I think that's something that we should definitely open our ears to and adjust to, you know, so that the >> sure >> especially the the gra and the we can and the comments that I summarized that was the tren those were the trends that I was pulled from the 26 of the um you know 26 comments that were there. There were a few that indicated, you know, I don't use uh Chromebooks. I haven't used Chromebooks. I haven't used devices. Those are in your very primary because they identified what grade they're kindergarten or first grade. They were not utilizing the devices prior and they weren't, you know, utilizing, you know, that. So >> that would be no impact. >>
145That that would be that would be your no impact. It it's also worth noting that that um any any change is going to have a certain amount of difficulty in in making the transition. So it it's to be expected that there would be I I but I agree that the the wording of the question makes it difficult to know are are some of those who saying significant impact is it a positive impact even if it's like even if it's like a quarter of those that still that still impacts the way we interpret the data and I can't tell from from the way it's it's presented. >> Piggyback on what Mr. Hall said too, the the the way that the question is asked. And then I guess I would also say and and I sympathize like
146this is not a criticism of teachers in the slightest. We're here to impact education and I guess one of the things I would like to know the answer to is not what was hard or what was easier. What [snorts] affects education? What impacts education? Because the bottom line is if teachers believe and I don't want to put words in their mouths whether they do or they don't that better quality instruction is happening this way and it's harder right >> versus >> that's true as well >> jeopardized jeopardized instruction but easier. >> Do you see what I'm saying with that? >> Those are those are >> and you could say impacted but better quality instruction. And then also, and again, I am not accusing teachers of saying this, but I don't want to get caught up
147in just like we say that we don't as a district want to teach to a test. We want actual competencies. We don't want to say we need Chromebooks so that kids can type so that kids can take a test so that they can type so that they can have Chromebooks. >> Right? I want to I want if we're saying we want to use Chromebooks for better education. All right, that's an argument, but not they need to learn how to type because learning how to type makes them take this test so that they can No. >> And and the research right now is that that the pen and paper, pencil and paper is better for learning. And I I've seen it myself with math. When students are presented with a problem on a computer screen, they
148often try to solve it in their heads um and they'll make mistakes and they'll they'll try to take short because when it's on a paper, the problem's right there and the immediate thing you do is you start you start writing because it's already there on the paper. the the the disconnect between seeing it on the screen and then having to transcribe it onto paper, which seems like a waste, but that's actually value valuable to have the original problem statement. The other thing you you have is is is when they don't transcribe the problem down, they try to remember it because it seems like a waste to transcribe it from the screen, but then they remember it incorrectly as they're as they're trying to work it. Um, and so it they they just they're they're they're
149drawn to [clears throat] this. They they don't often move it to the paper or they're reticent to move it to the paper and that's where they need to be working, especially when they're learning the concepts and particularly in math. >> Well, Dr. Reard, [clears throat] if you could answer the question, please. How are the assessments done? Are they done on paper for these grades or are they done do we have a choice there? when we're looking at state assessments, the PSSAs, and I'll just stick specifically with um with our elementary, but it's true from grades three through the high school. It's all online. >> I mean, uh for the PSSAs, we're all online. The high school had to move uh to Keystones uh this past December. All online. So, the state has moved in that
150direction. Um, so we still utilize those paper pencil opportunities within our within our classrooms, but we still have to provide the students the opportunity for that assessment, you know, of navigating, you know, that that online version. >> Can I I'll just piggy back on that a little bit, Dr. Rupert. I think he's using the term assessment and I kind of want to clear that up a little bit. Like so we still take paper pencil tests. Um when we do a benchmark assessment like you might refer to as a CDT I benchmarking is done in a similar fashion to a state provided assessment like a PSSA. It's done throughout the year so you can measure where your students are from a normed perspective. So when teachers do that, they might give a 40minute benchmark and then
151three teachers can get together, look at the data, determine where the weaknesses and strengths are and they might be able to share students or provide small groupoup instruction around some of what that data is indicating. Mhm. >> And so there's a practice component because while that's not necessarily the primary focus to give them PSSA practice >> or learn practice on the the Chromebook, they do have to become somewhat comfortable with that style. So doing that multiple times throughout the year helps that. But more importantly, we're getting valuable data that's statewide data versus just our own classroom data. One of the things that I mean the other thing is I I hear Bill I don't disagree I don't disagree with anything in the questioning of the the survey questions but keep in mind the topic uh
152for this board the agenda itself was around Chrome a Chromebook purchase the request was to get some data related to last year to this year. Um, we supported that, but the time frame that we had to pull this together and get it out to these teachers was quick. So, I I do expect we're going to get some of that. Okay, that could have been worded different or this could have been >> I think the comments might bring >> some clarity to it, you know, so it's worthwhile to take a look at that. Um, administratively from what we're seeing in the buildings from a principal perspective, we're not recommending decreasing the the the Chromebooks more. And I'm not in I'm not recommending you bring back one to one in those grade levels. I think we're one
153semester in to that change >> and it's going to take some more time. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Let's stick to the plan. I think the data will show something maybe more in the future as we get to the end of the school year or the beginning of next year. Then there's more time for that to kind of take place and see what kind of impact. Um, and we can certainly share with the the officers a draft of maybe a future survey the end of the year, beginning of next year. You can tweak the wording to to what you feel you're getting what you want from it. >> Um, but I think this was kind of a quick shot at getting a flavor. >> This is good. >> And I don't disagree, Dr. Price.
154This this was a question that came up last Friday. >> Yeah. >> And we had to turn around real quick because we knew board meeting was today. Um, but I I do want to say to the staff that have provided taken the time to provide the feedback and I do agree this is the first time they've been surveyed since, >> you know, the change. We look six months out the end of the year. They're going to continue to adjust. Our teachers are resilient. They're going to find ways, different strategies to make uh make this work. So, uh I I don't disagree. you know, we get to the end of the year, we have another opportunity to do that. But I'm also in uh support with Dr. Bryson. I'm not wouldn't be recommending reduction, you know,
155any further in other grades, nor would I be recommending we need to add back, you know, that that K to 4 uh because we're seeing that they're able to work through the things within the classroom. uh they had to navigate some additional strategies um in the balancing of utilization of those devices which is going to take time but you were only a couple months you know halfway through the school year at this point. >> I think it's a fair point that this is new and so it's any anything that's new is going to take some time to get used to. I guess really quickly, one other thing I'd like to highlight when you guys look at the charts, um, you know, this is the recommended two hours per day and one hour per day for
156kindergarten. At first, I looked at these numbers and I was thinking, wow, we're doing really well, right? But this this is for children per day in totality and this is just what they're getting in school. So if your kid has a cell phone, if they have laptops [clears throat] that they have and so we're really not knocking it out of the park if we've maxed them out almost I mean if you look at 8th grade they're at 161. >> Yeah, they're already over. >> They're already maxed out and that's without and now I I get your point that whatever they do on their Chromebooks at home, right? But that's not the only measure that we should be looking at. It's screens in general. They're already maxed out. Mhm. >> I if I can >> with
157the data that the teachers provided us. So, >> you know, that that really gets my personal attention especially when you appear to get such a high response level from those teachers. Um, you know, because they're really, you know, the boots on the ground on this. um and you know not knowing exactly the the the teacher data um but about 50% of that data came from the the third and fourth grade. >> Um and and you would think that you know the classroom sizes are probably a little larger in the third and fourth grade windows than they are in the kindergarten and first grade windows. You know so the ratio of teachers responding in those grades may be a little higher in the third and fourth grade. And you might be they they are probably going
158to see the greatest impact in third and fourth grade from that than your kindergarten, first grade, you know, second grade teachers are going to see. So, um it will be very interesting to see how the the data pairs out. um you know and whether or not we need to make adjustments in that third and fourth grade level, you know, because it if if you know accepting the the comments that that this this is leaning more negative than positive, um then that would also seem to represent those higher grades having a higher level of response. So I I I do think that being able to see this data projected forward is really going to give us the ability to have a better understanding and then maybe we get to the end of the school year, closer
159to the end of the school year, we could, you know, I I know teachers get surveyed to death, but this this data is really important for us making decisions, right? So, if they would be willing to to give us this level of response again so that we could have an understanding of the of the impact at the end of the year and then we'll have a lot more data to to compare to that to know whether or not you know that that 2:1 is is a good number for third and fourth grade. >> Um >> I mean maybe it's a great number for for kindergarten, first grade, second grade. Maybe maybe one and a half to one at third and fourth grade is is a more tenable, you know, number >> or I mean yeah
160there I mean there's other opportunities as well cuz I mean prior to co we had computer labs in our elementary schools that students would go there use full keyboard not a laptop screen and all that. Um you know that's also something that may be considered down the road. I don't know. >> Sure. But I mean, it is great to be able to have some of the that teacher on the ground perspective, you know. I mean, we've talked a lot about wanting to have that type of data. >> Um, and it's it's great to see some. >> Yep. And thank you, Dr. Eper, for pulling that all together. >> As I mentioned, that'll go in we'll have that in uh the board director's drive tomorrow. uh these three docs plus the uh specific comments that were
161provided in the survey. Okay, >> great. Thank you. >> 8.12, other items of business. Guys, you'll never believe it. I am done with the education report. >> All right, we'll move to item nine, finance and budget. I'll turn over to our treasurer, Mr. Decker. >> Thank you, President Hankle. Item 9.01 01 is anformational item. These are reports. So, the board of education received the following financial reports as information. The treasurer's report for November and December 2025, the tax collection report for November and December 2025, budget status report as of December 2025, and cafeteria report for November and December 2025. Before I go to the board for any questions, uh, screen, did you want to talk through any of these or >> um, it's I didn't really have anything to add. Um, typically we would run
162through the treasures report um, the balances, but I didn't know if you wanted to do that or not. >> Did you do do that? Did you want to do that or did you want me to do that? Typically the treasurer would do it, but I can I can. >> Yeah, if you want to do that this time. >> Sure. Sure. Pull them up. Okay. So, the treasures report for November 2025. Um, we started balance at the beginning of the month of 15,814,87056. We had deposits of approximately 2.1 million uh dispersements of about 4.7 million leaving a balance at the end of month month in the general fund account of 13,215,249.39. Um below that you'll see the tax collector accounts totaling $455,7328. And then we have the investment account which started a balance of 28,589,21527 with
163deposits totaling deposits and maturities um netting to 5,366,148.94 for an ending balance of $33,955,36421. And below that you can see on the report the details of the investment account and what makes up um the investments in the district. So then for December, sorry, clicked on the wrong one. >> There we go. Treasures report for December. Um we began with 13,215,249.39. We had um deposits and dispersements and had an ending balance for the month of $8,794,859.15. tax collector accounts totaling $311,643.19 and then investments beginning at $33,955,36421 with um deposits and maturities uh netting to 2,227,32,227,37.71 for an ending balance of 36,182 $2,41.92 and the details of those investments are detailed below on your report. Are there any questions? >> Good job. >> Lots of numbers. [laughter] >> Um, quick question. So, it looks like on the
164December report, the last CD initiation would have been early October and we're at about um 3.8 85 on that. Um wondering if we've initiated any since and kind of what we're seeing now. >> Yeah. So, >> um and then also um are we getting kind of close to our short-term cash rate on our CDEs? >> Yes. So, um what we look at when we do CDs, of course, we never want to have um more than $250,000 in a particular bank u because it's FDIC insured to that point. So, um, we do our CDs based upon that and we only do them with one, um, organization. So, we make sure we don't have duplicates at the same bank. Um, and then we also look at, um, like you were alleging, um, we look at how close
165we are to that short term balance. So, um, Orstown Bank, um, People's Bank before them, um, give us a very good rate, um, for keeping the money there. So, I actually said to Mr. Carrington, is this right? Are they still giving us 3.85%? 85% because with the Fed funds reducing in December um but they are so at this point uh we feel that it's um almost better to keep it at that that rate because um it is a lot of money and they take care of us. So um we felt it's better. So we keep an eye on that and we talk to folks and invest as we we see fit but um we're getting a good short-term rate. >> Great. Any questions from anyone? You know, I just love the cafeteria report though. Hot
166milk, lots of nice new recipes, and then all the smiling faces serving holiday meals. I mean, Dr. Reppert, how many holiday meals did you serve? [laughter] >> Now, those are just a lot of pictures at one place. >> Uhhuh. >> It just kept me had me moving. >> Mhm. I love those reports. And it was so fun too, you know, being at the school to serve because the kids are just so excited and happy. You know, I made the mistake of offering um ice cream. Back in my day, you got ice cream. [laughter] >> Oopsies. So, I had to go back to Dr. Holliger. Um, I need to pay for something. Just let me know. [laughter] >> Matt, you can feel free to work that hat into your daily routine if you'd like. That looks
167pretty good. >> You like that one? >> Yeah, that's good. I told her she was going to have to pay for it. [laughter] >> Send me the bill. I'm so sorry. But no questions. Thank you. >> Very good. If there's no further questions, we'll move on to uh 9.02 review of bills for payment. So, the board of education to consider approval of the bills for payment that are in your attachment. So, I will make a motion to approve the bills for payment. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Is there any discussion? >> Got to pay the bills. >> I had one question. Does the board docs platform if we were to convert this report into an Excel? So, it was sortable. Would that be something that would be doable versus a PDF? >>
168Uh, I believe it would because I think it starts in Excel and then we PDF it. So, you kind of go back the other way. >> Be easier. Would anybody have any objections if we made this an Excel file instead of a PDF so we could sort it mix >> or could it be both? >> I was just going to say I would prefer if we add both because I'd like to keep a PDF just so we have a final document of what was approved here. >> Well, does does more docs handle Word docs and Excel files very well or is it just PDFs that handles well? >> You guys are really asking a lot of [laughter] questions. Well, I mean, >> do I don't know. >> I have never seen >> Well, we don't
169we only put PDFs on so that it's not changeable. >> Won't know until we try. >> Okay. >> So, we we can we can try that. Um worst case, if we're not able to attach it that way, we could attach it um in the the Google Drive at the same time. And then if you wanted to look at it in Excel, you could that way. Um because we do that with the details of of the bills. They're in the Google Drive. So we could Yeah, I think we could make that work. I'm looking at Tia because she makes everything work. So can we make that work to you? >> Yes. >> So we can we can try to do that. >> Thank you. Any other discussion? >> Okay, I have a motion and a second.
170Any nays or abstensions? Having heard none? Motion carries. We'll move on to 9.03 exonerations and refunds. There are none. So we will move to 9.04 budget transfers. So this is uh the board of education to consider approval of the budget transfers. So I will make a motion to approve the attached budget transfers. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion or questions? >> Any nays or abstensions? Having heard none, that motion carries. 9.05 05 is the uh annual financial report and audit for 2024 2025. Um so we've received a copy of this and so sewer Trevor, did you want to speak to this at all? >> Sure, if I could. Um so I just first want to start with a huge thank you um to all of our staff that work on this
171and Mr. Carrington for leading those staff. Um so we're very happy to say that we have an unmodified or clean opinion this year again on our f both our financial statements and our opinions for federal single audit. So we get two audits at the same time. It's kind of a two for one. Um we don't have any findings this year um in either our financial statement audit or the federal single audit. So um we are very proud of our staff for doing a great job um working through the finances of district. Um couple things this year. Um there is implementation of GASBY 101. Um so that relates to compensated absences. So as we work through it um really didn't change our numbers too much. It was a lot of work and a lot of changes
172on that front, but um our numbers didn't change a whole lot um with the new way that you need to calculate compensated absences. And then um as we kind of work through things, we did have um one management letter comment and that was surrounding capitalization of uh fixed assets for financial statement purposes. So their recommendation is that we increase that. Um so we're taking a look at that and we'll bring a bring bring a recommendation back to the board. Um so it's not the one thing to point out when you're looking [snorts] at fixed assets we do um tag all of our like our computers and everything and we have lists of those but for financial [snorts] statement purposes you usually use a larger threshold to actually record it. And so um it's not really
173about whether we still track them. how we track them for financial statement reasons. So, any questions on that? >> Okay. Thank you, Miss Green. We'll move to 9.06 or to receive an update on the 2026 2027 budget and recommendations for onetime purchases. have a short presentation this evening or really just a update not even what you use for presentation. Um so before we get started on this though I did forget to do a slide for um this is the time of year that we usually talk about one-time purchases to see if there's anything um as we're working through the budget process that really is just a one-time item that we really wouldn't want to inflate the the budget for. So, um, our item this year, there's only one that came up and that is for,
174um, replacement of AEDs. Um, so we have AEDs throughout the district and, um, in working with our vendor, um, it is recommended that we change, um, quite a few of those out due to age. And so, um, our folks work together and put together a plan of replacement over the next couple years. Uh, we have one in the budget each year for replacement. We are recommending that we do four as one-time purchases, which will be a total of five this year. And we're doing that similarly in the next couple years so that we can have them on different rotations um and that we'll have a plan for make sure that they're uh replaced uh timely going forward. Um so we would bring that back if um board deems that that's something we would want to
175do. we would bring that back for approval at the February board meeting uh to make that purchase for those AEDs. Also did want to bring up when we talk about one-time purchases um we're taking a look at our radios. Um we did a large replacement um I think a couple years ago but is actually probably back in the 17 18 year um for our radios and we're looking at replacement there. We do not have a request this year for a one-time purchase. um it is something we're looking at in the budget um to get that in place, but next year um we would need a one-time purchase um to kind of to get those smoothed out kind of like we did with Chromebooks. We're trying to smooth these purchases out um so that there's not
176a big hit in any given year. And so um that'll be coming forth for next year. But I wanted to kind of point that out now as we're working through the plan for some of these replacements. >> How many AEDs did you say this year? >> Uh four. We're going to have four for onetime purchase and we have one in the budget. So it will be five >> and there would be five every year or was the cycle where >> I think it's about five every year. Is that what >> I know um this year next year we [clears throat] it would be five each year. I forget after that. Um >> but what we did we can we can pull up the plan but what we did is we smoothed it out. Um so
177that there's not a huge hit in any. >> How many total do we have? >> Six. Is it 16? I think it's 16 of them. >> And do you know the life cycle in them? >> Five to six years I think. And I think what we tried to do is get it smoothed out in that way. But because of the age of some of them and they're falling off, we had to do it in this way. But I can I can uh provide that for the board is the actual plan. >> Yeah. I mean, if we have 16 and they have lifespan of five to six years, it sounds like it might get down to three per year. >> Yeah. And I think that's what I think >> is >> I think Mr. Henko after
178after these after this first two years I think then we smooth out but some of them are getting close to expiration where we wouldn't be able to continue to use them. So we have to get that smoothing first and then we'll we can move forward from there. >> Okay. So we're going to kind of walk through um budget development process and kind of where we are. Um so in November we had the preliminary budget presentation at our finance and budget meeting uh that's out on our website um in detail if anyone wants to look at that. Um in so then in December we actually had the board approved the resolution to stay within the PD index of 4.4% uh for the 2627 uh fiscal year. And then um in April we will need to approve
179a proposed final budget. Um May uh approval of the final budget. And so um in these next two months we'll kind of walk through um how we're going to get to that I guess next three months how we're going to get to that April board meeting. So our update this evening, we're going to start with where we were um when we presented in November. So remember we were only a couple months into the fiscal year. um we had found out the answer to the state budget and our all a lot of our subsidies um maybe two three days before uh we made that presentation and so there'll be changes from from what we presented. So we had revenues of approximately 66 million expenditures of approximately 71 million with a deficit without a tax increase of
180$5 million. So some of the updated information we have since that meeting relates to our pasers or retirement rate from the state. Um cyber charter school rates, electricity rates and then reduction in contingency which we do every year. So when we do that original budget um we want to our our whole goal is to make sure we can make it work. Um and so really that's what we're looking at. So now we can kind of reduce things as we kind of walk through um as applicable. So we'll start with the retirement rate. It was estimated in November to be 34.72%. Remember that is a rate that is applied to every salary dollar. And so while it looks like the change is not that big from the actual the estimated rate to the actual rate, you're
181talking about over 1% of every salary dollar. So it is a big change um from November to when we found out what the actual rate was. So the ed estimated budget reduction for that is about $164,000 net. And so oh my things kind of moved around a minute. Um so the reason I say net is because when we look at um retirement there's two pieces. There's the expenditure piece and the revenue piece. So we'll look at that in a second. Um so just so you kind of see 2526 expenditure budget was about $9.7 million. The revised expenditure budget for pasers is um about a little over nine uh.7 million. So it's a little higher even though the rate went down, but it was significantly higher before that rate reduction. Uh oh, sorry. I feel like
182I'm missing a slide, but maybe not. Okay. So, um, [snorts] sorry about that. The one piece I wanted to point out here is that I thought I had another slide for, but I don't, is is really when you're looking at the retirement rate, um, the actual expense was about $328,000 higher. So, that 1% is equal to about 328,000. The reason it's net of 164,000 is we only we get 50% of that back from the state. And so you take the 328,000 less the the um revenue of 50%. So it's net 164,000. So I thought we put that on the slide, but I apologize we did not. So the next thing we'll look at is the cyber charter school rate. So, the new rate calculation was released to us right before I think like an hour
183before closing um before the holiday break on December 23rd. So, we took a look at that and um basically kind of to walk through it. What we have is what's called a PTE 363. And so, that is a calculation of what we would pay as a school district for any child that goes to a cyber charter school. So what they did is they revised that calculation to include less expenditures. So one example of that would be that before we would have to include all of our expenditures including those expenditures that we pay for cyber charter schools. Now for regular education students we don't have to include the cost we pay or we budget for them in the calculation. So we were able to remove that. Now, interestingly, and we don't 100% know why, u we
184can only deduct the regular education costs. We can't deduct special education costs for cyber charter school kids, just regular ed, but we will probably learn later or maybe never u why that is. It it does seem strange to me, but um as we walk through, basically we're walking through a calculation um to determine what we're paying and it's all based on budget, not actual. And so as we walk through that um the previous estimate, so the old formula for regular education um yielded a calculation of $16,637 for regular education student and the new formula is $15,384 for a special educa or for a regular education student. So about $1,1500 less. So this is a win. um in our minds. And then for special education, the new calculation is about $4,000 less from $33,300 down to
18529,075. And so, um that's about $4,000 less. And as I think I said at the last meeting when we talked about this, um, we think this is important because when we're given re revenue to offset charter schools, it usually stays the same even though these expenses continue to go up because it's built into the formula. We believe as our expenses would go up, then our cost would not necessarily go up without any um need without any offset. And so this will help offset that also. And so we think this this was an important step. Um so I like to give credit where credit's due. This was a long time coming. We've been asking for this and and so I think um this was an important step in the right direction um for making sure that
186we're paying an accurate cost for cybercharter education. So let's take a look at it um overall for a budget impact. Um, so we did last year got $135,848 because we really didn't know what this yielded when we did the budget in November. We left that in there because we had no idea what the impact was going to be because we didn't, like I said, we didn't get that form until December 23rd. And so um when we look at the decline of the um on the expenditure side, it's about 175,000 less than what we had predicted for 2627. Um and so net we're in that estimated budget, we're down about 39,000. So, I do want to point out though as we're walking through this. So, it's 39,000 than what we predicted in November, but our actual
187costs and it slid on the slide, so I apologize. When you do it on your computer, it looks different. Um, so 2526, our budget for charter schools was 1.6 million. It is still 1.6 million. So, a little little bit more about 22,000 more. So, our costs did not go down from last year to this year. I want to make sure everybody understands that because I don't want people walking away and saying, "Oh, our charter school costs went down 175,000." They did not. The estimate went down 175,000 for 2627. So, we're really about where we were last year, which again, that's good that they're not going up. So, you know, that's that's not a bad thing, but I don't want people to walk away and think our charter school costs went down from last year to
188to next year or from this year to next year. >> Does that make sense? >> Does the net change up or down? >> So, the net change is actually um to our good. >> Okay. >> Say it that way. So, um expenditures will be less than what Yeah. So, thank you. Good point. So now we will talk about electricity rates. So when we presented in November um the one thing we said is electricity um was really going up um drastically um for us based upon discussions with our consultants. We were able to get more information from them. Um they have more information, we have more information. Um so as we walk through it, there's two pieces to our electricity. Our wholesale rate and our adder fees or our adder rate. Those are the two biggest
189pieces we look at. So the wholesale rate decreased from 5434 to $52.87 per megawatt hour and the adder rate decreased from $75.98 to 6C $67.13. So a reduction of about $10 per megawatt hour. So this is a big reduction in what we presented in November. But again this is where we want to look at how the budget impact. So, we were predicting in November that the cost would be about $1,89,000. Huge increase for us. It's now down to about a million dollars. The consultants and the market is still looking at electric because out there there's still this concern of these adders. We feel this is a really this is a good number. But if you look at what our budget for the current year 2526 is it's $840,000. They're predicting it to be a million
190dollar next year. So that's still a huge increase for us of about 160,000 and the 840 that we have this year is up from the year before. So um we're hoping that they electricity starts to stabilize um as we walk through it. So budget now um based on our vision. So um as we talked about we were at a deficit of about $5 million. Um we've had some positive news that I kind of just walked through of about $289,000. Um we also recommend at this point we feel comfortable reducing that contingency from 400 to 300,000. So those that have been on the board, this is typically when we usually make that reduction as long as nothing comes out of the woodwork um between November and now. Um so that leaves us a deficit without a
191tax increase or use of fund balance of about $4.6 million. So if we look at um our use of fund balance, wanted to kind of present this slide in this way. So our fund balance at July 1st of 2025, so the beginning of this fiscal year is about $27 million. Um we have allocated projects or money to the Giza projects of about $7.4 4 million. We potentially um may recommend additional money for the Giza projects for Shrewsbury for the standing seam roofs um and the skylights about 750,000. That's yet to be determined, but I did want to to put it on here. Um we do have money to be transferred for the sewer project. Again, remember the sewer project has been many years in the making and we had set that money aside for it.
192And then our projected use of fund balance for this current fiscal year, while we had it budgeted about over two and a half million dollars, we're um estimating that our projected use will actually be about a million and a half, which leaves us about $16.5 million. Do want to take the opportunity to say this fund balance was put back for the capital project. So everything we've done and and this role for it is is what it was intended to do. Um but we are we have moved from about $27 million down to 16 million. So I think as we look at um the recommended use of fund balance in this budget, we need to really take a look at this fund balance is being spent down. Plus we still do have um those immediate needs
193from the feasibility study. We will talk more about that. I know I've been working with Mr. Hall and Mr. Buffington um and our consultants on that. What are the immediate needs? what are the high needs, medium needs, and low needs. Um I think we have about $30 million that are that are in the bucket of immediate needs. And so as we walk through that um and we talk about what we use of our fund balance, we need to also look at those in tandem. Um so that is part of the um presentation at buildings and grounds in February. But in that um I do want to note that oops >> 9 million of that decrease is for capital improvement. >> Yes. Yes. Absolutely. And that's Yeah. And thank you for clarifying because that's really what
194I was trying to say is we purposely are decreasing it to do these projects which is what it was put aside for in the first place. Yes. So, we're working through ways to close the the budget deficit. So, we're looking at um a lot of different things. We we've had many collaborative meetings with our administrative team. Um we probably have two to three a week to kind of work through um where we can get reductions. Um so, we're looking at some reductions in expenditures that are supported by our current enrollment. So in the area of professional staff positions, support staff positions, reduction in the number of buses that we have throughout the district, again based upon um that enrollment. But the one thing I want to point out as we work through this and I
195think busing is a very good example to do that is we look at a couple things when um we look at busing. We look at obviously the number of riders that ride on the bus. Um, but we also look at how long the children are on the bus and when we get them to school and when we get them home. And because we in the district run um a two-tiered system um that makes it a little more difficult. So, let me explain that a little bit um if you're not familiar. So, in the morning um we pick up the secondary students first. We drop them off and then we have to have sufficient we need to get them to school in time of course. Um, and then we need to have sufficient time to take
196that bus and then go pick up the elementary school kids and get to the them to school on time. And so, um, I'll often hear, well, there's not that many children on that bus. Um, there's only 25 and you can fit much more than that. Um, but really it's we look at ridership, but we also have to look at how long it takes to to make that happen and get the children there. Um, because our district is so large um, for proximity, um, it is difficult to make those changes. So, we're working through that. I do think there are some opportunities to do that, but I also wanted to take the the opportunity to explain to people it's not as simple as just shove 65 children on there and get them to school because it's
197it's a lot more complicated than that as you're working through it. Um, we really through the years, especially in the PM, um, we need to get the children home by 4:30. Um, it things happen that we don't like to happen once you get past 4:30. Um it's not good for kids, it's not good for families. And um honestly in our district or one of the few districts we ask people to stay, building principles, our staff, everybody because until our children are home. Later you get the more we're we're putting burden on the whole system across the board um for those children. So um that's just one example. Just think it was as we're looking at this there's there's always more pieces to some of the reasons why we don't cut things, but we are looking
198at that. I think there is opportunity, but wanted to point that out. And then we're looking at reductions in building and area budgets as we walk through things. So, our next steps, we'll continue to revise the budget as we receive new information because we're constantly receiving things. We're going to do another update in February where we're going to do summary options based upon looking at budget cuts, potential use of fund balance, and potential tax increase. Again, I want to be extremely clear that um not in any way saying that um it's one or the other or that any decisions are made. We're going to give options of how we use each of these three elements um to possibly balance the budget. And then um we'll talk to the board about what they'd like to see
199to move forward to the finance and budget meeting where we do the full presentation of what we're all recommending is the proposed budget so that we're ready for that approval in April. And again, a reminder that it is important to stay with the April and May time frame. A lot of districts um have moved to May and June. I would not recommend that because that does not allow you to get your tax bills out by July 1st. Um, [laughter] by getting our tax bills out by July [snorts] 1st, we keep a consistency for our taxpayers. That's very important. You start moving the dates around from year to year, that's bad. Um, and the second thing is we have to pay the bill as a taxpayer. And so the sooner we can get the money in,
200the more we can invest it, get interest earnings, and then hopefully not have to have as high a taxes in the future. So it is important to get that money in timely so that we can reduce it in the future. So want to stay to that time frame. >> A question on that. >> Sure. >> So do you guys have a ballpark number of how impactful the PA budget mess has cost us financially? >> [laughter] [snorts] >> I I don't know. I don't know that we do. I mean, really, it's going to be interest. So, we could probably go back and and and calculate if we would have gotten the money that we typically get in August, how much it would have, but again, as we go back to we don't get that much from
201like proportionate wise. So, I mean, I I think there's a cost. I I think some of the cost becomes trying to make all of this work and make all these decisions without having an answer to >> 30 34% of of your budget. [snorts] >> So yeah, but you know for us it would be mainly in interest earnings. >> Okay. >> And stress. >> Yeah. Stress >> and stress. And stress >> and uncertainty. Yeah. [snorts and clears throat] >> Yeah. >> Any other questions? Thank you. Screen. So, we'll now move to 9.07. So, this uh the board's to receive a copy of the Lincoln Intermediate Unit 2026 2027 operating budget and resolution for first reading. So the request for the approval on this will be in February of 2026. As I understand this uh budget shows
202zero cost to the district. Am I correct on that? >> It shows zero cost to the district but all the costs associated with it are um part of an indirect cost rate which we would pay through um us having other services that we use through the IU. So, uh, I know Mr. Carrington and I are going to have a meeting with, um, someone from Lincoln Intermediate Unit to make sure we understand this and I can then give an update at the next meeting or to the board officers, whichever you prefer. >> Okay. >> We just received it prior to us posting it, so we've not had a chance to have that conversation. >> Is there any questions on this? >> [clears throat] >> Okay, we'll move to 9.08. So, this is um the York County
203School of Technology 2026 budget and resolution for first reading. Screen, did you have any comments? So, similar to um York County School of Technology, but um or to Lincoln Intermediate, York County School of Technology though does have a really good summary that's attached. Um really good portion of their increase is related to them adding additional buses for transportation um to try to reduce those ride times. So, that's really where um the bulk of the the changes there. >> Yeah, it looks like an overall budget increase of a little over 4%. um [snorts] they are looking at a 21% year-over-year increase in student transportation services. So, you're correct that is a it's kind of a significant one there. >> I just have one question about them. Um is there an update on what they're doing with
204expanding because I know that's going to be a lot of money for us in the future. >> Yeah, I can speak to that. Okay. Um, since I know Joe's just kind of un on boarding. >> I haven't even been to one of the meetings yet. [laughter] >> He's really on boarding. Um, >> that will definitely impact our budget. >> Yeah, I I think they've moved beyond a solution to student enrollment and weight lists. Uh, they've moved beyond the solution of expanding the building. Um the concern is it's an extraordinary cost because of the uniqueness of that facility >> and they can spend um as an example I'm just throwing arbitrary numbers as much as we may have on our building project and only increase enrollment by 150 students let's say. So that's a lot of
205investment. Um so one of the solutions we're looking at and Dr. Sterner and I just attended a collaboration meeting amongst the membership schools and superintendent. Um, executive director, not executive director but director of York Tech, uh, looking at a way to potentially regionalize some of the programming that districts can do in house. And this is a topic that we investigated with our building project. And that's why in part we updated our um consumer science kitchens to a more culinary experience so that we could move towards certifying and providing certifications for students. >> How difficult is it to get those certifications? >> It's a process. So, one of the as we look at the challenge because this is a challenge. It's not just worrying about yours. It's partnering with your neighboring districts and unifying what programs
206you are offering, you're not offering, and who's still going to York Tech because no one's offering diesel mechanics or some of the other largecale programs that really they potentially in the long term could increase enrollment in those programs because some of the other things that are more doable regionalized can be regionalized. So first step for Southern is looking at some of the programs that are less of a lift such as teacher preparation programs like an education program. So we have the growing tree. We're investigating how to utilize existing staff to run that and potentially get teach or our students certifications that would guide them into, you know, a two-year, four-year school moving forward in the area education. Um, our DO program is also another one that we're looking at potentially how do we issue certifications,
207whereas our EMT program might be a program that's not CTE credit, but they're still earning certification, but we might partner now that we're up and running with Southwest or Dallas Town or Southeast where we're now sharing slashcharging enrollment between districts for neighboring districts to attend that programming. So, you can tell how that quickly becomes pretty challenging. Um but the good news is and this is not common as I shared at the meeting. I really got the tone that you have um your membership schools are on board with this and the driving force is how to get more kids what they want um versus largecale weight lists which is what we're experiencing across the state in the area of techn in the area of that programming. Not to go down a rabbit hole, they investigated uh
208going from a comprehensive high school to a two-year school and potentially increasing enrollment that way, but I felt like most really settled on the idea that the comprehens comprehensive four-year school is really appreciated and in fact other schools around the state are looking at tech as a lead in that area. So that's probably not feasible. Um, so I I think they're away from largescale construction at this time. Um, with that note, going up a step, the LIU12, however, uh, is is moving down the road of what are we doing with the York Learning Center? Um and that challenge um again you have 13 membership schools similar challenge but the facility is really in need of an update. Um and they've investigated leasing and it's not a whole lot cheaper to lease because you have to
209build a building out that would accommodate the student population that we have in that center right now. Um, so that one is still a much bigger work in progress. The budget that's before you for them has nothing not inclusive of any of that discussion. Um, that me bringing it up is just a more prepare you that um that talk's going to get much more complicated pretty quickly in the next couple months >> for next year's budget. >> Not for necessarily next year's budget. Um, I think what the board can expect and probably will ultimately have to vote on, uh, when they rehab, update that building. Right now, we're paying roughly $70,000 in debt service to that building, each membership school. Um, and they've never increased that for 20 25 years. Um that probably was a
210mistake because now you're left with you're in 2026 70,000 is a drop in the bucket. Um but we're looking at a new um way to for to make payment. So your your payment as a school may go from 70 to 100,000 in your annual budget, but then there's a per fee per head of student that you send that goes towards the facility bond usage. So uh a school that's much larger sending four times what we send is going to have four times the cost because they're utilizing the building at a much higher rate than what we would. >> Okay. We still need to we'll expect a formula of how much we're going to have to input to the renovations. I mean, I know that it's going [snorts] to be in the millions, right? >> Oh,
211>> the overall project. Yeah. >> And we'll be responsible for some of that. So, we needed to consider that. >> Sure. And what I'm speaking to is um it's not a huge jump from 70 to 100,000. that would be towards that that project upgrade. Um but for every student we send, we might spend an extra $7,000 per student. That would be towards the same same bond issues. Um but recognize our numbers are small there. So currently we have four attending. So overall budgetary impact is not not going to be huge for for us. Um, and I know I've been working with Trevor and and Sue to already build that in so it's not this big big jump that we have to take on. Um, there are other programs running there, our YA, York area academy.
212Uh, again, small numbers. We have one student attending. Uh, but for the other 12 members of the building, there's, you know, 150 students in that program potentially. uh prek programming which leases uh there are other there are a couple other handful of leases that they generate revenue with to offset the cost. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, absolutely. More to come on that one and probably a much larger scale presentation. >> But I would say one thing more with tech. uh our superintendents were not thrilled with the 4% in whatever the percent increase and really what we took back to them was that I I think our boards will support it but please moving forward more discussion on look we're looking at Southern cutting buses and we're adding buses over here and can we
213dialogue about um keeping that percentage at a smaller level but you know more consistent potentially. So there is discussion back and forth with the group on on on how to uh continue to look at their budget in the same way we look at our budget. >> It sounds fair. I like fair. >> Absolutely. Any other questions? [snorts] [clears throat] Okay, we'll move on to 9.09. the investment program guidelines for 2026. So this is to consider approval of investment program guidelines for 2026. So I will make a motion to approve the investment program guidelines for 2026. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Good night, Caleb. Sorry it's so late. It's >> okay. >> Is there uh any discussion? I did want to say um I saw I'm I'm glad to see that we have
214US treasuries included there as uh something that we're able to include in this. Uh Miss Green, I was wondering if you could tell me how we've maybe leveraged those in the past. Has that really been part of what we've done? Um >> it's probably been quite a while since we've used those. um going to be honest until like the last couple years there the interest rates were like.1%. So we we haven't used those in a while. It's definitely something um we can take a look at. Uh we have to really be careful on how far we go out on things um for a couple reasons because we could use the could need the money but also because we're we're restricted by that. So, um, definitely something we can we can take a look at, but
215we haven't recently done that. It's probably been, I don't know, 15 years since we've we've had any. >> Yeah. Some of the some of the things I like about them, you have durations, you have maturities, um, as low as 28 days. um on the extreme short end of the curve, you can kind of if you're in a declining uh interest environment, you can kind of play the curve a little bit and sometimes maximize your return that way. And then your counterpart is the US Treasury, which is never defaulted. So you don't have all of those considerations of FDIC insurance and things that you otherwise would have to >> consider with a bank. You you really eliminate the bank as a counterparty. So >> those are some of the things that I like about those. So
216maybe in this environment where interest rates are moving down, it's definitely worth taking >> a look at. If I recall, the uh limit on the tenor of investments we can hold is one year. Is that right? >> It's it's one year. There's some options that we can go to two, but there we tend to keep it at one because there's restrictions on going further than that. But we can look into the ways that we could go further than one, >> right? But but it's two is kind of is is the hard limit and and you have to do a bunch of stuff to even go beyond one and get to two. >> Yeah. We have to make sure that certain things are in place. So we we can work with our um investment advisors to
217to take a look at that, but we what I always want to make sure of is that we're staying within, you know, the law obviously, but also for safety of the investment. >> Yeah. I mean, I I think if our short-term cash rate at Horstown stays around 3.82, there might not be a whole lot of utility, but if that were to ever change, then it's good to have that as a tool in the tool toolbox for sure. >> Yeah. And and my my experience, again, we went from people's toestown, but they just merged. Um my experience has been that pretty much if they can keep that rate, like that's the best rate around. Like people have said to me over the years like, I don't know how you're getting that rate. and because they they're
218very generous with us. So, we can take a look at it, but they've always been very generous. >> Any other discussion or questions on this? So, I have a motion and a second. Um any nas or extensions? Having heard none, the motion passes. [snorts] Uh 9.10 10 has to do with the meal prices for the 2026 2027 school year. So the board of education to consider approval of the following meal prices for the 2026 2027 school year. Breakfast for all students $1.25 no change. Lunch elementary $2.50 no change. Lunch secondary $2.70 which also represents no change. Adult breakfast at the minimum price required based on a non-pricing breakfast model, also no change. And adult lunch, $45, no change. So, I will make a motion to approve the following meal prices for the 2026 2027 school
219year. Breakfast for all students, $1.25. Lunch Elementary, $2.50. Lunch secondary, $2.70. adult breakfast at the minimum price required based on a non-pricing breakfast model and adult lunch at $45. Do I have a second to my motion? >> Second. >> Is there any discussion or questions? >> Um I have one question and you may not know off the top of your head, but I if you could get it would be great. Um and that is what is our participation rate? I know that that was something that was important in that entire process and I'm just wondering, >> you know, how those numbers associated. >> I don't have the answer to that, but I know when there was a question at one of the last board meetings on um numbers, we took a look at it and
220some of the because it was on the report on how many lunches we were doing and how many breakfasts. Um, I think our participation rate has held steady. Um, some of the reductions were due to having two-hour delays, so we couldn't have breakfast or having or having uh less school days in a month than we had last year. And so, we we did take a look and analyze that. And I think our participation rate is hanging steady, but I can get your participation rate unless you know off the top of your head. >> That's okay. Thought I'd ask but don't feel like you have to answer. >> We as part of the cafeteria report it does have the numbers you know breakfast and lunches served this year and last year. >> Right. And that's what
221I was referencing. So that I've taken a look at but to actually equate it to participate I didn't go that direction. Yeah. So, I don't have that off the top of my head, but I know Crystal um and and Trevor and I kind of walked through because that may show that it's less this year, but that's because we had this or that happen or so we kind of analyze that and I think we're hanging steady with participation when you factor in we had a bunch of twohour delays which breakfast or kids don't eat breakfast then [snorts] >> but I can get that Other questions or discussion? Okay, I have a motion and a second. Um, any nays or abstensions? Okay, having heard none, the motion carries. 9.11 is um the agreement with FMX. Uh, this
222has to do with the uh uh digitization of the facility use request process. So, this came out of a committee. Uh, there were four proposals. Uh, the lowest bid was FMX at $9,750 for three-year period. The highest bid was $19,333 um for a three-year period. So, I'll make a motion to approve an agreement with FMX at the recurring cost of 8250 per year for three years beginning July 1st, 2026 plus onetime implementation costs of $1,500. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion or questions? [snorts] >> Doesn't this also include a savings of $2,000? So, um this also includes um looking at all of our existing software um and removing a current um software that we have because FMX does the same thing and um kind of combining those together. And yes, it
223includes So, to answer your question, by eliminating that other software, we we're actually to the good of about $2,000. Anything else? Okay, I have a motion and a second. Any nays or abstensions? Having heard none, the motion carries. 9.12 uh board of education to consider approval of in integrated orthopedic services agreement with OSS orthopedic hospital uh at no additional cost to the district. The agreement shall remain in effect indefinitely unless either party gives notice. So I'll make a motion to approve an integrated orthopedic services agreement with OSS Orthopedic Hospital LLC doing business as OSS Health at no additional cost to the district. The agreement shall remain in effect indefinitely unless either party gives notice. Do I have a second to my motion? >> Second. >> Is there any discussion or questions? Any nays or abstensions?
224Having heard none, the motion carries. Item item 91 9.13. Um, this is this has to do with the title search and appraisal for the 200 acres that the district owns um near New Freedom. Uh this was um subject of discussion at our December meeting. This is really the first step in determining whether it's viable to potentially sell the property, give the board uh some options around that. Um so it's not making any decision as to what we're going to do with the property, but just kind of initiating that uh that first step. So, I'll make a motion to authorize the administration to have a title search and appraisal conducted of the 200 acre district-owned land near New Freedom in Shrewsbury Township. Do I have a second to my second? >> There any discussion or questions
225on this? I know we had some good discussion on it the last minute. >> Any nays or abstensions? Having heard none, the motion carries. Item 914 has to do with Franklin's uh Square Properties. So, the board is going to con uh consider the approval of um a couple uh ratification of a couple settlements uh before I actually read the motion. Um Miss Green, would you want to give just maybe a little timeline background on this? >> Absolutely. Um so back in August of 2021 um both of these parcels appealed um to York County Assessment Office and there were no changes to the assessment value. Um they then filed an appeal um later in August um to York County Perthar's office um in response to that original appeal. We then um were notified of that and
226we asked our attorneys to file um an entry of appearance and petition so that we had the right um to contest this or intervene on this appeal at that time. So a lot of time elapsed as we're kind of working through that. Um and then in um October of 2023, an appeal decision was released on parcel one um taking the assessment from $7.1 million. I'm rounding, but about $7.1 million down to about $3.8 million. The second property, there was no change on the assessment at that time. Um was about $4.8 million. And then again they filed an assessment appeal um on that second um property um because the assessment was not changed. Um we were working um through that period and through 24 and 25 with our attorneys um to get appraisals um to represent
227us on these appeals due to the large nature of these taxpayers. they these two parcels are considered um two of our top 10 um biggest parcels in the district. Um our attorney then came back to us and asked us for direction um based upon their recommendations of what the parameters for settlement would be. Um we were able to authorize that. Um they did get a settlement slightly um better than um what we had um talked to them about. Um so then they um settled in the fall u within that parameter resolution like I said a little better. Um and really the net um decrease to the district through from the um actual assessments on the books was about $4,000. So we kind of broke even um in the whole thing. we didn't end up losing,
228but um due to the the huge volatility of this and then looking at the appraisals and and taking um direction from our attorney um we feel that it was a successful um appeal on our part. Um so this agenda item this evening is to ratify um those settlements on these two parcels. >> Thank you, Miss Green. >> So I'll make a motion to approve the following for Franklin Square Properties. One motion to ratify settlement of the tax assessment appeal filed for parcel number 78-0000-01- 0203.00- C00001 for a new assessment of $4,381,300. And secondly, motion to ratify a settlement of tax assessment appealed filed under parcel number 78-0000-01- 0203.00- C00002 for a new assessment of $3,950,000. Do I have a second to the motion? >> Second. >> Is there any discussion or further questions on this?
229Any nays or abstensions? >> No. [snorts] >> So, procedurally, do I have to I hear I heard one nay. So, do I have to take a roll call vote? >> No. >> Okay. >> They recorded. >> No, we'll just clarify. There was only one nay. >> One. >> Okay. >> So, having heard one nay, the >> motion carries. I just don't think they should get that much of a decrease. >> I just don't like it. >> I don't know. >> I know. Got your conscience. >> Uh 9.15. um board of education to consider approval to authorize administration to submit the fiscal year 202526 ready tolearn block grant application which includes foundation and adequacy funding totaling u1,424,93155 to be used in the 202526 school year. So, I'll make a motion to authorize the administration to submit
230the fiscal year 2025 readytolearn block grant application which includes foundation and adequacy funding totaling 1,425,93155 to be used in the 202526 school year. Do I have a second to the motion? >> Second. Second. >> Is there any discussion or questions? Are there any nays or abstensions? Having heard none, the motion carries. Uh, next we have agreements relating to the hedging of diesel fuel purchased through the Lincoln intermediate intermediate unit joint purchasing program. So, I'll make a motion to approve authorizing uh the administration to sign agreements relating to the hedging of diesel fuel purchased through the Lincoln Intermediate Unit joint purchasing program. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Is there any discussion or questions? >> This is not for our buses, correct? This is just for >> No, this is diesel fuel for our
231buses. >> This is for the buses. >> Okay. >> We we buy the fuel for the buses. Yeah. This is not pertaining to our vehicles and our things here. Correct. >> Yeah, this is this is strictly for >> I know didn't know if it was one or the other. >> Anybody else? >> What kind of a savings do we get going this way based on just doing it our own? Well, >> I'm I'm assuming it's >> So So there's no way I could absolutely tell you that, but um I would highly recommend that we continue to to hedge our fuel. So we hedge about 75%. Um and really what it does is it locks in the rate. So to kind of put it in perspective, we're locked in at $25 with a with a 20
232cent adder. So two $225. Um so I look at it this way. the the chance of that going down significantly is is minimal. The chance of that going up to $5 is is is there's way more of a spread. So to get budget certainty um in an area where um any world event could change it at any given time. That's really what we're kind of looking at is it's a really good price that we're locked in. Um Mr. Carrington sits on the committee. Um so they meet they have calls on when to hedge and and when to actually lock in and so um we we do believe it's a good time to lock in and and this just gives us the authorization for that. >> What is the rate that we're locking in at? >>
233Uh it's 205 but then there is a 20 cent adder. So 225 >> per gallon. >> Mhm. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> How many gallons is that for? Um, some years we need uh nine tanks, some years we need eight. So it's about 66,000. >> I think we're hedging for 60 this >> 60 >> just based off use. >> Sometimes [snorts] we sometimes we get one in June, sometimes we don't. So we it's like an every other year kind of thing, but argue you're either a hedger or a speculator. >> Hi Any other discussion >> based on fuel prices I see every night that's that's 225 is much better >> any ns or abstensions >> having heard none the motion carries okay 9.17 is settlement agreement and mutual release of claims by the PA leadership
234charter school. Um, I'll make a motion to approve settlement agreement and mutual release of claims by the PA Leadership Charter School. Do I have a second? Second. Any discussion? Any nays or abstensions? The motion carries. 9.18. Other items of business? I have none. Mr. President, back to you. >> Thank you. All right. Uh, moving on to item 10, personal and policy. I will turn it over to Miss Hall. >> Thank you. Item 10.01, professional development spotical leave. Um, I will make a motion to approve a professional development leave for Christopher Nuland for the 2026 2027 school year. Do I have a second? >> Second. Any discussion? Any naysay or abstensions? All right, that motion carries. Item 10.02, the job description for the armed school safety and security personnel personnel. The uh I make a motion
235to approve the job description for the armed school safety and security personnel. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? I'm hearing none. Any nays or abstensions? Hearing none, motion carries. Item 10.04, the PSBA principles for governance and leadership. That's public information. And oh, sorry. And then 10.03, policy revisions for consideration. You should have in your packet your yellow sheets. It shows all of the policies that will be up for review um in February for our first reading and then in March for our second reading and potential approval. Then 10.04 raised that 10.05. I have no other items of business. Turning it back over. >> All right. Thank you. Moving on to item 11, buildings and grounds. I will turn it over to Mr. Hall. >> Thank you, President Hankle. Uh 11.01, 01
236we have our water test report for November and December there for our information. 11.02 we have the buildings and grounds report for November and December. Mr. Buffington. >> Yeah, just for your information um you know I'll point out um the issue we had with the Friendship Elementary roof. Uh we're working with the insurance reps and um with the uh manufacturers reps and we're we're hoping to uh to actually get some reimbursement for some of the work that was already done. Um as well as we believe the manufacturer is going to um pay for additional work uh to be done. >> Very good. >> Thank you. Uh moving on to 11.03, 03 we have the Syswanok High School project financial report uh which is there for our information. Moving on to 11.04, we have a donation
237from the All Sports Athletic Boosters to purchase fitness room mats and associated flooring items for the Southern [snorts] Middle School fitness room. So, I would like to make a motion to approve a $7,000 donation from the All Sports Athletic Boosters to purchase fitness room mats and associated flooring items for the Southern Middle School fitness room. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> We have any discussion? >> We're incredibly appreciative. >> Yes. I said the same thing to Susan. That's very generous of them. >> Thank you. Yes. Any naysay or abstensions? Hearing none, that motion passes. Moving on to 11.05. Uh, advertise for the amendment to the initial guaranteed energy savings act agreement with Reynolds Energy Services Incorporated, uh, Site Logic Energy Services. Uh, so I'd like to make into a motion to authorize the
238administration to advertise for an amendment to the initial guaranteed energy savings act agreement with Reynolds Energy Services Incorporating doing business as uh, Site Logic Energy Services Incorporated at a lumpsum cost not to exceed $1 million. Do I have a second? >> Second. Um, so this is in regards to the coatings on the roof, coatings on the skylights. Um, the the potentials of whether or not we're going to be coating the metal roof or or whether we're going to be exactly how all of that is going to be handled. Uh, Susan referenced it earlier at a lower a lower number. Um, this is just a number that we're not to exceed. Um we're certainly shooting and hoping for 750. >> Yeah, about 750. >> I believe it'll be 750. And um this doesn't obligate us to
239do, you know, anything other than follow the um >> give us hard numbers. >> Yeah. >> Essentially get us real numbers. Um the the good thing about this is being part of the Giza project that um it will not be subject to change orders. So that should make all of us smile. >> Yes. >> Like all of us, >> right? All of us. So >> So >> yeah. And the plan if you the plan is to at the buildings and grounds meeting in February um 17th to kind of walk through the details of this and then on the 19th ask for approval. But this we have to do a 10-day notice. So this gets us the 10day notice ahead of time. and also a little more detail into whether we'll be doing the coatings or
240or how exactly what's the best approach to them. Um because we had looked at, you know, like an epoxy coating over the steel or there was more of a membrane that we're putting over the steel and we hadn't really flushed out which direction was the right way to go. Um but this will help us, you know, flush that out, put more of a real world number to it so we could have a better understanding of that. Any other discussion? Any or abstensions? Hearing none. Motion passes. Moving on to 11.06 builder's risk insurance policy uh with selective insurance group. Uh, I would like to make a motion to approve the builder's risk insurance policy with selective insurance group in the amount of $10,830 for the 2026 greatest needs projects. Do I have a second? >> Second.
241>> Do we have any discussion? >> The only thing I would like to add, make sure everyone's clear, this is for the existing projects that have been approved. if it would be um if you would add on to it then we would we would bring an addendum to this at that time. >> Does that include the one we just approved? >> No, because the one you just approved you just approved it. Yeah, >> it would be minimal but I just I wanted to point that out because that would be part of it. >> Any other discussion? Any naysay or abstensions? Hearing none. Motion passes. Moving on to 11.07. I would like to make a motion to award the base bid plus alternate one and alternate two in the amount of $821,319 to Barroso Excavation Incorporated
242of OPA for the main campus sewer line project and a transfer of $825,000 to the to the capital reserve fund. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> So, this is obviously for the shoreline project which um is going to be happening this coming summer um after being delayed a year. Um but uh that's where we are. Any other discussion? Any naysay or abstensions? Motion passes. Moving on to 11.08. Uh, advertisement for bids. I would like to make a motion to approve advertising for bids for refu and recycling collection services for a three-year period beginning July 1st, 2026. Do I have a second? >> Second. Any discussion? Any abstensions? Hearing? None. Motion passes. Moving on to 11.09, 09 use of facilities. This is there for our information. >> I think those soccer boys are going
243to freeze >> Thursdays and Mondays in January. >> Well, soccer is not a fair weather sport. [snorts] Moving on to 11.10. Other items of business, which I do not have any. Back to you, President Henle. All right, moving on to item 12, transportation health and safety. I will turn it over to Mr. Hash. >> Thank you, President Engle. Um 12.01, we have the student transportation report for November and December combined. Is there for your review? 12.02. I'd like to make a motion to authorize administration to submit the 2025 2026 school and safety mental health grant totaling 15154,57 to be used in the 2026 2027 school year. Uh, do I have a second? >> Second. >> Do I hear any nays or sorry discussion? Yes. Any discussion? Nays or abstensions. That motion passes. 12.03. Other items
244of business? I have none. Back to you, President. >> All right. Thank you. Moving on to item 13, athletics and extracurriculars. Uh, Mrs. Mary Lee Hall. >> Oh, yes. Thank you. Uh, so as you know, participation in athletic teams at Sesco is not only enjoying the sport, but also developing opportunities for athletes to serve their community, build character, and leadership skills. The winter sports season has reflected this service in three wonderful programs. The Beautiful Lives Project is a nonprofit organization that provides inclusive sports, arts, and wellness events for people with disabilities, aiming to break down barriers, combat isolation, and foster community inclusion by offering experiences like adaptive sports clinics, art workshops, and nature outings, allowing everyone to participate in a beautiful life. They partner with sports teams, companies, and community groups to host events, helping
245participants achieve goals and empowering them through activities that they might not otherwise access. The Beautiful Lives Project co-founder Bryce Wheeler spoke to the students at the Sesquanic Winter Meet the Teams night and he was born prematurely. He developed an eye condition that led to blindness. And he serves as a national advocacy officer for the project and advocates for opportunities defeating isolation with the disabled community. The high school boys basketball and high school cheerleading teams hosted the court of dreams event on December 10th and helped run a practice clinic for all attendees. and our guests were invited to come back to a boys basketball game later that week to be recognized in the beautiful lives project of their own. Second, the SYC Challenger program is also an inclusive sports league for kids and young adults with
246physical and developmental challenges offering adaptive baseball, soccer, and basketball in a fun, supportive environment focused on participation, skill building, friendship, self-esteem, not competition, rather using modified rules and volunteer buddies for assistance. The high school basketball team for the boys volunteered to help the Challenger League program at the basketball practices just this past Sunday. Wreaths Across America is a nonprofit organization that coordinates wreath laying ceremonies at veterans graves in cemeteries nationwide and abroad each December. Fulfilling its mission to remember fallen heroes, honor those who serve, and teach the next generation the value of freedom. This nationwide effort culminates in Reeds Across America Day, typically either the second or the third Saturday in December, where volunteers place live Christmas reads on headstones, saying each veteran's name aloud to keep their memory alive. And on December 13th, the
247high school cheerleading and high school girls basketball teams honored our fallen heroes in this way. Now for the athletic department report submitted by athletic director, Mr. Blandon. The Warrior student athletes have been off to a great start this winter season on the court, on the map, and in a pool. In addition, they have been involved in the community with many service opportunities. This week is also PIAA officials appreciation week where we honor and show our appreciation to the officials that help our events run smoothly. They are recognized over the loudspeaker and presented with a personal thank you note from the from SYCSD for their time and dedication. We have also started a weekly athletic news newsletter highlight highlighting the great things our student athletes are doing both in and out of competitions. Here's a summary
248of the current highlights over the past several weeks. And he did give me a copy of what those news newsletters look like. And he said they go out to staff so they can, you know, help the students be able to get out on time to get to their games and different things like that. Super helpful. So, boys basketball up first. The Warrior boys basketball teams have been learning and growing this season, both on and off the court. The varsity team is currently 3 and 10 overall in the season. Off the court, they've been involved in a number of community serviceoriented projects, including the beautiful lives project in December when adults and children with disabilities joined the Suski basketball players and coaches on the court to learn basketball fundamentals, run through drills, and they also hosted
249the SYC challenger program just this past weekend. Girls basketball. The Warrior girls basketball team have been off to a great season both on and off the court, too. The varsity team is currently second place in the York Adams Division 2 with a league record of 5- one and overall record of 9 and4. They are currently in sixth place in the PIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA District 3 5A Power Rankings. In addition, they have also been involved in the community by hosting a food drive during the home games, participating in Reads Across America, and hosting special game nights to highlight mental health awareness. cheerleading. The Warrior Cheerleaders have continued to bring spirit and energy to our athletic events with winter season this winter season, excuse me, in many ways. They also participated in the Beautiful Lives Project with the boys
250basketball team and Raise Across America in December with the girls basketball team. Girls wrestling. The inaugural season of the high school warrior girls wrestling program at Sesuana has been off to a great start. The student athletes are learning the sport and participating in individual tournaments this first season. We are working to possibly add some additional limited dual matches while participation [snorts] is anticipated to grow and allow us to fill out a full lineup in the next season or two. But there is a special edition and an update. The athletic director has just secured yesterday a home match with Eastern York for the girls team. This is really history in the making. It's Tescoan's first opportunity to host the girls wrestling match. So that's going to be on Wednesday, February 4th at 5:00 p.m. Thank you
251for to Mr. Blandon for working to make this happen for the athletes and continuing to build interest in the girls wrestling team while highlighting the new sport to our community. Boys wrestling. The Warrior boys wrestling team have had a great season so far both as a team and individually. The team is currently tied for second place in the York Adams Division 2 with a league record of 2- one and overall record 7 and five. Individually, we have had several wrestlers placed in varsity and JV individuals tournaments this season. Sophomore Trevor Calp won his weight class and was voted outstanding wrestler at the Donnagal Holiday Invitational in December. And he placed second in his weight class at the York Adams Championships the first weekend in January. That's amazing. Congratulations to Trevor Cal. and swimming. The Warrior
252Boys and Girls swimming teams have had a compet competitive start to their season so far. The boys team is currently 1 and three overall and the girls team is currently 2-2 with the girls team currently in second place in the York Adams Division 2 standings. Unified Botchi. The Warrior Unified Botchi team is doing great. They tied with Red Lion in the first home match of the season last week. Then hosted another this week versus Dallas Town and won 40 with two more to go. One match next week in handover and their final home match on the 27th against New Oxford at 3:45. I kind of wish they were a little later so I could go, but I don't finish work until 4:30. Anyway, um I also wanted to highlight in this month's Southern York Living,
253the soccer teams for the girls and the boys were recognized for their state run. So, I highlighted their stories in there. Happy to send it along so you can see some of the pictures and enjoy the coach's comments on there. I [snorts] thought that was fun to be able to share. And Mr. BL is also working with the booster club as well as Chartwells to determine the feasibility of Chartwell's providing product and/or services to our concessions while also respecting the booster's decision decision-making ability, excuse me, and profitability while running concessions for the benefit of student athletes. Um he will be providing us with a report on their findings sometime towards the end of February and compiling ticket data from the fall and winter to estimate the pro estimate the projected impact of free athletic event
254admission and thoughts to offset the cost of providing this benefit to our students. So all good things more to come next month. Sorry it was so long but there's just so many good things to talk about. That concludes my report. >> All right. Thank you. [clears throat] Moving on to item 14, committee report other business. I have none. Anyone else? >> All right. And moving on to 15.01, legislative council. Mr. Wilson. >> Uh, well, Harrisburg's back in session um for about a week and a half. Not much moving yet this year. >> You don't say. All right. Moving on to York Tech. Um not sure yet. Uh my first meeting will be next uh next week. So um yeah, looking forward to that. >> All right. Liu 12. >> Apparently I missed the meeting because
255I was at >> urgent care with my daughter. >> Okay. All right. >> So >> Okay. >> All right. >> They do have their updates there. I do know that they are um per Dr. Bryson's last report they are going to push for the U representative single representative and his name was mentioned for that >> congratulations. >> Yay. >> Uh moving on to 15.04 York Adams Tax Bureau. Anything to report? >> 15.05 York County School District Foundation. >> Okay. Yes. one of the best subjects, I'm telling you. So, the SYCSD Foundation just met this past Tuesday, and Chapternet is open for foundation dollars for scholars, scholarship applications as of last Friday, January 9th, and it will remain open to submit online until Monday, February 9th. Is that right, Tia and Susan? I don't want to
256miss anything. >> You got it. >> All right, perfect. So, we are certainly encouraging all seniors to apply and take advantage of the scholarship information and dollars for scholars help night next Thursday, January 22nd. I believe that is the last time assistance can be given until that is due. So, it's from 5:30 to 7:30. >> That's the last evening, but I know the counselors will help them through the deadline. >> Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. Mhm. >> Um, so it's a great opportunity for students to ask questions and get help ensuring their applications are completed correctly and ready to go. So our next event, the Battle of the Buildings, is Wednesday, February 18th. Games beginning at 6:30 at the high school. I know the doors are going to open earlier than that, right? >> Doors
257open at 5:30. And then we have the um the basketball game for the younger children. I think it's a couple dollars and and you can play the basketball game begins at 6:00 and concessions. Oh, Trevor left. But concessions will also open at 5:30. >> Oh, concessions. >> People want to get dinner first and and then >> Okay. >> Battle of Billings. >> That sounds good. >> So, this is a great fundraiser run fundraiser sponsored by the foundation and the Susky Alumni Association to raise money for scholarships and alumni programs. So, if you all bring your checkbooks along, you know, anything is welcome. $100 at a time. Just saying. So all board members are encouraged to join the community and benefit the students on this special night when the entire district comes together for the impactful
258cause and plenty of shared joy. Lots of smiles, lots of concession stand lines, right Sam? When we were there a couple years ago, I think it was Samantha, myself, and Trevor and we couldn't keep up. >> So and that concludes my report. >> Thank you. Uh 15.06. Other items of business? I have none. Moving on to the secretar's report. 16.01. Uh the student activities reports for November and December 2025 are there for your information. Uh 16.02 resignations and retirements. We have five there for your information. Uh 16.03 other items business. I have none. 17.01 01 the home education outside cyber charter and southern York uh southern York uh actually the link Lincoln edge cyber program are uh there for your information uh the enrollment numbers and all of those which brings us to item 17.02
25902 announcements by board's president and superintendent. I will announce that we did have an executive session on January 8th uh to discuss legal and personnel matters. Uh we will have a personal and policy committee meeting followed by buildings and grounds committee meeting on Tuesday, February 17th, 2026 in the district offic's multi-purpose room beginning at 5:30 p.m. And the next regularly scheduled meeting of the board of education will be held Thursday, February 19th, 2026 in the district offic's multi-purpose room beginning at 700 p.m. Dr. Bryson. Uh just a couple quick announcements. Uh, congratulations to senior Christian Watkins regarding his recent graduation from the York Builders Association, the building trades pre-apprenticeship program. Uh, throughout the program, Christian has been learning different aspects of construction and building, and we're very proud of Christian's accomplishments and for serving as
260an example to other students. Uh as the son of a contractor myself, I'm proud uh and pleased that the district provides such great opportunities to our students uh with special appreciation and career and tech transition coordinator. Uh Matt Ammerman uh to Dr. Sterner who's heavily involved with these apprenticeship and internships as well as Joselyn Roupert who oversees much of it as well as the staff members. Special appreciation to um Mr. Buffington for his instructional involvement in the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials. Randy taught the virtual formatted class elements of facility management for several weeks in November and December. So, big thank you to him for not only representing us, but to help uh those that are getting into the field of facility management and new business officials that want to know more about the
261process. So, thank you to Randy. Also, kudos to Sesquank High School counselor Matt Sherington uh for presenting during the annual Pennsylvania School Counselor Association conference prior to the winter break. So, we appreciate again uh our staff out there representing Southern so well. And last but not least, uh hot off the press, uh big congratulations to all of Susuanic High School, but also probably districtwide. um because our students at the high school were were educated well all the way through K12, but Sesuana tends to get the recognition when they make such things as the AP school honor role. So kudos to them. Um there's three criteria on that. One is that you have a high participation rate for at least one AP class um taken by students. So roughly 45% of our students are taking at
262least one AP class throughout their high school career. The second criteria is how many score how many students score at least uh three or higher on one AP exam. We're at roughly 35% there. And the reason they categorize is as three and above. That's usually what trans credit and college credit. And then lastly, around 14% of our students are taking five or more across grades 9 through 12. I will say we don't promote that heavily in the sense that we don't want to overwhelm um but what has shifted is we might uh AP is pressure not pressuring AP is promoting uh kids taking at a younger age, grades nine and 10 versus waiting till they're juniors and seniors which actually I think is a good idea. So Spread it out a bit more. >> Spread
263it out. And uh don't go crazy with 7 8 9. Um and and I think the one that I often say I'm most proud of is when 50 45% of your kids are taking in an AP. Um it means we do not have uh all kinds of criteria that you can't get in unless you're in honors. and we open it up to pretty much all kids and promote the idea that if you have a passion in an area, make it a goal to take an AP in that area at some point in your high school career. [snorts] Um, just in preparation for those that are going on before your school. >> So, with that being said, happy new year to everybody. Thank you again to the board members for uh your representation and and volunteerism
264towards the board. Um, we do appreciate it and since January is appreciate your school board members month, uh, thank you. >> Have a great night. >> Thank you. >> Item 18, new business. Anyone? All right. Hearing none, I'll move to item 19. I'll entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Motion and a second. And a second. [laughter] >> Second. Uh any days or abstensions? Hearing none, we are adjourned. I notice as we