School Board Meeting - 10/16/25

001I'll have called to order this uh October 16th, 2025 regular meeting of the board of education. Please rise for the pledge to the flag. >> I 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. >> Elizabeth Goldberman >> here. >> Mary Lee Hall. Samantha Hall >> here. >> William Hall. >> Jeremy Hash. >> Jennifer Hankle >> here. >> Nathan Hankle >> here. >> James Holly >> here. >> Joseph Wilson >> here. >> All right. Moving on to item two, agenda approval. I'll entertain a motion to approve the uh October 16th, 2025 board agenda as presented. So move >> second. >> Any discussion? Any ns or abstensions? Hearing none, that

002motion carries. Uh I'll entertain a motion to approve the minutes of the September 17th, 2025 uh board meeting. Any uh do I have a I'll entertain a motion. >> So moved. >> Thank you. >> Second. Uh any discussion? Any nays or abstensions? Hearing none, that motion carries. Uh which brings us to item 4.01. Caleb is our student representative report. >> Thank you. Pretty short report, just a couple dates for you guys. On the 22nd, there will be the fall orchestra concert for the high school and the middle school at 700 p.m. in the auditorium. And the following night or following day rather is the end of marking period 1 which is crazy. It feels like it just started. Then on the 24th we will have a PM inservice for teachers and a half day for

003students. Then 29th this is one of my favorite student council events October fun night. Um, it's a great community event that brings together grades K through 12 and benefits the SYCSD or not SD, sorry, SYC food bank right here in New Freedom. And it's just a great event to give back to the community and it's always super fun to plan because sometimes there's leftover candy. So then the following day, report cards will be available in Sapphire. Then the marching band championship preview show be at 700 p.m. on October 30th. Then November 1st, the marching band Cavoclade of the bands. Cavoclade. I think I said that right. >> Cavalcade. You go. >> Cavalcade. Yeah. Yeah. You guys do all the band stuff. You know better than I would. That's the 1st of November. And then the

004fall play weekend is the 14th to the 16th. And there will be various performances of Our House, another great show from our theater department. Looking forward to that. And that's all for right now. >> Thank you. >> All right, moving on to item 5.01. We'll get updates on the district comprehensive plan by Dr. Reppert and Kim Hughes. Well, good evening board. We would uh school board we want to give you an update on the comprehensive plan just to highlight where uh we are in regards to the the goals that we had identified as a committee previously. See if I get the right direction. Uh we identified uh the vision that we wanted to continue to prepare our students to be contributing citizens within our country one warrior at a time. So that's where we really

005want our focus to be is how do we provide our students the ability to focus on the challenges that they may be faced but be real successful. And we continue with our mission. Uh just a quick synopsis that last part there achieve success in life and career. That's our goal you know preparing our students from K through 12 that as they go through our school system that we can provide them opportunities to be successful. So our goal is to look at how are we going to continue continuously provide instruction but more importantly having our students achieve at high levels. We've spoke many times uh Dr. Hughes and I have provided reports to the board as well as updates regarding high reliab high reliability schools. Uh just a quick focus uh reminder our level one focused

006on safe supportive and collaborative culture. Uh we started that in the 2223 school year through to 2324. Uh as we noted previously uh in a board meeting that all of our schools all five of our schools are certified in level one. We look at level two effective teaching in every classroom. Started out in the 24 25 school year through uh this school year. And as we mentioned previously, all five schools in the Sundura County School District are certified in level two. As we're approaching this school year into next, we're working on a guaranteed viable curriculum. Dr. Hughes will be speaking more specifically with that or to that, but we just wanted to highlight kind of where we are. So in our first goal, our goal is to have 100% of our schools establish level one

007status by maintaining a safe, supportive and collaborative uh culture. So just to highlight some of the action steps that we have taken that were identified in a comprehensive plan and Dr. Hughes and I will kind of go through and summarize some of these action steps just to give you an update. So with the first action step, the ongoing of crisis preparedness, we do that ongoing. We have annual trainings for our staff uh regarding situational awareness, suicide, bullying, etc. uh those are required annually and we maintain those records and those the trainings not only at the beginning of the year but have set up training opportunities as we onboard staff the middle of the year as well as at the end of third marking period to ensure that all of our staff are part of that

008training. Uh we also have tabletop drills that we participate with local law enforcement, um our own staff and administration to focus on emergency situations to determine how will we react to situations that might u might impact our district. As I mentioned, the mandatory trainings and suicide awareness is annually. Uh we look at the expectations of in school and on bus. So we have handbook presentations. We have bus expectations that are reviewed with our students not only at the beginning of the year but throughout the school year so our students understand what those expectations are. Uh communicating which is a big part. We need our families and our parents to know what's going on. So we have monthly newsletters that go out not only at the building level but at the district level to highlight the

009things that are going on within our district. uh utilizing feedback to assess and modify our safety procedures for several years now. Uh we have a parent safety committee that meets at the district level twice a year to review not only what we're doing in our district regarding safety measures but opening up the opportunity for the parents that are part of that committee to pro provide feedback for the committee to look at uh decision-m process. A lot of that is ongoing. You know, we need to continually seek feedback from our staff, from our parents, from our students to determine how we're addressing the area of being safe, supportive, and collaborative. a listening student empowerment that comes through our student advisories. You know, our our student advisories at the at the building level gives the students the

010voice to share with the administrators specifically what is going on and what we could do as administration to address those uh collaborating across buildings regarding curriculum development implementation. We started that last year. I will highlight a brief part of that when I do my next presentation just about the professional learning communities and what we have seen based on the dialogue that's going on between the staff in buildings but also across the district. And then finally, you know, providing the environment where students feel safe and included. You know, one thing that we have done, we've had 48 speakers that have been vetted through our vetting process that have provided us the opportunity to bring outside speakers in and present their areas of topic and focus to uh our students. We continue with the uh partnerships and

011relationships with stakeholder groups which is ongoing and developing problem solving growth mindset which is ongoing. So when we talk about that problem solving, what do students do when they're faced with a challenge? when they're faced with something where they don't feel safe or supported, giving them the tools so that they can address those. So looking at goal number two, 100% of the our schools aim to achieve level two effective teaching in every classroom with a high reliability schools fra framework fostering an environment where every classroom consistently demonstrates high quality teaching and enhancing student learning and success demonstrated through the increased student achievement and growth data. Part of what we wanted to do is remember our goals and our actions came from our committees. So as we went through, we started looking at our action steps

012that we came up with as a committee. Um the first one introducing job readiness skills in all classrooms. One of the things that we needed to make sure that you're aware of is that the state of Pennsylvania is going through a um creating new standards for career readiness awareness. So, they will be approved. Um, they're looking at this July as being the date. So, we have that one. We've been working on those pieces in our classrooms, but we wanted to wait to add them to our curriculum maps until the new standards are um put into place. We do have a spot in our curriculum decks where we will be adding these um standards, career awareness standards so that all of our classes have focuses on those critical thinking skills and the other pieces that we

013know are what we need our students the to be ready for life. Um the next one is providing building proficiency in core curriculum areas. Once again, this is an ongoing piece. We've been working with teachers and having those PLC's where we've been developing an understanding of content and instructional strategies. Um, we've been using a lot of conversations with teachers and asking them about what are they doing in their classrooms to help those students that need a little bit more help or to in really um foster an environment where we're helping our students move further. even those students that have a gifted type of intellect that we're trying to push them further as well as well as all of our students. Um, number three is to create an effective instruction to our academic achievement and proficiency.

014We've been looking at data-driven decisionmaking. As we've been um working with our teachers and looking at where does our curriculum need a little bit more support, where do our our students need more support with intervention or enrichment? Number four, promoting collaboration across buildings and effective teaching practices. Once again, our PLC process. We know that we grow when we are working together. So, that is something that we've been very um strongly working through this year and we've started in the past, but really creating effective PLC's that help our teachers um be able to collaborate together. but not just in their building. All fourth grade teachers across the district district having opportunities to collaborate. Number five, ensuring data driven decision um practices are in all instructional decisions and discussions. Once again, looking and seeing what data is

015supporting what we're doing. Is there data to say this is working? If not, what are we going to do and how are we going to address that? Goal number three. So looking at creating a guaranteed Bible curriculum. So this is making sure that every student has equal access to our curriculum and is able to get the information that they need in the time that they need. It's things like creating collaboration with common assessments, really helping our students understand those career readiness skills and ensuring that we are really thinking of how do we get students to do goal setting, critical thinking, and moving forward. So, our action steps for this was really started last year in full force. Last year, as you remember, we had over um 84 curriculum maps that we brought to you for

016approval. Um we are looking to make sure that each and every one of them have our step two our career standards. Once again we'll be driving them forward once they've been um published for the community. But also the idea that we needed a personal financial management class that was completed last year and approved last year. We also look at action step number three. Once again these are ongoing. We want to make sure that we have opportunities for students to have success in classes that are career ready. So really giving them the opportunity to really explore different careers and have internships and really moving forward once again ongoing. Dr. Strider has been working with us as we put forward opportunities for students to go into the workforce, but also internships and also bringing in some college

017classes to be able to support our students. um such as our drone class that we approved last year. Um action step number four, our curriculum provides a variety of opportunities for all students. Once again, making sure that we have every student have an opportunity to engage with curriculum that will help them figure out what they want to do once they graduate high school. So with our fourth and final goal, taking a look at the financial resources and how we're utilizing them to impact our students, you know, in the instructional uh area arena to be career and college ready. So the one thing we first the action step one maintaining fiscal responsibility and addressing technology. You know, I know that one area that this board did focus on was going uh 2 to one with Chromebooks

018in grades uh K through four. that was an area that we took a look at as a district and how we can manage that. So we're looking at fiscal responsibility that as an area and then the second one is developing effective practices for recruitment and retainment. You know it's always we're in a competition with our neighboring districts but we're also in competition with the business world because we have seen that educators that are in the profession are leaving to go into the business world. So creating an environment in Southern County School District that's going to attract highquality teachers that are going to continue to provide the optimal education that we know our students deserve. So finally, that kind of wraps it up, but just as a quick note, in the spring of 2026, that's right

019around the corner, we are going to start the process of developing the next uh comprehensive plan that will start in the 2027 2028 school year. So we will be looking, Dr. Hughes and I, of developing a stakeholder committee groups to develop to evaluate our current comprehensive plan and then what we want to maintain with this, but more importantly, what we may want to add to it in creating an opportunity for our students to be even more successful in the competitive world that they're going to be going into. Thank you. Any questions on the board from the board? I just wanted to highlight uh and she did not ask me to do this but uh Dr. Hughes and the many contributions that she makes. She brought up with the curriculum aspect the uh everchanging state requirements

020and changes in curriculum that we need to make sure that we're uh meeting those standards. But you know the finance course and the financial literacy component that the state mandated, we were so ahead of the curve for that and that's just one that she highlighted. She's forever forward looking and checking legislation just to make sure that, you know, it's going to be minimal disturbance for our district. So, thank you, Dr. Hughes. >> Dr. >> Thank you. All right, moving on to item 5.02, educational updates by Dr. >> Thank you, President Hankle. School board, good evening. Uh, fall's definitely here. Leaves are changing, weather's cooling off. uh please make sure uh since we're still at we're at the tail end of the fall sports make sure we can go out there and support our warriors as

021they're finishing up their seasons. Uh so to continue with my um monthly report on safe support and collaborative culture under safety uh members of the district parent safety committee met this month. Mr. Litel reviewed the purpose of the committee addressed safety trainings that have been conducted this far and the members contributed uh some real solid feedback regarding the district safety measures what we have put in place. Also, several members of the district parent safety committee attended the training session with the Pennsylvania State Police uh to elevate specific threats against our school by focusing on emergency pre-plan assessment. Uh we appreciate uh the continued partnership with the Pennsylvania uh State Police as well as Southern Regional Police Department and doing everything we can to make our school our schools the safest that they can be. Uh

022under supportive, a big congratulations goes out to senior Jacob Sites for being named the September 2025 student of the month for Lincoln Edge. Well done, Jacob. We're proud of you. And as we're winding down sports seasons, as I mentioned, it's evident that there's a lot of fans out there at events. So, please make sure you continue to go out and support the student athletes. Um, under collaboration, it's great once again to get into the classroom. Dr. Bryce and I are in full swing with our classroom visits. Uh, great to get into the classrooms, kindergarten, the small chairs to the seniors, which are the big chairs for me. Uh, the biggest part that I've been impressed with is the collaboration. Uh, Dr. Dr. Bryce and I sit down with the teachers after our visits and have

023an opportunity to collaborate on what's going on within the classroom. You know, what what's the data say where their students are, why does it say that, and what are they doing about it? And just hearing the collaboration, the discussion of what they have, not only within their grade level or their department, but as Dr. Hughes noted within grade levels from other buildings uh which really expands that you know that focus of we grow when we collaborate with others. Caleb once again did an awesome job. Took eight of my I think 11 items for reminders. Got a couple uh here just to point out. Friendship Elementary Band Orchestra beginner concert is Tuesday, October 28th at 6:30 p.m. Shrewsberry's band beginner concert will be on November 5th and Southern Elementary's uh orchestra and band concert will be

024no November 6th. So, let's have a great start to the fall season or not. Choice is yours. >> Thank you. Moving on to item 6.01, uh public comment. Um, as usual, we only have a couple. Um, well, not as usual, but we only have a couple tonight. As usual, state your uh name and municipality. Uh, and observe the typical rules of property decorum. Uh, first is Ashley Morrison. >> Ashley Morrison, Shberry. I'm going to start with a statement that I hope we can all agree on. Our school district has some of the best teachers, admins, and supportive staff out there. And I don't want that to change. Over the past two years, the board has spent a considerable amount of time drafting and passing anti-LGBTQ policies, ranting about how learning about cultural biases is inappropriate,

025claiming CRT as quote hot garbage, and discussing small increases in game tickets for a surprising amount of time. And it's fine to make time to discuss all those issues, but one topic that is glaringly missing is teacher retention. In past public comments, I have asked the board to share if they have any plan to ensure our teachers and staff stay with our district, but to my knowledge, this has not been discussed. At the last school board meeting, I understand that emotions were high, but I think it's a slippery slope and concerning that we expect teachers to essentially be devoid of passion and personality and can never share their lived experiences or even likes or dislikes. It's often the educators who make a connection with their students through common interests or passions who leave a long-lasting

026impression. Take a moment and try to remember those teachers who stood out during your education. For me, I still remember my fourth grade teacher who told us about her childhood and finding a quarter-sized turtle who she took care of for decades. She still had him when she became a teacher, and he'd end up being our class pet, Myrtle the Turtle. Sharing her personal story taught us about compassion and responsibility. My high school biology teacher also stands out in my memory because he encouraged a group of us budding environmentalists to follow our passion and raise money to save the rainforest. Yep, I was woke even back then. Of course, then we were just called smart, curious, and empathetic kids. As I understand it, we technically do not have a teacher shortage, but it's mainly because we've

027had a decrease in enrollment numbers and not because teachers aren't leaving. Since December 2023, and I'm pulling these numbers from board meeting notes, approximately 60 educators and admins have left the district. In particular, I'm concerned with the number of special education, SEAL support teachers, and paraprofessionals who have resigned or retired in this short period of time. They make up about half of the educators and admins who have left. I can't help but wonder if this is related to the majority of the board stance on SEAL, social emotional learning. After all, some sitting board members have even included a graphic with SEAL with the no slash on some of their campaign material. At the last school board meeting during the discussion of the social express program, one of the board of members mentioned that scares them.

028But after understanding what the program entails, I was happy to see that they actually adored it. The program sounds great as it will be useful for students who need additional reinforcement of some life and social skills to see the scenarios played out through the video web series. Then additional discussion can be followed up with students and their special ed teacher or SEAL staff. It's also promising to see the program as continuous as students who may struggle with something like flexibility may also have impulse control or emotional regulation challenges and therefore while they know the correct response when they're actually in the moment they might do something else. This is where reinforcement and practice can help overcome those challenges. This is why some stats may not show the true effectiveness of programs. Since typically many of

029these programs include neurode divergent students, improvements may be be prolonged, but it doesn't mean they aren't working. And when those successes do happen, any teacher, support staff, parent, or admin will tell you how incredibly rewarding and fulfilling they are to see. I encourage anyone who wants to genuinely understand how these programs work to go to the source, teachers or staff, or even parents with children benefiting from these programs. Um, so and I'm looking forward to learn the board's plans of retaining our educators and staff. >> Thanks. >> Thank you. Uh, Bob Betts. Good evening, everybody. Uh, Bob Betts, Shrewsbury Township. I'm going to try and stay on script tonight so that I don't uh, get too far in the weeds, but I'd like to tell you guys a little bit of a story tonight. Uh,

030and it may sound familiar at parts, but I think you'll find it interesting either way. Um, so picture this. Boy meets girl. They fall in love and get married. They have children. They start a family. They buy houses. They move to southern York County, Pennsylvania. They love and care for and nurture their children to grow up into compassionate, loving people. They teach their children the difference between right and wrong, good and evil. and they instill values and morals into them that help make them the best versions of themselves that they can possibly do. They tell them, "If you see someone struggling, help them. If you see someone being mistreated or they themselves are being mistreated, speak up. Ask for help. The helpers will come and do the right thing." We teach them that the helpers

031are all around them. their teachers, their family and friends, their priests, their pastors, law enforcement officers, and many others. When you need help, go to these people. They are safe. Now, imagine that you found out that what you taught them may have been wrong. Because secretly, some of these individuals weren't helpers. They were wolves in sheep's clothing. They were there to do what an enemy does, seek and destroy all things good. This is what happens when you place your children's care and protection into the care of wolves. This is what happened to me. This district's administration has attempted to silence me for years, and they've been successful for a short period of time. From quiet requests in the hallways to not speak at public comment to calls from different county offices and agencies with attempts

032to have me charged with crimes to making slanderous and false statements about me in legal documents and weaponizing the attorney general's office against myself and my child. I have watched adult administrators in this district, currently employed here, lie and create a narrative in an attempt to assassinate my character and the character of my daughter, a young woman who I was forced to pull out of this district, who missed junior and senior year opportunities, yet amazingly graduated a year early with honors once she was out of this building. All in an attempt to quiet me, these things occurred. an attempt to silence me and to perform retribution against me for one thing and one thing alone. Always speaking the truth. I will not stand by and watch the lie occur and not speak truth into it.

033The admin of this district has proven one thing to me over the last 5 years of my involvement here. They intend on harm. They will do whatever it takes to keep their sins quiet, to keep lies hidden. They have utilized the safe to say program, an anonymous tip program, as a way to persecute and prosecute our children. Kids who have no reason to use this program other than they are told to by administration in the buildings. They are told that if they see something, say something and then they are persecuted for doing just that, for saying what they saw. They're persecuted for doing so when admin won't perform the necessary duties associated with investigating tips. If I tell you the light bulb in the hallway is off and you don't go out and check it,

034you don't know if I'm telling you the truth or not, you can't make the assumption. If I tell you it's off and you go out there and look and it's on, does that mean I was lying or does that mean somebody flipped the light switch before we got back out there? Only an actual investigation will net those results. Yeah, we don't perform it that way. This district operates under the shroud of darkness as it always has. And this is how we operate safe to say under the shroud of darkness. We either we either don't check or we check it too late. And then the burden falls onto our children when it should fall onto the adults in this building who are paid to do a job and they are not doing their their job properly.

035I'm requesting a serious review of how safe to say is being brought up, associated, and taught for use to our children. It's okay if the admin in the district hates me. It is not okay if they take it out of my children. I love Jesus and the world hates me because of that. But my children don't deserve the hatred that they get from you. If you want to attract and keep highquality teachers, that would be great. Maybe the first step is to remove the cancer from our district. And there are administrators in our district that are the problem. and I'm requesting for their immediate resignation and/or termination effective immediately. Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh next we have uh 6.02 board discussion and public comments. Uh does anyone have any discussion? >> Yeah. Um Mr.

036and Mrs. That's um first and foremost congratulations to you and your daughter for graduating early. I hope she's doing well. And I would like to ask if we could have conversations in the future about the safe to say program. We need to know how it's used, what its parameters are, and just to have update the board because I'm sure that there are probably a lot of questions that we have. >> Sure. Absolutely. And then um for the other speaker, I'm hesitant, but I guess I will go there. Asking us to defend a problem that hasn't happened yet. I I reject the false narrative. It's an odd thing to say. And then to assume that as a justification, the reason that we don't have a teacher shortage is because of student decline. I would anticipate that

037we are probably right there with other district averages for teachers leaving because they've received, you know, their full benefits and they they want to retire and then just swapping back and forth to York County. I haven't received any literature or updates from admin and we ask constantly for are we outside of the norm. During the height of the shortage, I guess what, three years ago, we had all of two positions that were open. So shortage is quite an overstatement when it came to our district. Um, yeah. No, anticipating that there will be a problem even though there's no support that there is. It's it's just an odd cell and I reject it wholly. I I do want to second the um reviewing how we've implemented it and um the safe to say tool. Um I

038think that'd be a good place to start. >> Yeah, we should definitely have a a meeting where that can be laid out for us what the current uh current usage is. um if there are any concerns about the way it's been uh way it's been used or what what what might be driving the the complaint um and if there's a way to to address that. >> Yeah. And to piggy back on that, I do see that there's there's definitely a tension that I don't think I fully understand yet. So, I have a lot of questions still, but how the program works if you're supposed to say something, but then you could potentially get in trouble for saying something like that. I just I don't fully understand how how that is. So I would just share

039that at times if uh safe to say is utilized over and over um and there's a concern that there's a misuse that can be shared with the DA's office u because what we don't want is misuse where students are being identified through safe to say and searched and then there is nothing or there's a there's an understanding that potent there's the potential that students are being searched because others are safe to saying them for no reason. Um and certainly the district has no ability to identify through safe to say nor do we want to uh misuse safe to say on our own part to uh squash the use of safe to say. Uh but if there is uh concern that it may be misused then that's to be identified and shared. Uh and at that

040point the investigation into whether it's being misused or not is done from the actual user of the program which is the DA's office who oversees it. >> So misuse is decided by our district or the DA's office. Ultimately, the DA's office would decide whether it actually is being misused or not. >> Okay. So, we refer to have them investigate >> if in fact we have reason to believe that it's being misused. >> Okay. >> Any other comments, responses? >> I just wanted to add a component to it. Um, in addition to looking into the issue, um, when I first became a board director, I went to a PSBA training and they had somebody speaking about school shootings and and just the safe to say program. And one component that they talked about that could lend

041to misuse is training. And so I would just like to understand a little bit more about how we do our training. >> The district does training yearly and class by class. So administrators actually present the safe to say program along with other items within the handbook, but safe to say is highlighted in that what the process is, how to utilize it, that it is anonymous. Um, and certainly that's something we can share that training with the board as well. >> Yeah, I'd like to >> I have a follow-up question on that and I just I don't understand the components. If it's anonymous, at what point do we know misuse? How does that get flagged? >> It potentially can be flagged when the same student is being identified or the same potentially staff members being identified

042for uh either possession of something or threatening behavior. And then it becomes the responsibility of the school district to investigate whether that's happening or whether there's any evidence of that. Uh so that requires us to investigate it on the based on whom is being accused or reported. >> So if that happens on multiple times and there's no evidence of that then the concern arises that we're investigating someone that has nothing to do with that incident. potentially. Um, so I would just say as a past administrator in a building, if I'm the parent of the child that repeatedly gets called into the office to be searched, it becomes almost harassment that we're making this investigation and searching based off of what we're hearing from safe to say or the information we're getting from safe to say.

043Um, and so at that point that might be an indicator. can't tell you that it is being misused, but I could tell you we're getting this information repeatedly and that that potentially is being is the case. And quite honestly, then it becomes the DA's office or the police to determine whether they're it's invest they're going to investigate or not. >> And then is the is the district always blind? Like does the DA know things that the district doesn't know? Like if you're if you're I understand what you mean. If the same person is rep reported multiple times, do you ever as a district know who reported or is that just DA stuff? >> That is typically anonymous unless given to us by the tipster. >> So, so the tipster can say this is who I

044am. Please contact me if you have additional questions. And often times safe to say will do the questioning of the tipster to determine can you share more information? Can you answer these questions? >> But again that's run through safe to say. >> So the tipster might selfidentify which of course a person could always do that and that would break the anonymity of any system. Um does law enforcement ever for inform the district of what of their findings if they do an investigation? >> That that's potentially the case. I think it's really dependent upon what >> okay >> what the information is or >> they could it could be the case that law enforcement informs the district. >> It could be >> um >> has has that ever been the case? >> I don't know the

045answer to that. >> Okay. >> My guess is sure. >> Okay. Well, so yeah, I guess I'm Yeah, we might not know >> because at times they may need information. To your knowledge though, it it you can't recall a time that it's ever happened that they've that the DA has said, "Here, we're doing an investigation of this person." >> They they've not done that to me personally. >> Okay. They've not said that to you, >> but I'm not in the building. >> Okay. any other >> um I I do have because there was some concerning allegations for lack of a better term in the public comment that I think we may I'd like to at least have a little bit more background on uh obviously we're not going to do it in an open meeting

046um just because I mean that's that's concerning no matter the source. So, I'd like to, you know, >> Sure. I'll request an executive session for after the meeting. >> Okay. >> And we'll be prepared to answer what we can at this time. >> You mean tonight? >> Sure. >> Okay. Okay. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> All right. Any other moving on to item seven, the consent agenda? I'll entertain a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented. So move >> second. >> Motion in a second. Any discussion? >> I do. Um Dr. Rucker, I am so sorry for putting you on the spot. I did not tell you that I was going to do this. Could you explain to us 7.08, the renewal of license with Neptune Game Time? I thought it was pretty

047fabulous. >> Yes. Uh Mrs. Hankle, thank you. Uh yeah, the Neptune game time is uh the program that is utilized for selecting music that is being played during pregame and during the games. So there are you know the music that is selected. It's completely uh edited. It's appropriate for the uh for the students, for the fans that are out there and it really takes the pressure off of a coach because you know what one coach may want to have as as a playlist will be different than what maybe someone else does. So this way there's a a playlist of music that could be utilized pregame during games that the coaches are able to select and play out of our awesome stadium there. >> Thank you so much for that. Yeah, I really I I looked

048at the the program and I really appreciate the their model for selecting music uh making sure it's, you know, appropriate for a for an audience with children in it. Uh that sort of thing. Um so yeah, I at least the way they present it, it looks like a really a good way of doing it. Um all right. Uh any further discussion? Any naysay or abstensions? Hearing none, that motion carries, which brings us to item 8, education. I'll turn it over to Mrs. Henkle. >> All righty. 8.10. Um, we have our certification plan for high reliability schools. This isn't an action item. Uh, Dr. Reer, can you explain this to us a little bit more? >> Yes. Again, Mrs. Henle. So when you take a look at the uh the plan that you have there, it

049includes the the leading indicators and lagging indicators or the lagging indicators for not only elementary as well as the secondary when we're focusing at what is it going to look like in developing the level three the guaranteed viable curriculum throughout the district. >> Dr. is there anything else you'd like to share with that? um each one of our buildings, our elementary um got together and they were the ones that sat down and kind of looked at the leading indicators and established by a plan on how we're going to go about collecting those artifacts. And then our middle and our high school, they got together. Um it's a little bit different because when you look at the middle and the high school schedules and their curriculum, they have a lot of singletons as well as um

050the core curriculum. So they have a little bit of a different plan than what our elementary does. We're trying to really keep our elementary in sequence with one another. So we're doing a lot of collaboration to make sure that we are looking at all of those curriculum pieces and we're bringing everything back to meeting so that we can have discussion on it. >> Dr. H. Uh that brings us to 8.02 STEM lending library agreement with Lincoln Intermediate. Uh Dr. Refer, can you tell us a little bit more about that? >> Yes, Mrs. Hegel. Uh the the lending the STEM resources in the agreement with the Lincoln Intermediate Media Unit provides us now an opportunity to take a look at what technology resources we may want to utilize and borrow them from the Lincoln IntermUnit unit

051prior to, you know, an investment of the district of using taxpayer money in order to purchase something. Uh so we're pretty excited about that. So it will give our teachers the ability in the STEM field to, you know, take a look at what are the resources that the LIU has available and potentially utilize those in the classroom first to see how they fit within the curriculum and how they could be utilized. >> Awesome. I'm going to go ahead and move to approve the STEM lending library agreement with Lincoln Intermediate Unit 12. May I have a second, please? >> Second. >> Does anybody have any discussion or questions? Again, I just thought that this was a fantastic thing, you know, in order to some of some of these things are big ticket items and better to

052rent them at no cost really and uh be able to try them out before you find out no that's not really what you want and uh and also just access to things that we probably never were going to purchase but then be able to use. So from a financial perspective, this is a win-win agreement. Does anybody else have any questions? Any nays or obje obje abstensions? Excuse me. Right, that motion carries. 8.03 speakers approved through the vetting process. Um, this is just public information. It's not anything that we're going to vote on. Um, I did want to highlight one in particular. There is a presentation. >> You have the same speaker to highlight. >> I don't know. What do you have? >> I have Dr. Deler. >> Okay. Well, you can do that. You want

053to do it right now? You can go first. >> Okay. So, mine was actually the um high school and middle school vaping presentation. And part of the reason why I wanted to highlight it, I don't want to spoil it for the students, but it took it from a these are the facts, don't do it to more of a critical thinking aspect and having the students be in the driver's seat thinking critically and seeing how they're being targeted by the tobacco companies. And so things like, you know, it starts out in the slide. Today, quote, "Today's teenager is tomorrow's potential regular customer, Philip Morris." Holy cow. >> And then, uh, here's another one from the US Tobacco Company. Uh, Cherry Skull, is that how you say that? I'm showing my ignorance here. Skull, >> uh, is

054is for somebody who likes the taste of candy, if you know what I'm saying. And then the base of our business is the high school student. That was a memo from the tobacco company executive, I think the current one. And then it also goes into just studying trends and adapting products to consumer desires. When you realize that you are the consumer, that you are being manipulated, that puts you in a different mindset than just your parents say not to do the thing. You're being taken advantage of. You're being manipulated. These products are candy-like and colorful packaging for children. They're food, fruit, candy flavors. Um, it's trendy devices that students might like to have. It just it was a really cool presentation that showed the target audience and not just your typical presentation. So, thought that

055was of value. >> Yeah. I sorry before you >> turn over um I >> I really appreciate that because you know it's it's one thing if an adult is choosing to use these products on their own but children are protected from these legally for a reason. They're not really capable of making those kinds of decisions decisions to use what's an addictive product. Um, and uh, and I think that since we're operating often when when parents send their children here, we're operating in theirstead, it's really on us to do everything we can to make sure that those children are protected from from those kinds of things. >> Additionally, if we're going to have policies, which, you know, we've all voted on for with pretty stiff penalties, >> it's nice that the district goes out of their

056way to say, "This is why. This is why." So, that was pretty cool, too. Caleb, do you have something to highlight? >> I did. Um, yesterday we had Dr. Deler, >> believe Dr. Deffler, um, she's a psychology and ethics professor at York and the chair of their institutional review board. talked to my AP research class and she taught us some great points about defining research and participant pro protection um as well as other research processes and like a general overview of ethics and research which was very helpful. I'm very grateful to to the district and to our librarian and AP research teacher, Miss Daniels, um, for kind of giving us this opportunity because some people are beginning their research and have projects to that like deal with people. So you need to run that by

057a institutional review board and learning kind of the requirements what to do what not to do why you can't do this why you can do that um was really helpful um personally my research is not anything to do with that but I heard like after the class we were like oh yeah that's really really helpful um and I'm just very appreciative to to all those involved in the process so thank you >> love hearing that thank Caleb. >> Caleb, sounds like you're ready to write a dissertation. >> I know, right? >> All righty. That brings us to 8.04, which is novel adoption. I move to approve the following novel novel, The Lemonade War by Clearing Books, Copyright 2022. May I have a second, please? >> Second. >> Right. Any uh discussion? >> I was good.

058>> So, I full disclosure, I finished it today. Not because it was a hard read, just because I wasn't there in the mindset, but uh no, it was adorable. And one of the things that was really well done about this book, you know, elementary school students is the the target for this. They were the author was able to weave in entrepreneurial, math literacy, um interpersonal relationships, and then vocabulary terms. and to have all of that happen with a needy story and to have it not be trit. I couldn't do that. So, well done to the author. Um, but that's it. It was lovely. So, uh, I had a second. Does anybody have any names or abstensions? That motion carries. 8.05 student clinical nursing experience affiliation. Dr. Rupert, can you fill us in on this one?

059>> Thank you, Mrs. Hankle. Uh, school board. This gives us another opportunity with the affiliation agreements with uh colleges and universities. This one more specifically with York College and their nursing program. Uh this will provide you know future students within that program to work with our nursing our nurses within our school district to gain that experience to potentially come to into the school setting as a future nurse. >> All right. I move to approve a student clinical nursing experience affiliation agreement between York College of Pennsylvania and Southern York County School District for the 2025 2026 school year renewing annually until mutually terminated. May I have a second, please? >> Second. >> Any board discussion on this one? >> I'm curious what mutually terminated. >> I It sounds severe, doesn't it? >> Yeah. Well, I was

060just going to say, could we could we unilaterally terminate if we wanted to? Just mutually terminated. sounds like uh you know like we have to stay in it until we both agree we're out. I I think in in that case, you you great make a great point there, President Hankle, but I think if there's a situation where we both determine that we no longer, you know, are going to support the program or there's no longer a need for, in this case, we do see a need for the continuation of, you know, providing opportunities for future nurses within uh the program. But this way, it's not a uh an affiliation agreement that we have to continually bring back. I think part of the reason too it's written that way is that one one party the other

061doesn't pull out and there's no discussion about it and they've structured something for the future year or for that year where now one's left hanging >> so it has to be a negotiation >> yeah it has to be a discussion >> I'm not thinking we would want to to withdraw from this for any particular reason but um Jeeoff is there does the language here prevent us from I >> I've not looked at the agreement So I can't speak to it. I what what I have seen at the risk of speculating is a lot of times is if there is a party that wants to end it, there's enough advanced notice. So particularly for the college students, it doesn't interfere with their internship and mess with their credits and stuff. So uh if you guys want

062to approve it tonight, I can take a look at it. If it raises red flag, we can adjust it accordingly. So you we would have the ability to get out of it if you would like that. Yeah, if you want. If not, you know, that's fine, too. >> It's spicy language, but let's go with it. Anybody else? >> President ankle, do you have a problem with it? I'm seeing a facial expression. >> It's nine pages. I don't think Yeah, >> I mean the the agreement does not have that language and I assume that the agreement is what's actually binding um rather than the the language of the board motion. >> Um is that accurate? Jeff, >> I was just going to say this might be helpful. Both parties here to collaborate on a continuing basis

063except as otherwise said. um at any time and upon at least 60 days written notice that any student enrolls in the clinical program. So basically we can get out with 60 days notice. >> Okay. Thank you. >> And that and that would be the the rule the rule that would apply despite the vote the language of the motion. Okay. Then I'm good. >> So there's associated. >> All righty. Any other questions? >> Any nays or abstensions? That motion carries. >> 8.06 additional field trips. Dr. record. >> Thank you, Mr. Hankle. Uh to the school board, as you know, there will be opportunities that we may add additional field trips. Uh we did in previous months for elementary. We have two uh for the middle school level which are for eligible students. One for the York

064Adams science and engineering fair as well as the math 24 tournament. You know, we're looking specifically at some STEM related opportunities for students to participate in. Uh so I know our students and staff that will be uh participating with that will be really excited to be part of those competitions as well as be part of the science and engineering fair. >> Thank you Dr. Robert. I move to approve two additions to the field trip list for the 2025 2026 school year. One York Adams science and engineering fair Penn State York for eligible students and two math 24 tournament Lincoln intermediate unit 12 also for eligible students. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Um, does anybody have any questions? Any nays or abstensions? That motion carries. 8.07. I move to discontinue district participation in

065the Pennsylvania Youth Survey. May I have a second, please? >> Second. >> All right. Do we have any discussion on this one? >> I have a question about that. Um why >> why why were we doing this? >> Why um why discontinue just out of curiosity? >> So I can answer for me but I don't speak for all board members. I hate surveys for students. I think I've gone on record what maybe four times now that um but no so that's actually a very interesting question. Um this is not mandatory and some of So this goes to sixth graders so elementary school 10th graders >> 6 8 10 12 >> and they all get the same survey. Correct. >> Yes. >> Some of the questions particularly for sixth graders are disconcerting and I can actually

066take you through a couple. So you're a sixth grader. you're in elementary school and you're being asked if you use ecstasy or Molly. I don't think your average sixth grader knows what Molly is. Maybe it's a friend and they're thinking, "Why am I using her?" Um, the other one I really take issue with the fourth question, which I would say is gender ideology has no business in a questionnaire of students. And then you get into how often have you in the past 30 days used and it says drugs such as K2, never heard of it. Spice, also never heard of it. Bath salts, I didn't know that was a thing. Elementary stu school students just aren't going to know that. And I also really hate the leading nature of the question. Not have you, but

067how often have you? you're just anticipating that a person has um then you get into not as innocuous like not not as terrible but are you know are your school grades better than the grades of most students in your class. I mean I can understand why a question like that would be asked but how would a a student even know it it gets into weird weird places. Um, my parents or caregivers ask me what I think before most family decisions affecting me are made. The school district doesn't have any business asking family questions like that. Um, how often do you attend religious services or activities? I understand why it would be useful, but again, not your business. Um, my overall mental health in the past month has been good. There's there's no information about what

068mental health standards would be bad. Your information from the survey is only ever going to be as good as the question and the intelligence or the ignorance about the questions is. So, you know, you can't really properly apply the surveys answers from that. Um, then you get, uh, how many times in the past 12 months have you done anything to harm yourself, such as cutting, scraping, burning as a way to relieve difficult feelings? I really take issue with the leading nature of that question. It already tells an elementary school student, let me rephrase the question with the way that an elementary stu school student might hear it. Oh, guess what? I could relieve difficult feelings if I do the following to my body. not great. Um h and then even some of the things that

069you know we would all as adults look at and say okay what's the big deal of that but have you been bullied during the past 12 months there's no common definition of what bullying is and so again the survey results are only going to be as beneficial as the understanding of what we're even collectively talking about. Um, then you get into the last couple of questions about suicide. And this one particularly bothers me because it's an anonymous survey. And yet it asks questions like, "Have you ever considered suicide?" Which, you know, that's that's I can understand why you would ask students that. You want to know if there's a problem. You certainly want to intervene. You want to save lives. I'm all about that. I understand it. but it's anonymous. So, you're never going to

070know who the person is that's struggling. So, the only way that you're ever going to be able to do anything with the information that you get from that is a broad talking to the entire school, which we already do that with assemblies, but it's you're just not going to be able to do anything with an anonymous thing. And we already know that prevailing literature says that rumination on depression causes more depression. So, if we can't even target to one specific student because we know that they're struggling and we're doing it as a band-aid for the entire district, my fears are that that the benefits don't outweigh that the harm. So, that is my 95 thesis on why. >> Yeah. Um, I'll I'll just I'll come in that a lot of what you were talking about

071the the medical community um has this this concept of iatrogenic harm and that's harm that's actually caused by the process of attempting to uh to diagnose or or treat. um that some that often uh it is it is better not to do too many scans, too many examinations. You can actually cause harm by doing that. Uh to to have in interventions that are too invasive can cause harm. I have a pinched nerve in my neck. Doctor says wait and see if it gets better. They're not going to do surgery right away. They're not going to do something invasive. Um, and so it's I don't think that that that concept doesn't seem to be recognized adequately in the realm of these surveys. Um, that there's actually that it these surveys generate certain ideiation in students and

072um and if we're thinking from a mental health perspective, we need to consider the possibility of iatrogenic harm. >> Yeah. I mean, I do I let me The one thing I would say is children are suggestible >> of all ages, even seniors. Um, but a lot of a lot of people when they're they'll interpret the questions as prompts to either identify, self-identify themselves or question, am I wrong for not thinking about this? That's and I think that gets to I think what you refer to as the iatrogenetic if I'm saying that right >> iatrogenic. >> Yeah, there we go. Um, frankly I you know this is seven eight pages worth of survey that just just questions. >> Yeah, I've taken it >> I think. Yeah. and you're you're in 12th grade, so this would be

073like your sixth time taking this. >> So, we're getting I mean there's there's two things like one I have the same concerns with a lot of the questions in here. A lot of suggestive, okay, well, I don't know what heroin is as a sixth grader or an eighth grader. Well, now I'm going to go Google that on my Chromebook and you know, >> now I'm going to >> It's blocked for a reason, though. No, but not on their sit at home, >> right? But not it's a new idea. >> You're learning you learn about things that >> those those that's the purview of the parents to you know I mean yes we in health class we do a lot of substance abuse um instruction for our students um that's the place for it. An anonymous

074survey is not even if even if we had you know if we had a student who was answering that they they're seriously commit uh making a plan to take their own life. This is actually anonymous we wouldn't have any way to help them. Do you think there's a world in which you don't offer the survey to sixth grade students and instead offer it to 8th grade and then the other interval was above that because having taken the health classes in seventh and eighth grade. I think I personally had a much broader understanding of the things you were talking about in >> in those questions that you had issues with. And I think that would be a solution to keep kind of this valuable data set that we get from these these surveys and still not

075exposing the the younger kids like the sixth graders to >> these kind of sensitive topics. >> Okay. So, and this may be more question for Dr. Repert. So, the data that we've gotten from this so far, how has it changed what we do here as a district? Well, I would say what it has done is we've put a lot of focus on the safe support of of HRS1 uh as as I've been sitting in this chair and utilizing it based on what are we seeing as a results of the d uh the data. Uh one of the other components as Mrs. Hankle talked about a presenter that we have coming in to the high school middle school about vaping. You know, we know that that is a a concern. So, we need to continue to

076continue to educate our students on how they're being targeted. Uh, Caleb, you mentioned about the seventh and eighth grade being the former principal there. Yes, they did focus of components of that during the health classes to to educate the students. But I think if we want to be honest, we know that our our students are being targeted younger and younger, you know, by things that they're seeing not on their Chromebooks, but maybe on their own devices and, you know, things that they're seeing outside of school. And I think the data is valuable in in the sense if we know it's there, we might not know the who because it's anonymous, but we could start to take a look at how we triangulate the data between different data sets. could be the PACE data, the PTE

077climate survey data, our HRS data that we that we collect to determine, you know, what are we seeing as trends or do we have some outliers that don't specifically, you know, relate with other surveys or information that we're gathering or do we see in certain areas that we have concerns going uh in other areas? Now, when some of the board members that are currently sitting here, prior to stepping on the board, there was concerns brought up about the administration is not doing anything in addressing discipline. What are you doing regarding discipline? So, we had brought back what our discipline data looks like. That's the actual data. So, now we have something to compare. If we hear that we have a bullying issue, but we're not having that being as information that we're addressing as administration,

078then we see some inconsistency. If vaping is coming back as a major issue, then we should see some consistency with the anonymous uh levels that come back. >> So, I guess what I what I'd say to that is I'm not necessarily opposed in principle to all surveying of students. Um, there could be appropriate levels of surveys and as Caleb mentioned, maybe some of these questions are not appropriate for sixth grade. Some of the questions I think as Mrs. Henle stated are I I find I think they're invasive. I think that they're not our business, as she said. And so what I would what I would think is that we could look at the particular issues we have and rather than having an eight-page survey where there are questions that we don't want to be asking

079or questions that just are not helpful and we're just making the students sit there for I mean eight pages sounds like it would take a while to get through if you're really thinking about the questions which you know and that's another problem when a survey is too long people stop thinking about the questions. Um, so I'm not necessarily opposed in principle to having a survey that is tailored to our district and asks the questions that we need that we know are are the issues we have rather than something that's generic and is the same I I believe well this Pennsylvania so same thing in Philadelphia as here as in Pittsburgh as everywhere all over all over the the Commonwealth. we have different different issues and it'd be better to have a short survey that focus

080on focuses on those that those where the students actually pay attention to the questions. Another point I just want to I just want to make from the administrative standpoint when we sent out the parent permission to opt in to take the survey uh across the district between grades 6 8 10 and 12 we had only had 12% >> of parents return that survey back to the administration. So in in that case when we take a look at you know you know the the survey you know we're we're looking for about 35% participation. We're well below that based on the amount of parents that sent back the permission to participate in the survey. >> And let me piggyback on that. So what I what I loved that the district did when when it was opt in

081for the survey, they highlighted the benefits of the survey and so the parents got to see all of the rationale and the reasons and given a choice. What did you say the number of responses was? 12% >> 12% with with >> 6 8 10 >> parents fully informed 12% said that that was a good idea. So parents are fueling, I think, the part of the the blowback to this that they don't want it for their children. I think that that's a really important thing to highlight. And then I guess I just would gently push back on some of the points that uh that that Dr. Record and Caleb made. So this survey is not for the students and I think that we need to be clear about that. The survey is for the district, right?

082And so it's the data sets that we get from the survey that's for the district. The survey is not for the students. And Caleb, thank you so much for highlighting it. We do have a seventh and eighth health class that highlights a lot of these things. So they don't need the survey in order to learn about it. We have classes for it. And I think seventh and eighth grade is appropriate for those kinds of conversations. And then our bullying issues. We don't know that our district has bullying issues because of responses from the survey. We know that our district has bullying issues because bullying issues are reported to our district. We have that data. So, we're not losing data by not having the survey. Especially since our data is only as good as the questions.

083And like I said, bullying is not defined. At least when somebody comes to the district and says, "So and so did this to me or said that to me." Then we can start to say, "Okay, well, I know who you are. I know who they are. I know what the situation was. I understand that this was or was not bullying. You don't get that data from this because it's nebulous the concept of bullying. So, we have that data already. The other things that we would use that we would get from this. I mean, just think of what the subjects are. It's drug and alcohol abuse, right? Okay. We know that's a problem for teens. We don't have to have a data set to tell us this. Mental health, we know that that's a problem for

084teens. We don't have to have a data set to tell us this. What else is in there? Um, any other It's It's just common sense. Any other problem that's highlighted in this, we don't need to have a data set. These problems are common for teenagers. And what would we as a district do with this data? We would do speakers, we would do classes, and we would maybe have seminars. We do it anyway. So there is nothing that I see that we would get from this that we're not already doing that we're not already highlighting. >> The the point about bullying not being defined is is is and and that is that same problem is going to apply to a lot of the questions. Um you know I I'll not reveal which of our children it

085was but one of our children at a very young age had to be taught that uh disagreeing with you isn't bullying. that that to disagree with you is not is not a bullying activity. It was being described as bullying and we were like, "No, that's not bullying." Um, so I think it'd be better again if if we're going to do a survey, shorten it down to the questions that are actually providing value and then try to really work those questions so that they give us give us something real. maybe define with bullying defined as one of the following activities. Um that I I'd much rather see a short survey that focuses on uh real issues uh you know the issues that our students are facing um which I'm sure some some of the questions in

086the pay survey do. So if we want to lift out you know 10 questions that are the ones that we really really care about and then make them better. I'd much rather that than an eight page survey of that question gets lost because it's on page five and they've they've checked out by that point. >> I just wanted to touch on a couple things a little bit of a different lens. Um I agree about the fatigue. Um I just did the math and there are people that are better at math than I am, but by my math there's 222 questions on this survey. An adult taking the survey would probably take them about 45 minutes to an hour and 15 minutes. That's an adult. Sixth grader, eighth grader, maybe, you know, maybe by the time

087you get to 12, 10 and 12 grade, you'll be kind of at that. So, it's a really long time and at some point um you are just going to check out of that. Um the other things for me that I look at um so children at their different grades are having different developmental milestones. So when you're in sixth grade you're starting to develop that emotional control and you are um the outside influence is increasing to you right in a way where when you're younger you're kind of devoid of that. you know, in eighth grade, you're beginning to question authority a little bit, right? And by the time you get to 10th and 12th grade, you are, if everything is good in your development, you're starting to develop that respectful separation from your parents. But some

088of these questions about families um contribute to our students being deemed at risk because of parental attitudes that are deemed antisocial. So, let me break this down a little bit because this is really troubling and it came from 2021, 2022. And I do just want to say this is a widely used survey tool. It's in probably over 400 school districts. I think there probably was a point in time where maybe not all these questions were relevant, but maybe there was some some use to it. But getting into some of these family issues, that's basically like saying out of you and a friend that between the both of you that you are deemed at risk because the way that you answered questions about your family show that they support antisocial behavior, right? And so what is

089antisocial behavior? It's violence, bullying, gang involvement. I mean, we have a pretty good district. We are ranked very well in the US News and World Report. I have a hard time believing that one out of every two parents condones violence, bullying, gang involvement, and weapons. So, the reason why I'm drawing that out is that when we look at the development in children at those ages, and when we look at the way these questions are asked and we look at the fatigue of taking 222 uh survey questions, I think that we're not really getting valid responses. But to what Mrs. Pengle was saying, not only is this used by our district, but it's used by lawmakers. It's used to drive decisions. And so, in our particular district, saying that 51% of our students are deemed at

090risk because of their parental attitudes for antisocial behavior. I was shocked when I heard that. I was like, who are those parents? I don't know those parents. Um, so I'll just give you a couple couple examples of them. So, one other thing that I really dislike about this survey is that rate um rating scales are usually better than like a binary yes or no. And so, in some of the family questions, they'll say um do you share your thoughts and feelings with your parents and your caregivers? Who's going to answer that is really yes. Maybe you might say maybe on any given day, but your choices are no with an exclamation point, no in uh little letters, yes in little letters, and then yes with an exclamation point. So, it seems as though there's some

091differentiation in those answers, but there's really not. Um, I think another question, you know, do you enjoy spending time with your parents, caregivers? I mean, I don't know who's going to answer that in that way. Probably not all the time. But another one that really stood out to me was, um, knowing that children can push boundaries, the question is, do you and your parents argue about the same things over and over again? Yeah. Right. Yeah. So for me, the lens on the family and the way that some of the way that students would respond to these based on their developmental ages and how they would answer those, but us taking that as, oh my goodness, half of our district's children are at risk because of their parental attitudes towards antisocial behavior, >> I don't think

092that's very helpful. So, but I agree. I think trying to get maybe some of this maybe in the own way that we could do it could be helpful. Um, but I don't think it's 222 questions. >> I appreciate that very much. I hadn't counted the questions and I was a gasast when I heard you say how many. And I also appreciate you highlighting the family questions. I wanted to spend time there, but I didn't want to take too long and I'm I'm so appreciative of that because those were particularly bothersome. I do want to say that I also did reach out to many legislators and um, yeah, they're not a fan. quite simply, they're just not a family. >> So, and just just one last quick point, this survey is given every two years to

093the same group of kids, >> meaning we're completely skipping any sort of input from half of our student population. >> It's a weird thing. >> So, yeah. >> Anyone else? All righty, moving on. Any nays or abstensions to this? That motion carries. 8.08 to food donation agreements from McCormick. Dr. Reppert, can you do this one for me? >> Yes, Mrs. Hankle. Uh McCormack has provided an opportunity where they're going to be donating uh food items to our middle school and high school be used in the uh the fax program. uh gives us an opportunity to not use taxpayer money in order to, you know, assist in the the awesome things that they've been able to so far uh provide. If you have an opportunity, board directors, when you're visiting the building, please stop by Mrs.

094Duca's classroom or Mrs. Longs at the middle school. Uh Dr. Bryson and I got the sample uh muffins was that last week, Dr. Bryson. Yeah. And very creative uh things that they were able to do. So, thank you to McCormack for providing this opportunity and the donation. >> That's awesome. All right. Move to approve two food donation agreements with McCormack to receive products at no cost to the district. May I have a second, please? >> Second. >> Um, I would just like to highlight that in education, there were two major things that save our district money. So, that's goes in the pro column. Uh, does anybody have any other things of discussion? No. Any nays or abstensions? >> We'll take the Freeman. I know, right? Nays or abstensions, anyone? All right, that motion carries. And

0958.9, I don't have any other items of business. >> All right. Um, moving on to item nine, finance and budget. I'll turn it over to our treasurer, Mr. Wilson. >> Okay. Thank you, President Hankle. 9.01, financial reports. This is our monthly uh treasures report, tax collection report, budget status report, cafeteria report for the month of September. I'm going to do my numbers as usual. For our general fund, general concentration account, we started the month with 10,640,55.68. We ended the month with 19,621,639.89. the investments um down just a little bit 25,672,33659 and ended the month at 25,150,000 $100,5048.38. Um the rest of the information there is for your perusal. One thing I do want to point out, um, Sue, is the we're seeing on the cafeteria report, we've gotten like about a 10% drop off year

096to year on our the meals purchased. Just I just didn't know if that was something we talked about with the food service folks. >> I can take a look at it. It might have to do with student days. >> Yeah, possibly. Yeah, but I was just it was something I noticed. and are happy or not uh remains above 60% which is positive. Uh the rest of the information is there for your perusal. 9.02 I'm going to make a motion to approve the bills for payment as presented. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Um any discussion or questions on these? Any nays or abstensions? None. Motion passes. 9.03. I'm going to make a motion to approve the exonerations and refunds as presented. We have two on here. Uh, may I have a second? >>

097Second. >> Um, any discussion on this? Pretty routine stuff. Um, any nays or absentions? Hearing none. Motion passes. 9.04. 04. Uh, we have some budget transfers. I'm going to make a motion to approve the budget transfers as presented. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? Okay. Any ns or abstensions? Hearing none. Motion passes. Final. And we got to 9.05. Uh, this is for your information. This is the results of the 2024 2025 fiscal year and 2026 2027 budget development timeline. Uh Mrs. Green. >> Thank you, Mr. Wilson. [Applause] >> Good evening. just have a really summary update this evening and then next month we'll get into much more um financial information when we look at the budget. So this evening we're just going to talk briefly about a preliminary 2425 results. Um

098we're almost through our audit so these are probably very good numbers but not quite complete. Um provide an an overview of district enrollment. uh we'll talk a little bit about the state budget that isn't yet and then we will look at 2627 budget timeline and the act one index. So preliminary 2425 um so over the last several years um prior to the 2425 year we received a lot of federal funding. Um we do not have that in this budget. It's going to look a little different. The results are going to look different than they have in the last several years. So for 2425 had about $1.8 million of higher revenues than what we budgeted. We'll talk about how that why that was. Um expenditures went the other way. We had about $2.4 million um more

099expenditures than what were budgeted. Um that's due to transfers. Again, we'll talk about that. And finishing the high school project. Um so our surplus, we'll look at surplus and deficit against the budget. Um, and really that's why I broke out those non-recurring transfers. We had non-recurring transfers of about $4 million. That's finishing up the high school project and the $ 1.7 million transfer we made um last November for um capital reserve projects. So, we'll go into a little more detail with that. So, revenues, it's really um when you look at it, there's two things driving the surplus in revenues. Uh the first one in local revenues, pretty much everything is flat. Again, we'll go into more detail next month, but everything uh real estate taxes were very flat. Earned income taxes were very flat, if

100not slightly declining. Um that 700,000 is all interest earnings. Um so pretty much the entire amount of that is interest earnings. Then when we look at state revenues, um that really is and I think I've said several times, we have been the recipient of very good funding at the state level in the last several years and that is what's been helpful to the district and enabling us to balance the budget. Um that's made up of a couple things about $500,000 of adequacy funding. Um charter school funding that returned to us of about 137,000 um that we haven't had for many years. And then we were the recipient of the asbestous facility grant of about $190,000. There's a couple other things in there, but that's the bulk of what's going on at the state level. So,

101um, from a local standpoint, although it's $700,000, it's only 1.67%. So, not not that much different um between budget and actual. Um, really we're looking at the 5% increase in state funding over what we had budgeted. Um, really is the windfall there. So when we look at expenditures, really want to draw your attention um on the expenditures to the first three sections because when you look at the transfers, it's really muddied by um those additional transfers I talked about before and um we had that additional debt service if you remember um budgeted for ongoing projects which we've removed for the 25 26 year. So, we're going to we're going to look at just the first three categories and not look at transfers. Um, when you look at the first three categories, actual expenditures are within

1020.82% of budget. So, less than 1% variance. So, we pretty much used up the budget. So, that's very different um than what we've seen in the last couple years. And really, when we're talking about staffing, um we did have some staffing vacancies. We did have some turnovers. it's been more stable as as we know and so really um because it's more stable it is more um accurate to what we budgeted. So very close and important as we go into looking at the 2627 budget next month. So enrollment comparison um when we compare 2526 against 2425 um we look at probably halfway down uh the chart total enrollment in our buildings were down or we're down about 19 students. Um so I I think when we preliminary looked at Dr. Dr. Bryce and I it was

103about 50, but um now that the dust has settled um with the October reporting, we're down about 19 students um from last year to this year. Um and then our charter school and York County School of Technology numbers are are very close from from year to year. So, what we'd also like to to compare though um is the 10-year comparison from 1516 to 2526. um our total change in buildings. Um so I'm sorry I have these kind of the opposite of the last chart. Um they're down about we're down about 349 students in building. Um if we look at all of the students that we educate or pay to educate um we're down about 285 students. Um, so that is something we've been looking at and as you know um our staffing h we have

104been um ratcheting down our staffing the last couple years and something we will also continue to look at um due to the decline in students but it did stabilize a little bit more this year than last year. That's duplicate and then state budget. So we still do not have a budget. Um couple things on the house bill that's out there that was approved. Um those numbers are very positive. Um sorry my slide kind of went wonky there. Um they're they're above budget. So if that I would be very happy if they passed that. Um those are those are pretty good numbers for us. Um the other thing that is good about um that bill is cyber charter funding was eliminated. So I talked about revenues that we got um for cyber charter funding. That's in

105exchange for a change in the expense calculation. I look at this as more positive because funding kind of comes and goes. If we change what the calculation is on what we have to pay for um cyber students that would be ongoing. So I I see that as more positive. Um and our understanding is education this year. A lot of times education is what's holding up the state budget and what we're hearing from our association is that um our state association is that um education is not the budget hold up this year. Um so hopefully it'll get moving soon because it is very difficult to put together the 26 27 budget when you don't know what you got in 2526. So um that's challenging as we move forward. Um the act one index for this year

106is now out. Uh base index is 3.5 because our market value income aid ratio is greater than point4 um we get an adjusted index of 4.4%. So if you remember that is the index we either need to stay within that index or um apply for exceptions. So um as we look at next month that'll be part of the discussion um and from a budget timeline um you have that attached to board docs kind of goes through the budget timeline if there would be potential use of exceptions or if we stay within the index um and do the traditional um budget timeline. So, next month, uh, we will first have our budget presentation on Tuesday, November 18th at the budget and finance committee meeting at 5:30. Uh, we'll then have updates throughout the winter and spring.

107Um, followed by a detailed budget in the March finance and budget meeting. Um, and then with the approval, first approval in April, final approval in May, so that we can get our tax bills out there and get interest earnings, which are very important to our budget. more to come. >> Thank you, Mrs. Green. Um, >> quick question. The continued state hold up, how is that affecting us as a district beyond I mean, obviously, we can't plan for next year until we've got some sense. >> Is there any day-to-day hiccups that we're starting to see in relation? >> Not at this point. Um, we do have the fund balance back that we've reserved for capital projects. So, we're from a cash flow standpoint, um, it's not a concern. What is a concern is we always get,

108you know, we typically get our money in starting in August from the state. We're not getting that. So, we're not earning interest. >> So, um, that $700,000 above budget that we got from interest earnings, we are not going to have that next year for multiple reasons. We're spending it down because of our building projects. uh interest rates are declining as we know Federal Reserve reduced them and we don't have our state funding and so that number is going to drastically that's going to put a big hole in our budget a big hole. So and you know again from our standpoint at this point it's not impacting us being able to pay things but it is impacting us on a revenue side. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Um 9.06 06. I'm going to make a motion

109to approve an agreement with Hometown Ticketing Incorporated relating to the acceptance of credit cards at ticketed events through June 30th, 2028 with fees to be paid by the consumer and equipment to be purchased by the district at an approximate cost of $2,000. May I have a second? >> Second. Um, this is so we can take credit cards for games. >> And if this is approved, um, the intent would be to start that for the, um, winter sports season. But if I may, I want to throw a shout out to Mr. Carrington and Mr. Blandon for working through this and getting us moving forward on this. >> Thank you guys for that. >> Thank you. Yes. Thank you. >> The um, the equipment, what's Do we have an expected lifespan on that? Yeah. >> So they

110are um iPads that would be used. So I would I would say approximately five to five years is generally what we get from that type of equipment. >> So book iPad type >> we'd be looking at about $400 a year um you know to to replace them on on a fiveyear term. >> Uh what's um >> so the the district is absorbing that. Is there any plan to pass that along to the to the uh people that are using the the service of the credit card uh to so there's a charge per transaction? Yeah. Is is there >> any plan to prorate that in? >> There's not because really the fees are done by the company. So I think a I think that'd be difficult but also we we will have other benefits from the

111system in that um it'll help us with reconciliation of ticketing. So, they'll use the system whether you're cash or credit card. I mean, there won't be a charge obviously if it's cash, but we'll we'll be able to keep track of um passes and individual tickets and ticketing and reconciliation of tickets. >> So, there's some efficiencies. Yes. Gained. Okay. >> Um Okay. Real quick followup. These the devices we're going to be using for this, are they cellular or are they Wi-Fi? Might be. That may be a great question. I because the only reason the only reason I bring that up is in the building a Wi-Fi is fine, but if we're using it out, >> we have Wi-Fi out of >> You have Wi-Fi all the way. Okay. >> Because if we need to use it

112for emergency purposes, we do have Wi-Fi. >> Okay. >> So, I don't know the answer to that, but I do know we have Wi-Fi. >> Does Does concessions take credit cards, too? >> They do not. >> Could they be a part of this? Okay. >> Not today necessarily, but looking >> Well, I I I know there's I know there's a reason why it's not that simple, but I don't know what that what that reason is. I I know there is a direct reason why it's not that simple to let them use it, but I'm not exactly sure, but I'll find that out. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Um any other discussion on this? >> Any nays or abstensions? Hearing none. Motion passes. Those are not priority answers to >> No. Okay, I got it.

113>> Okay. Uh 9.07. Other items of business? I have none. So, I'll return it to you, President Henle. >> All right. Moving on to item 10, personnel and policy. I will turn it over to our personnel and policy chair, Mrs. Samantha Hall. >> Thank you, President Henle. Item 10.01. We have the second reading and approval of the following new or updated policies. So, just as context, we did a um first read last month and all the policies that are have been posted are up tonight with the exception of one um for approval and the one that we will take out I'll discuss in item 10.02 which is on AI. So, I would like to make a motion to approve the following new or updated policies. Do I have a second? >> Second. Uh any discussion

114on any of them? All right. Any nays or abstensions? Okay. Hearing none, that motion carries. Um item 10.02 is a first reading of um the AI board policy and I know that we have some information about that. So I wanted to turn that over to Dr. Reert. >> Thank you, Mrs. Hall. So this evening uh Dr. Hughes and I uh would like to just give an update on the artificial intelligence the AI committee. I just give an update based on what the focus has been uh since the beginning of the school year and kind of look at where we're going moving forward. >> So as the leaves are changing colors right now, so do we grow and learn. So we are um well into um our AI committee. We've been meeting every month and really

115um having a lot of discussion, a lot of action items that have come forward from this um opportunity for us to move forward. >> So to highlight some of the questions that have come up in board discussion in August as well as in uh September board meeting, uh we're gonna kind of do a little ping pong. I'm going to ask a question and Kim's going to give a response and kind of move forward. So Kim, taking a look at uh the AI, the generative AI, what are we using currently regarding generative AI within our district? >> So one of the things we identified in our committee is that there are many different types of AI. So we really needed to go back and kind of figure out what are we using, what types are they,

116what are the pieces out there. So that's one of the pieces that we used as a committee was really going through and starting to look at what are we currently using, what is generative AI, which is what a lot of people are hearing about. That's like your chat GPTs. And then whenever you go into all of the different types of AI, which will have a little bit more of a learning session for both our board and our community, we want to make sure that we get this information out to them. >> So Dr. Dr. Hughes, when's that going to be available on our website? >> Well, Dr. Reert, this evening we have started um we have taken a lot of um opportunity. Pat, if you could pull up for us our um if you could

117go to our website, we wanted to lead you through where you can actually go. When you go to menu, you're going to go down to curriculum. You're going to enter into curriculum. go down to our curriculum blueprint. We'll have directions on how to get here. And then we have a new tab down at the bottom that talks about our technology tools. When you go into that, you can search for any grade level. So, right now, we went into grade number 11. Cat, if you could please click on the first button for us and do the more. So we wanted to do a quick one pager for everyone about what is our philosophy on AI in Southern New York County School District. Our committee came up with this. We looked at the operations really looking at

118that financial prudence and data security teachers fostering critical thought. That is something that we're very um holding very near and dear to our hearts that we want to make sure that we're using AI for the correct purposes. And finally for our students building that AI literacy for a complex future so that they're able to navigate this. The next part of this talks about what is our vetting process and we've used this for not just AI tools but all technology tools. really we wanted to come up with a process where our teachers are able to come up with a AI tool or a technology tool. They said they talk to their principal about this and it goes through a process to make sure it's the best thing out there and that it's going to meet the

119needs that we have um for this for our students. So the teacher would then meet with their principal talk about what it is that they'd like to have approved. The principle then if it's an elementary school to once again we want to go back to commonality it goes to a a committee meeting where we actually talk about the tools as an administrative staff. We talk about this with some of our coaches to make sure that we have the correct product and then it goes through another level. It goes now to our technology department where they're looking at it for all of the COPA compliance for both. We're looking at age ranges for this. We know that some of our tools are allowed for students that are 13 and above, some of them are for students

120that are younger, and some of them are for students that are older. So, we want to make sure that the tool is meeting the educational needs and the age requirements for our students. It will then come to the director of curriculum and instruction where I go through and make sure it matches. What are we using this for for an instructional purpose and how is it going to benefit us? And then ultimately um once it's approved, it'll go on to our website in here and you'll be able to see in a minute what our parents will see when they go in. They'll look at this. Um once again, we have look every single app is going through an age appropriate usage. um not only is it age appropriate, but is it able to be used by

121those students? So, looking at it from a various um points. So, parental permission, we'll get to that one in another minute because we have a little bit more in-depth talk that's going on. You'll see down here when I talked about those different types of AIS, generative, predictive, descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, reactive, autonomous. There's a lot of different types, but we wanted to make sure that we put exactly what each one of those are. And we gave examples so that parents will be able to look at this and say, "Okay, this is what they're using this for." And then finally, we wanted to make sure we included what happens if there's misuse. So, all of this information is found on our um website, but in addition, K, if you go down to the next tab for me

122now, these are all our A toy tools. So, as a parent or community member, you can go in see exactly what we're using in our district. I'm going to have you go to um the Cammy web, please. It's the K K A M I >> alphabetically >> down a little bit more. There we go. So, you'll see this um tool uses descriptive AI. It is not a tool that has generative AI which is what we um are very concerned about and making sure that we are um making sure that age restrictions and all of those pieces are in here. So there is a link that takes you to the website so that you can see what this is. If you click on view please for me it then goes into a description of the purpose

123of the tool and gives examples of how this tool is used. So, this is in here for each one of our apps, um, websites, and all of our technology tools. Once again, I need to stress right now, we have no generative AI tools that are open to students right now. One of the things that we want to be very careful with is before we start opening these and going through parental permissions and giving information out, we want to make sure that we understand what the tool is doing and that we're able to use it effectively and teach to the tool. So, we've slowed the process down a little bit so that we as our teachers have a lot more professional development. our committee was saying that, you know, when we really started looking through these,

124a lot of the tools that we're using are not generative. They're really about um helping with um coaching or helping with um giving a diagnostic which gives us data back about how the students are scoring. So that's where we wanted to slow down a little bit with the generative AI because we also realized that there's research out there that they're getting that we need to make sure that we're staying an understanding of the benefits but also any harms that could come from this. >> That's why I like to ask the questions. Thank you Dr. So I guess the last part then is what does the parent do to go what process they have to go through to approve the use of this these tools with for their child. >> So once again we're looking at

125parent um approval for all generative AI tools. We don't have any right now but we're building the process so that this will go out. We know that the COPA permissions are going to change um I believe it's a or April of this year. So, we know that we're going to be updating our COPA permissions to go above 13. Um, so it'll be in our COPA permissions right now. We're still working with the committee to make sure, but that will go out to all of our parents at the beginning of the school year where they'll be able to look and see everything that's on there and also have conversations. If there's something on there that they have questions about, we'll be able to interact with um parents. And then we'll keep our um all of these

126items updated. As soon as they are approved, it then goes live for parents to be able to see. So they'll be able to go to the website, get information immediately, and it will be noted on there if anything is a generative AI tool. They'll have seen it in the parent permission, but they'll also see it on our website with information. So we want to just give you an update just based on those components of not only what are we using or not using also focusing on the process to approve let the public see what it currently looks like on our website because it is live now and then what did the parents have what's their responsibility but also going through the approval process for their child to participate or to utilize the tools. >> Any

127questions? Yeah, >> the uh the app screen. I saw the the Cammy one had the AI icon on there. Would So on this screen, anything that has like an AI, not you know, generative or otherwise. >> So in this one, you'll see this tool uses descriptive AI. So we're making sure we put down what type of AI it is. that >> but you're saying that it's easy to actually just visually you can see ah there's an AI tool and then you can go and read the description to get more information >> and so and we wanted to make sure that we're putting in what type of AI tool it is as well just so that parents have an understanding. >> Yeah, >> I have a clarifying question. Um generative is kind of the edge of

128what we're concerned about right now. Um I would uh we we don't have any autonomous AI in use and while we are requiring parent permission for generative AI I think we might need like time traveler permission for autonomous use of AI by by students >> that I just wanted to clarify because it didn't say this one's not used by students but it's definitely not and there's no plan to have students using autonomous AIS uh outside of maybe self-driving cars or which >> they'll that'll outside of our purview. >> Uh you also bring up one of the things that we also need the the state is that we know that these AI tools are going to change and change quickly. So that's one of the reasons we wanted to have this live for people so that

129we can keep this updated for people to be able to see. >> Thank you. One of the concerns that um I was hearing in the dialogue with the board during the AI policy was that we were properly that we were creating a policy that was properly restricting what we would say was the bad stuff, be that tools that are repetitive, if they're age appropriate or if they do or do not meet educational merit. Has the eightstep approval process that you've taken us through, has that denied a tool yet? Um, no. It has allowed us, we had several tools that came forward that did the exact same thing. >> So for >> before it got through the whole process, we were able to say the this is the one that we're going to train on. We're

130going to do like and that's one of the other pieces behind this is that with our technology, we don't want to just put out tools. We want to be able to say, okay, this is the tool. here's training on how to use it appropriately and then help teachers as they're going through this rather than um one of the things also for our technology department is making sure that they're able to handle the the amount of things coming in. >> So we're really using this process to help us streamline and also for our parents if we have parents that are on Class Dojo and also for other communication apps it gets very confusing. So, we're trying to streamline down to one really good app. >> Yeah. Which will give us the ability to give proper oversight

131because there won't be as many tools anyway. And then could you, and I didn't ask you to do this, I'm so sorry, but could you tell us a little bit about the AI stoplight examples? >> Yes. So, one of the things we're working through right now, and we've been in contact with different districts that are using it's called the AI stop plate, and it it's a red, yellow, and green stop plate that allows students to know on this assignment, you're allowed to use this. It would be for more of a generative AI tool, but it would allow you to say you're allowed to use that for this part of the assignment. yellow could be you can use it but it's with teacher permission and I know you're using it and this is the purpose you're

132using it for. Most the time it'll be in the red which says you can't use this um AI tool. One of the things we want to do is work with our teacher to come up with what Southern's stoplight will be so that we can have examples from like an English department that says this is what we're thinking would be a green, a yellow, a red >> and really making sure that we're going through and using um the examples that we're seeing, but we're creating it in house that our teachers are having a hard time doing that. So that's part of what our committee is going to continue the the work on. I love it. Especially since, you know, we have a a component for penalty and so we need to all be very clear what

133is and is not appropriate, what students can and can't do. And then just for a clarification because it's important for parents to understand and for, you know, our entire district, we currently have no student accessible approved generative AI tools. Not one. >> Okay, that's fantastic. Thank you. Um, I just have a question about this screen because originally I was thinking this was all AI related programs, but it's not. It's all of the apps that we would have, apps, websites. Um, what we wanted to do was to make sure that our community understands what we're using. So, it's a a opportunity to be a little bit more transparent >> and here's the tools that we're purchasing, here's the tools that we're using and it allows them to really see, okay, this is, you know, what we're

134kind of putting some emphasis behind. You'll also see in here there's things even like our Clevver, which is like the tool that we use to be able to push out um different programs to our students. So, we wanted to have a place where people can see, oh, okay, this is what the do the we're spending some money on some of these things and what it is, what it does, and how it helps with what we do here in the district. So, having a place where people can go to see everything that we're using. >> Okay. Thank you. Um, one other thing before I just kind of go in and read a little bit about um, what we changed in this read is um, just I don't know how to frame the question and I don't

135need it to be answered here, but just in terms of protection um, in one of the reports that I read um, Pennsylvania is seventh in the United States in terms of cyber attacks and of the different areas that are most vulnerable, universities are very vulnerable as well as K through 12. And so just at a future point in time, I don't even really know what I'm asking in terms of protection, but if that could maybe be another topic of discussion for the AI committee and that you could bring that back to um the board. >> Yes. >> Okay. All right. Item so we're on 10.02, first reading of this AI policy. So this is just for information only, but just for context, as part of our board policy process, this policy was distributed at the

136August board meeting. We discussed it at the September 15th personnel and policy committee meeting and then we went through our first read at the September 17th reading due to the addition of adding um categories and language on age restrictions and I think those were the two major things we did. This policy actually reverted back to a first read which is where we are tonight. So tonight constitutes that first reading and um it will be published for public review I guess next week usually. Is that what we usually say? By Monday. Right. Um and um and then we would move to a second read in November with a board vote and then upon passage of the vote, the policies would be final approved. Um I know some other things that we talked about and this was

137great. Um I do want to just clarify that as far as states go, Pennsylvania does not have um an AI framework for our district. So really what we're seeing tonight, I think is above and beyond with the transparency. So very much appreciate that. Um but things that we talked about um is that we wanted to have um this is part of the implementation of it. We wanted to make sure that we had parent and teacher summaries. We did talk about the parent permissions. Um the inventory is live. Um and then just talking about how it's organized by elementary, middle, and high school, which we have. Um and then you also talked about the teacher technology process as well as vetting. So, I think really the only other things that we're talking about right now are

138just those summaries for parents and teachers to be able to understand what our policy is. Um, and then so the the process for the parent permissions. So, that's not active now yet. So, are we doing that midyear or we're just going to start that next year? What does >> Well, that that's still going to be a discussion that we need to to go back to the committee with. at the beginning of the school year, >> we had parents that completed and submitted the COPA >> for, you know, current use. >> So that that's an item we have to come back to the committee about. We have a meeting coming up in about two two weeks or so regarding that those next steps because as we mentioned back in August, this was something that was going

139to take some time as we're rolling out. Uh but there there was uh questions of the board about having a presentation about specific items and more specifically about how soon we're going to have that one pager of parent information as well as having the the utilization of resources and tools visible to the public. >> Yeah, thank you so much for that. Um is there any other discussion or is there anything else that was added that I missed? >> I I just want to say thank you Dr. Reert, Dr. Hughes for giving that overview. everyone. I know it was kind of hurried, you know, request, but we I think it really clarifies stuff for the board. >> I'm just Yeah, sorry. I'm curious about one thing. The the parents uh so you showed a page that

140went through um our philosophy and some other items. Is that kind of what you envisioned as the parent summary? >> Yes. Well, actually, we have a um communication that will go out tomorrow um that is a parent like letter. So that'll direct them to that page >> and it'll actually it's in a fall format so that parents will be able to see all of that information and but we wanted to make sure it was also on our website so that they can get to it at any time as well. >> Quick sort of related question as we've been going through and filtering down the tools that we're using across I mean that again gets us to be more consistent across our district. um are we finding that we're not using some of the l like

141the licensed tools that we were using before? >> So, one of the things we've been doing is um as a a staff we've been evaluating over the last two years. So, last year we started really decreasing some of the things that we weren't using on a regular basis. So, it's a continuation. We continually have those conversations. Um, a lot of what we have right now are either with a program that we have um or it's been brought for board approval um for those new tools. But we were able to decrease last year based upon evaluating and saying is this really cost effective for what it's giving us. >> Great. Going into the budget season cost savings or >> Yes. >> Welcome. Sue Green likes that. >> Thank you. >> Anything else? All right, moving on

142to item 10.03. Um this is um about anou for our um warrior wellness program. So, I would like to make a motion to approve a memorandum of understanding with the Southern New York Education Association and the Southern New York Educational Support Personnel Association concerning um the Warrior Wellness Program. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Uh any discussion? Uh any Naz or abstensions? All right. Hearing none, that motion passes. And item 10.04, other items of business. I have none. And so I pass that back to President Hankle. >> All right. Thank you. Moving on to item 11, uh, buildings and grounds. Uh, I see Ry's already getting up to give us the, uh, buildings and grounds report. Uh, 11.01. Take it away, Randy. >> 11.01, the buildings, grounds reports for your for your reference.

143I just put out a couple things there. Um obviously our campuses have um beautiful large mature trees. Unfortunately um we've experienced some of those trees uh have had some issues and have we've had to had them taken down. Um as we've looked back uh and talked um to some of the experts um it's actually from what they believe the weather of 2024 um has now coming into effect. um some of these large trees. Um so I just wanted to point that out. We have we'll have some bills for for that. Um we're also um the Westward Storm Drainage Project um which required five years of uh inspections has uh is coming to completion. Uh and more is listed in the in the report. Um, so with that, any questions there? I can go on to

14411.02, the water test report for September. And you'll find that um those uh test reports were all safe. And that's where your um for your information, >> right? Thank you. >> 11.03. 03 um would ask the board um to resend the September 17th, 2025 award of request for qualifications for an energy service company to site logic IQ. >> Uh screen, would you like to talk talk through this the these these couple items? >> Yes. Yeah. >> Um so the first one 11.03 3. Um we did have the vote on September 17th. So we so we went through the process um as you remember of requesting proposals um from firms. We sent it out to multiple firms. Um we received some proposals back. We interviewed, we did everything. Um we subsequently realized that the um notification

145was not put into the newspaper um as we sent in. Um so we are asking to resend this and we started the process all over again. Um we did um make sure that the was in the paper. Um and then we went through asking for proposals again. Um we received the two proposals back um unchanged from the original um and we are recommending site logic. So, the first would be to resend the September 17th um vote and then the second would be to vote again um on that proposal. >> And and we requested to have it in paper just somehow it didn't actually get printed. >> Correct. >> Um okay. I'll make a motion to uh rescend the September 17th, 2025 award of request for qual qualifications for an energy services company to site logic

146IQ. uh or no that's site logic sorry uh because of the failure of the required public notice being advertised in the newspaper of general circulation do I have a second >> second >> any discussion any nays or abstensions hearing none that motion carries and then 11.04 04 is kind of just restarting the process. So I'll make a motion to approve awarding the request for qualifications for energy services company to site logic and uh to authorize the administration to advertise as necessary for the guaranteed energy savings act. Uh I make the I make that motion. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> I hope the paper does it this time. >> Any nays or abstensions hearing? on that motion carries. Uh 11.05. >> 11.05 uh move rather quickly, very similar to what

147we've seen over the past uh few months. Um not a lot of update. Uh would point out the um the general contractor was closed out u and we'll see that be reflected in the reports coming up. Um but uh still working to close the other the other three prime contractors out. Um but getting very close to uh closing out the the project. So if I can kind of flip through the there. So very similar to to previous months. Any questions with with that? We're going to 11.06. Um snow's around the corner. you know, we got to be prepared for that. So, um, the company that we were using, Aquatic Resource Restoration Company, uh, was bought by Kinsley Construction. Um, for your consideration, um, is an agreement, uh, with Kinsley Construction um, acquiring Aquatic Resource Restoration

148Company to allow that contract to continue forward. um they had a partnership u and a lot of the resources were already being shared over the last couple years with with that contract. So um I don't see a change in service. I think you know u that'll that'll continue forward for us. Um and we have a couple years yet on that contract. >> All right. I'll make a motion to approve the assignment and assumption agreement with Aquatic Resource Restoration Company and Kinsley Construction LLC. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? Any nays or abstensions? Hearing none, we'll keep the parking lots clear. That motion carries. All right. >> 11.07 07 uh booster heater at Shrewsbury Elementary um believed to be original to the building. Um had some has had some issues. Uh the

149tank is actually uh leaking um and had some issue with it going out on high limit. Um so it's a critical piece in the dishwasher. um you know, it actually boosts the water the temperature up um to help to disinfect the uh um dishes and and wares that they they put through. Um so I'd ask the board to consider uh replacing that dishwasher, the the booster heater for the dishwasher. And I'll make a motion to approve the the uh motion to award the proposal uh from Neiman Refrigeration of York, Pennsylvania in the amount of $7,200 for the new booster heater equipment or the Shrewberry Elementary School existing dishwasher to be paid for by the food service fund. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> I have a motion and a second. Uh I'll just

150say I did speak with Mr. Hall earlier today and he said he did do some research on this and that is a good price. So, um I I'm taking his word on that. Um he but he usually usually suit does a pretty good job with those things and uh and and he did a double check on that just just to just to make sure and uh apparently that's a pretty good price. So, um any uh any further discussion? Any nays or abstensions? Hearing none, that motion carries. 11.08 08 the uh use of facilities is there for your information. 11.09 other items of business I have none. So I'll move on to the transportation health and safety report. Uh any highlights uh from you Mr. Green on that? >> No. Um just shout out to our

151bus drivers as always. I know that's the next item um at school bus safety week but um things are going well. >> Okay. as we get in into the groove. >> All right, sounds good. I'll highlight a few items out of the report here. So, during the month of September, uh the transportation department for student dispatcher successfully completed the following. Successfully covered all routes for secondary and elementary with zero bus splits. Actively resolved approximately 120 incoming calls regarding various matters. Planned and organized 31 after school activity bus route bus routes. Uh planned and organized upcoming field trips for all five buildings. partnered with the new athletic director to plan bus coverage for 52 sports events. Partnered with private schools to adjust routes for new attendees. Transportation for student the LIU and SYCSD special education work

152together to create and maintain routes for students attending out of district schools and in district moves. Um, and completed on-site assessments and follow-ups for reported bus stop concerns from the community. All right, moving on to 12.02 02 bus safety week. In recognition of bus safety week, the district would like to recognize our first student bus drivers. The highlighted features of bus safety week this year were tips for adult and student drivers and safety tips for school bus riders focusing on I do my part for school bus safety. Uh item 12.03 other items of business. I have none. So we'll move on to our athletic report. Mrs. Doberman, >> thank you. Um item number 1301 is athletic report and we have quite a lengthy one. The Warriors are reaching the end of some sports seasons and

153postseasons for other sports um of a great 2025 fall sports season. So here are the current highlights. girls tennis. They finished the regular season in first place in the YIAA Division 2 standings with a league record of seven to seven to zero, an overall dish overall record of 12-2. In addition, they finished the season sixth for AAA schools in the PIAA district 3 power rankings. Summer Ant oek won the PIAA 3A tournament singles championship. Also, Summer and McKenzie Hajj earned second place in the YIAA triple AAA tournament doubles. Both tennis players are currently in PIAA District 3 tournaments. for field hockey. Field hockey finished the season in first place in the YIAA Division 2 with a league record of 10 to zero and then 17 to zero overall. They are currently ranked third in double

154A schools in PIAA district 3. They are currently in the YIAA divi tournament playing first round game on the 13th and I don't know the outcome of that. Do you know Caleb? I think they won. >> They won. Good. Um with semifinals yesterday, they win. >> I think they won. >> They usually win. >> And championship game um is the 18th if they continue to advance. They will start PIAA district tournament play the week of the 20th playing Cocalico. Um cross country. The Warrior boys and girls cross country team had a very strong regular seasons. The boys team finished second place in the YIAA division while the girls team placed third. Both teams are running in the P ran in the PIAA championship on the 14th. Do you want to give an update on that?

155I know you know that one. >> We are both going both girls and boys teams are going to districts on the 25th. >> Yes. at Big Spring High School. >> That's awesome. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Um, congratulations. >> Um, the girls volleyball finished their regular season in second place in the YIAA Division 2 with a league record of 10-2, an overall record of 11 to 5. They begin YIAA Division play on the 15 on it says August 15th. I'm hoping that's October 15th. >> Um, and PIAA District 3 tournament play the week of the 20th. They finished ranked They finished ranked eighth in the PIAA District 3A power rankings. Boys soccer. Hold on. I might have an update. No, I don't think so. No. Um, Warrior boys soccer finished first in PIAAA Division

1562 with a league record of 10 and two and overall record of 150 and two. They finished the regular season ranked second in PIAA District 3 power rankings for AAA schools. They begin YIAA tournaments on the 14th. they began them and PIAA District 3 tournament play the week of the 20th. Um, Mary Lee text us and at halftime around 3:25, Nor Eastern was in the lead 1 to zero. I didn't get an update since um girls soccer. They finished their regular season in first place in YIAA Division 2 with a league record of 11 to1 and overall record of 13 to4. The Warriors finished their regular season ranked fourth in the PIAA District 3 power rankings for AAA schools. They start Y AIA. They started YIAA play on the 14th and PIAA district 3 tournament

157play the week of the 20th. Mary Lee did give me an update. Um, as of tonight, the girls won one to zero. Um, football football is currently two to two to six on the season and ranked 17th in PIAAA District 3. We will be hosting senior night this Friday and at the final home football game of the season. Golf. Warrior golf finished their regular season in third place in the YIAA Division 2 with a record of 11 to 19. Brody Lamb finished 24th in the YIAA championships for the boys. and Addison Cleti finished sixth in the YIAA championships for the girls which advanced her to the PIAA District 3 Champion Tournament. Um, and that's all for that report and then I have no other items of business. >> Thank you. All right. Item 14, committee

158report other business. Anyone? All right. Moving on to item 15.01, legislative council. I have some updates here. Uh so, um and uh Mrs. Hall, uh Mrs. Merley Hall sent me these earlier. Um so, uh both the House and Senate returned to Harrisburg last week where each caucus held press conferences on the late budget 108day impass. They are now on the call of the chair to return to Harrisburg if a budget deal is struck to vote. If you would like to share your board voice to reflect uh how the impass is affecting our district, please reach out to government affairs at psba.org. The impass is attributed to far more spending than taxes collected leading to tax increases which the Senate and House reject and advocate uh and advocate for a plan to spend within their means

159and balance the budget responsibly. Uh, okay. Voted out of the house. House Bill 1701, school facilities inventory. Uh, this legislation will create a school facilities inventory within the PA Department of Education to oversee and maintain a public school facilities and building condition assessments. Um, I'm going to add my own little note. Uh, also in the PA House, uh, this is just of some level of local interest, Christopher Rab, uh, representative out of Philadelphia introduced, uh, legislation once again to ban the use of Native American mascots, uh, in Pennsylvania schools. Uh, this has not been successful in the past. Um, he does have co-sponsors, so um, I guess, you know, we don't have a budget, but, uh, at least that's happening. um legislative hearings. The Senate Education Committee and Techn Communications Technology Committee held a joint

160hearing last week to hear testimony on the impact of artificial intelligence on education. The House Agricultural and Rural Affairs and Education Committee held a joint hearing this week to examine House Bill 1768, referred to as the Keystone Fresh Act, to increase the quantity and variety of local produce sold to serve NPA schools. Higher Education Help Assistance. Uh the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency or PHAA is reminding all high school students and their families that the 202627 Pennsylvania Student Aid Guide is now available to help navigate the college planning process. The guide is the most comprehensive financial aid publication, offering in-depth information on the federal student aid process and details on Pennsylvania aid programs at no cost to students and families. The online version is interactive and provides links to information on grants, scholarships, loans, work

161study programs, and more. Visit www.phaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.org to get started. The Senate will return for regular session on Monday, October 20th, and the House will be back in session Monday, October 27th. Uh, Director Bill Hall and, uh, Director Mary Lee Hall will be attending the PSBA PASA school leadership conference this Sunday, October 19th through Tuesday, October 21st, and will represent our school district for the delegate assembly in collaboration with other legislative representatives to approve proposed changes for the 2026 PSBA legislative platform. All right. Uh and moving on to York County School of Technology. >> Uh I have a little bit of updates. Um they did start giving us the preliminary budget. Um one of the biggest operational expenses rise was um transportation. Um it runs them $3303 per day per run with fuel. and they're trying to

162get the c the the runs down in time because the kids spend a lot of time on the bus coming from all the districts. So, they're trying to implement more buses. Um homecoming is the 25th. They have 7 to 900 kids at homecoming, which I think is huge. Um 8th grade visits, they will come and visit our eighth graders on the 21st and talk about York Tech. And then um there was a supervisor or superintendent meeting and the summary was that they're not interested in change of any of the programs and they are not in favor of expanding York Tech um when it was proposed to them because they did not want more debt. And then the last thing is November 14th, 15th, and 16th um they have a fall play, McBth of the Dead.

163So if you have time, go visit. And that's all I have. >> Thank you. Uh 15.03, the LIU12 reports are uh attached for your information. 15.04, York Adams Tax Bureau. Anything to report? >> Report. >> All right. 15.05 Southern York County School District Foundation. I have the following foundation news. Last Monday was the final day for students to submit entries for our 7th annual thank you card contest to showcase gratitude to all our donors. The winning entries will have their artwork mass-produced as thank you cards for foundation donors and receive a prize. We are very much looking forward to seeing them all and send a warm thank you to all our student artists submitting their great work. Our next foundation meeting will be Tuesday, November 11th. Uh 15.06 6. Other items of business? I have

164not. Anyone else? >> Boys soccer team lost 0 to one. >> Sorry. >> That's very sad. >> Sorry. >> All right. Well, uh, moving on to uh, secretary's report, item 16, 16.01, the student activities report is attached for your information. 16.02, resignations and retirements. We have three that are there for your information. 16.03 03. Other items of business, I have none. 17.01, the uh home education outside cyber charter and southern York digital academy numbers are there for your information. 17.02 announcements by board president and superintendent. Uh I will announce that we had an executive session immediately before this meeting uh for personnel and safety. We will be having one immediately after this meeting for uh I would call it safety in which PIA uh PII may be discussed. Um so uh and then we also

165have a special board meeting October 28th uh that's Tuesday um in this same building beginning at 6 PM. a finance and budget committee meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 18th, uh beginning at 5:30 p.m. And the next regularly scheduled meeting of the board of board of education will be held November 20th uh in this same room beginning at 700 p.m. Dr. Bryson. >> Thank you, President Hel. Just a couple of celebrations. I want to give a big thank you to the great job the Sesuana High School Chorus under the direction of Mr. J. Al House. uh performing a night of Broadway. In addition, Junior Achievement sponsored real life day at SHS uh dayong financial and career readiness forum. Uh and I think Mr. Holly, you were a part of the JA business. So, appreciate

166your help and volunteerism to help out. Um it was an enjoyable day for a PTO sponsored fun run for both SCES and Shrewberry with friendships upcoming. Um big thank you to Mr. Ammerman for all the preparations for college and university um college and career readiness and transitioning. Uh the day they had here, I think it was last week or the beginning of this week, my mind is leaving me. um when all the students uh were able to visit the the gymnasium um to visit different tables from universities from all over. Um big thank you to our staff for uh their participation in annual Rotary Club Southern York County uh sponsored mum sale which raised over $1,300 benefiting our reading is fundamental program as well as districtwide literacy program. Uh special thanks to the Rotary for

167their support as well as uh Miss Betsy Treadwell Treadway and I think her husband who kept my two plants alive when I forgot them over the weekend and came back and was able to recover. So um she'll probably not like that. Thank you. But she deserves it. Um, also wanted just for information, uh, last two superintendent advisories September we did safety and security. Thank you to Matt Litel for presenting to my parent advisory for stu for superintendent advisory as well as uh, Dr. Repper and I'd also like to thank just uh, the opportunity to thank Sergeant Smuk and Mr. Mendes for all that they do across our district on a daily basis. And then this month we did a presentation on high reliability schools and really really got uh extremely positive feedback. They want us

168to go on the road to present HRS across uh our community, but I'm not there yet, but I am taking that into consideration eventually. Um, thank you to all those who are involved in parent teacher conferences which was just a week or so ago. Uh, to our staff for spending a couple long nights and days um, but time well worth it just to connect with the parents and um, share information back and forth that's helpful upon to help with student success. Lastly, uh, Caleb, awesome homecoming week. uh last week. Hopefully you all enjoyed um and to all the staff at at Cesco Hanok for what can be a very long week of nights and partial weekends in the celebration of homecoming. Remain well and keep living your dream. >> Thank you. Uh item 18, new

169business. Anyone hearing? None. I'll move on to item 19. I'll entertain a motion to adjourn the meeting. >> So move. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> All right. I have a motion in a second. Any nays or abstensions? Hearing none, we are adjourned.