001Hello, Mr. Stein. Can you hear us? Testing. Mr. Stein, are you able to hear us at home? Can you hear me now? >> Yes. >> Hello. Okay, good. All right, I'm going to put my phone on mute. all the meeting to order. Please stand for the pledge and a moment of silence. roll call >> here. >> Sheer White >> here. >> Wilson >> here. >> Stein, Mr. Stein will be participating via Zoom and Mrs. Roarball will be announcing his votes on the voting. >> Okay. And Dr. Bradley is out sick this evening and we have Gareth here uh for any action that needs to be taken. >> Good evening. >> Um all right, we did hold executive session July 21st for real estate and personnel. Um anyone in the audience that would like to address
002the board at this time? Okay, seeing none, um we will be moving on to district administration reports uh with Mr. Hehheart giving the high school update. Evening. It worked. All right, that's a step in the right direction. Uh so you have the report there in front of you. Just want to highlight a few things. Uh, number one, for those of you who don't know, our process every year has has been the same. Um, in the spring, we have a survey. That survey gives us some results. It does a deep dive into leadership, academics, culture. We meet with the uh lighthouse team over the summer, and that's where we develop these goals. You can see the building goal and then the leadership, culture, and academics goal. Uh, the main focus for us though, I think this
003year, things to highlight are going to be uh again the lighthouse team. So continuing to use that structure to break down barriers in all three aspects of the building. Um but also moving that framework into the students. Um the last couple years we've tried to build that same exact structure our teachers use uh with the students. We're getting some momentum but if you can picture yourself at 16 17 years old getting involved in leadership throughout the building on a lot of levels is strange and different. So it's going to take a little bit of time to get there. We're heading in the right direction. Uh block schedule obviously uh building wide is is new for this year. Uh the last three years our freshman have experienced some version of block schedule within a schedule and
004we've had a lot of success there. So we feel good about that. But just like any other process uh this year we spent a lot of reflection taking a look at how it's working, things that need tweaked, things that need changed and we'll uh circle back around to those. I think when we do this report again in February have a better idea where we're at with that. And then the biggest um I think win for this year is what the teachers have lovingly referred to as mission control. Uh easiest way to think about that is it drastically increases the amount of touch points that teachers have with kids both with remediation enrichment also with clubs advisory periods. So the things that don't necessarily you're not necessarily in a math class but it's a reason for
005kids to want to come to school. And it also brings back something that when I taught there I thought was um a huge win which was uh heterogeneous grouping within those groups. Meaning you have kids in 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th grade in one advisory group. And I know as a teacher when I had that it was nice to see seniors leading freshman, juniors talking to sophomores, kids that have similar interests and a younger person doesn't necessarily know all this stuff exists at the high school. So that in of itself I think will be a huge win. Um, and then on the flip side of that, uh, it is going to allow us to have more tiered supports, which is a fancy way of saying kids getting what they need when they need it. It's something
006that we've worked on the last few years trying to figure out what that system looks like. So, again, much like block scheduling, I'm excited for it. I'm looking forward to it. U, but we'll continue to monitor it and as we see things that we need to tweak, we'll make those tweaks as we go. Uh, as far as checking in on how all that works, uh, PLTS remain a huge a huge huge plus for us. Uh, teachers schedule those a lot on their own. They schedule their their own PD. We work through those aspects of the building. A lot of great ideas come from there. It gives them additional time to speak um, collaboratively because in a high school, we don't necessarily have, you know, common planning, team planning. So, you have people working in multiple
007departments that get a chance to sit down and talk to one another. Um, we'll have our MRA data again in the spring that we can circle this right back up again and see what we need to improve upon for the following year. And then, uh, faculty meetings this year, uh, we'll continue to to put teachers in the forefront, give a chance for them again to collaborate, a chance for them to report out about what action teams are doing. Um, and it's not just necessarily me giving them day-to-day reports, but it truly has a purpose in professional development. Questions for me? Yeah, >> in terms of the block scheduling. Yep. So, obviously they have a lot fewer um classes, right? Um and they're kind of broken down um four classes, I think, per trimester or whatever
008we're calling it. Is that correct? >> So, it's four per semester. >> Same number of classes in a year. >> Okay. >> That's what kind of you have to think about. So, um like when students would have went through before, you might have one period for 40 minutes every day. So till you take out like, you know, doing the bell ringer, reviewing the agenda, closure, that kind of stuff. It really knocks the amount of time down. What happens now is you're taking that and you're essentially compressing it. And it don't think of it necessarily as two periods for for one because uh where a teacher would have had 180 bell ringers, 180 agenda reviews, 180 closures, you now take 90 of those and remove it. So all that time that would have been spent on
009just managerial tasks in the spring are now all gone which actually dumps more actually useful time into a lesson. Yes. >> Okay. Yeah. >> And my my sense of curiosity though is around um how many different classes we >> how many different electives we have all of the offerings that we have which I feel is >> great for the students. Yep. Um, do you feel that we would end up not having a need for as many classes? Uh, depending on what it is or depending on who who's doing what? >> I would say if you looked at it quantitatively and you take the 230 courses we have um you might have two electives where it's like um let's say engineering one and engineering two and they're both half credits. It's much easier to put engineering
010one and two into one class and call it engineering and make it a full credit class. So it actually allows the kids to go much further into the content and once they pick those things that are of interest to them. So if you just say, "Oh, you went from 230 classes to maybe 150 classes, there's less classes." There isn't. It's just more effective, more efficient, >> more content. >> Yes. And that's one of the things like when the curriculum stuff comes around, I'm sure that's going to come up with discussion at the high school. >> Yep. >> All right. >> Thank you so much. All right. Uh, board and committee reports and information. We do have the minutes from the buildings and grounds committee as well as the policy committee meeting. Does anyone have any
011questions on those? Okay. Um, correspondents, um, you do have your fall parking passes. If you do not want them or want to donate them to someone, uh, please give them to back to Suzanne. But also, um, I do want to recognize, um, Ben Ramsey. That's Yeah, Ben Ramsey. Yes, that's right. Ben Ramsey, we know him. Uh, for five years of service. So, um, we have a certificate for you. So, thank you so much. And this is a thank you from PSBA. Um, moving on to action voting meetings. Um, Yes. >> Yeah. Zero cents for you. Um, all right. Action voting items. Moving on to buildings and grounds with Mr. Ramsey. Buildings and Grounds Board actions requested. Placement of district walk-in cooler freezer storage approval to locate the installation of necessary walk-in cooler freezer storage at
012the high school and contract with Lobar Associates to finalize specifications and move forward with the project at a proposed cost not to exceed $47,000 to be paid from the existing capital projects bond funds. So moved on buildings and grounds. Second. Any discussion? >> I do have uh one question. It says on the background information, it doesn't include the necessary electric backup generator. We won't need a backup generator. We're going to we have enough generator there at the high school to use it. Am I correct on that? Well, >> we do not need to update the generator. We need we had a budgeted line item of about $25,000 to run the hookup and run it or the switch to run from the cooler to the um to what we have existing. >> Thank you. Okay. Roll
013call vote on buildings and grounds. Okay. >> Yes, Mr. Stein is voting yes. >> And >> yes, finally making progress there. All right, moving on to transportation with Mr. Ritz. >> Transportation board actions requested. Item A, 2025 2026 bus routes. Approval of the proposed student bus routes for the 2526 school year. Item B, 2025 2026 Christ bus van drivers approval of the attached list of contracted Christ Bus Company drivers for the 2526 school year. in accordance with the pupil transportation state regulations as set forth in 22PA code 23.4. So moved on transportation. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Roll call vote on transportation. >> Wilson. >> Yes. White. >> Yes. >> Stein has indicated yes. Yes. >> Moving on to policy with Mrs. Bomb. >> Policy board action requested. Citizen advisory committee member acknowledgement of the
014following additional individual to serve on the citizen advisory committee. The Rocket Promise per policy number 9003 Steph Kennedy staff member. So moved on policy board action. >> Second. Any discussion? Roll call vote on policy. >> Shear rant Wilson. >> Yes. >> White. >> Yes. >> Bomb. >> Yes. >> Stein has indicated. Yes. >> Yes. Moving on to personnel with Mr. Baringer. >> Personnel board actions requested. A. a minimum salary stipens matrices uh b ret retirements Tamara Rhett um for 33 years uh of service. C resignations as listed. D teacher appointments approval of the following teacher appointments as listed. E transfer of Lindsay Fetta. F um appointments approval of the following appointments as listed. G athletics um as listed teacher substitutes approval of the following individual holding a PART uh as listed. Support staff substitutes approval
015of the following sub substitutes as listed. We miss something. Uh game manager approval of the following um as listed. It's J K. Uh approval of the following curriculum leaders, department chairs, lead teachers for the the upcoming school year as listed. So moved is personnel. >> Second. >> Any discussion? I know Mr. Stein has requested a se separate vote on K1. >> We do a separate vote on >> Oh my goodness. Don't say that. Just kidding. >> I think I resigned. I think I resigned from my position. >> They are as needed. So if if an event like let's just say this the home opener football game we have uh we need five uh staff members u and it would be one game manager three event staff. So uh the athletic department would use any of
016those and call as needed. So they're all listed. Doesn't mean that they all would work. They depending on the the event depending on what the uh the time of the season. So it could be wrestling, basketball, volleyball. It could be any of those. >> Okay, we're going to do roll call vote on K1. >> Wilson, >> yes. >> Ramsey, >> White, >> yes. >> Bal, >> yes. >> Mr. Stein has abstained. >> Yes. All right. And then roll call vote on all remaining. >> Ritz, >> yes. >> White, >> yes. >> Shear, >> yes. >> Baringer, >> yes. >> Wilson, >> yes. >> Ramsey, bomb, >> yes. >> Stein has said yes. >> And >> yes. Um, we do have some new hires in the audience. So, we will start with Lindsay, our new social
017studies instructor. Uh, Lindsay graduated from Arcadia University with a bachelor's degree in history May of 2019. She recently finished her role as a long-term long-term social studies substitute. Say that fast. Uh, with Kennarddale School District at the high school. Um, Lindsay is filling the vacancy resulting from the transfer of Kyle Sprinkle to the middle school. Welcome. Uh we also have Morgan uh our new Paradise Elementary um instructional assistant for autistic support. Um Morgan is a returning Springrove uh returning to Springrove as an autistic support instructor. um having previously worked in the district, she's filling a longstanding vacancy for the autistic support program that was created with the addition of the needed classes during the 2425 school year. Welcome, Morgan. >> And then we have Rhonda. Is that right, Rhonda? Yes. Hi, Rhonda. Uh Rhonda Shear
018comes to the district with 15 years of experience as a special need personal care assistant with the LIU and previously substituted with Springrove in a support staff capacity. Rhonda is filling the vacancy resulting from a retirement of Barbara Meckley. Um and we welcome you to the district. All right. Thank you all for coming tonight. Um motion to adjourn the action voting meeting. Second. All in favor. All right. Calling to order the director's study forum. All board members stay in attendance. Anyone in the audience that would like to address the board at this time. Seeing none, we will move on to uh business and finance committee. Uh moving on to budget and finance with Mr. White. Thank you, Mr. White. So, um, uh, you have in front of you, um, the list of, um, 202526 fundraising
019organizations as well as 202526 fundraising student activity clubs. So, in accordance with board policy 229, uh we do provide every year a master list of those organizations and the student activity clubs and both of them are annually approved by the school board. Um at this time, are there any questions on either list? Correct. Those are the new ones added from last year. Good question. Anybody else? Okay, then I'll move on to number three. Um and another customary. This time of the year, we are requesting the school board exonerate uh the building uh known as the administration center at 100 East College Avenue as a uh tax exempt uh property for our taxes. Any questions on that? Okay, thank you. >> Okay, moving on to buildings and grounds with Mr. Ramsey. correct Mr. >> Okay. And
020then >> and then um nothing for action items. just wanted to gauge the school board um in some interest of our capital facility tour. Typically around this time of the year we start to talk about it and um what we have done I want to say past it's probably 18 20 years uh we've met on a Saturday um and had a brief meeting and then uh visited a couple of the buildings any of the sites where future capital uh projects were were going to take place. Um I wanted to gauge the board's interest because it seems like the past couple years um past couple years we've been having more of committee meetings and like especially with our buildings and grounds committee meeting and doing more tours. So again just to gauge interest do we want
021to look at a Saturday or do we want to uh possibly turn it back just to like our buildings and grounds committee and then do the uh tour there and bring back a full report to the full board. So just looking to gauge interest. >> We are going to is it possible >> the retreat? So I was think great lines. Um yeah, so on the 23rd we're doing our board retreat. I'm wondering if we can start with that and then move into our retreat. So maybe we can or do it after um if that's an option on the 23rd. >> I I will check with Mr. styles of myself and >> if not yeah >> and maybe it's um we just do the high school this year and take a peek at you know where
022the coolers are going and how that progress is going and um and again we meet there and That's okay. I just knee-jerk. That's where my mind went. >> If If that doesn't work, is there a second option? >> We will get you that uh our capital reserve list out ASAP and then we'll go from there. Okay. If August 23rd does not work, >> what? >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Y >> sounds good. Thank you. >> All right. Moving on to our management committee's policy with Mrs. Balm. >> All right. Our our first item is the proposed board meeting schedule. And I don't know, Mr. Bradley, Dr. Bradley was going to speak about it. His name's listed there. >> Yeah. Just keep going. Okay. All right. Um, number two is the mass update to
023relevant board policies with the business manager title. And that was basically the changes because of the title for Mark. And number three, the proposed uh new and revised policies. Um, I don't know, Dr. Bradley was going to give us some background information on some of this, so maybe Gareth has that. Yeah, we all have it at our table. So, if anybody has wants to discuss any >> any further, uh, feel free. >> I had a couple of things on the board committees, the new board committees. Um, we had a really good discussion at the last policy meeting, Nicole and I, um, and Joe and Steve. Um, I thought it was I thought it was productive. Um there were a couple of lines in that policy that I had questions and then also a suggestion. Um
024the president may choose to make any committee a committee of the whole. We discussed that a little bit at the last meeting but then I also saw in within this there is also what we call ad hoc committees. And so when we when it was kind of explained to me by Joe, it I think what he may have been describing is an ad hoc committee, not a committee of the whole. Un are they different? Are they the same? That's an open question. Maybe Gareth can help. Or >> uh my experience, they're different. A committee of the whole is really the a full board work session on a topic or topics whereas an ad hoc is usually not the full board and it's a you know three to four board members uh maybe on a temporary
025basis assigned by the board president. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Can any can any committee meeting be made a committee of the whole? That was kind of a question we asked before but Gareth you weren't there. Um, could you make I'm a curriculum person. Could could the president move to make that a committee of the whole? >> I believe so. And I think that's addressed in the meetings policy. There's a reference to the board the ability of the board president to call a meeting of the whole as a standalone meeting or as a committee meeting that is turned into a full board. I don't I don't see any reason why not. >> The two more follow-up questions then. one at a committee of the whole when can an official vote can't speak I keep getting a
026lot of echoing this that's why I keep backing up um can a vote occur in a committee of the whole if all nine board like if if the board the whole board is expected to come or asked to come can an official vote take place yes if it was advertised that way it would depend on how the the what the public notice uh indicated if there was a board action or simply a uh discussion meeting with action to follow at a later meeting. So the answer is yes if it's advertised in that in that manner and so I'm thinking about is there does it make sense to add something in there. So my concern is committee is set I will use building grounds. I've said to Ben many times I trust you. I'm not going
027to go to all of the building. There are too many buildings and grounds because I already have my own committees. So, I'm not I don't want to go. Um, but if a buildings and grounds committee meeting were made a committee of the whole, what's the what's and if a vote could take place there that's an official vote at that moment, I kind of want to be involved if it's going to be an official vote, not come to here. Is there anything written down as to how much time because I just just for planning like if that meeting happens and then we're told two days before the meeting, hey, it's going to be committee the whole and I'm like was never planning on coming again, Right. Minimum 24-hour notice for public for public advertising a special
028meeting. And that's and that's the concern I have. And maybe it's an unwarranted concern, but that would be my concern is if any president in the future says, "Hey, 24 hours we're making this committee the whole the votes going to be official." And I know I I don't have enough time to make Is it possible? Yes. I suppose I think it's very highly unusual and like I don't know that I've seen that as this is written. Yeah. And as this is >> I mean we can call special meetings at any point in time for you know COVID or you I hate going back to that reference but there were special meetings created outside of you know what we had going on um on the regular schedule. So I I think a committee of the whole
029in my opinion is very similar to a special board meeting. Um you make it, you make it, you can't, you can't. Um but am I going to call something like that? No. But it's protecting the future of what this looks like again. But also Gareth has a depth of knowledge. The likelihood of that happening is is slim to none, but there is a possibility. That's I mean yes. So >> Gareth is my concern unwarranted. My So my well not asking you Doug. So I just know that I see politics working the way that they are across the board and using loopholes to get things done. Doesn't matter who is in charge. That's how they work. And that's my concern is that a president is placed future could be 10 years from now and someone takes
030advantage and maybe if I'm just being overly cautious then that's what it is but you might be. Um the proposed meeting schedule obviously you're meeting twice a month all throughout 2026 with regularly scheduled meetings. I personally would find it highly unusual, unorthodox, whatever you want to say to on the fly schedule a voting committee of the whole. If I was asked about it, I would probably recommend you meet twice a month and not wait till a regularly scheduled meeting on your cycle. Uh so that's my take. I can't say that I've ever seen that happen. For discussion, yes. For voting, I think it's extremely rare in my world to see that. Perfect. We'll up and then so then the last thing I have is there's a line in here where it states items that are
031supported by a majority of the committee for consideration by the full board shall be placed on the agenda at the next full board meeting unless agreed to otherwise by the committee. Is it possible to to have that move into directors the next director's study meeting and not just on the next meeting? My again my concern is if there is and this could totally happen is that a committee happens three days before a an official meeting. It's a regular meeting. Now I'm meeting to vote on this and I have I didn't even know it was going to be on there. I don't have enough time to get any information from whoever the chairs are. Doesn't it? You can't have a buildings and grounds meeting about a new topic that was not already discussed at a director
032study form. So if at a director study form we talked about the two options for the um the cooler as an example and you go okay let's call a buildings and grounds meeting. We want to get the rest of this information and then you can turn it around and vote on it at the next meeting because it was already talked about in public and you're bringing in you're bringing final questions to it. That is true if it's discussed in a director's study, >> but it has to be is what I'm saying. You >> well, there are plenty of every single thing that you researched on all of the buildings and all of the roads have all took place at a I they didn't I mean I was a part of some of the board the
033committee meetings with buildings and grounds talking about roads and how long roads are going to be and placements for roads. That did not happen in an official meeting. That happened at a buildings and grounds meeting. But we always brought it to a director study >> and it was always add a director study form to begin >> and then we get to the >> this just doesn't say that >> if it's if it's how it always is then it's a really easy thing to add at the director study. But if you already had it in a director study form is what you're trying to >> pick up if at the beginning and Gareth correct me if I'm wrong here. At the beginning of any board meeting if we wanted to you could make a motion at
034the beginning of the meeting that says I want to vote on this and that's still there like and then you have to go around the room and if you have the majority of people do it. So that exists with or without that part, but we should not ever vote on anything that was not talked about in a director study form beforehand unless it is that absolutely time-sensitive of an emergency, which we already have that. >> Can we take a look just to clean up the language maybe, Suzanne, just so it's a little Thank you. Anything else for policy? Great. Um, any items for planning from the board? All right. Just a reminder, immediately following adjournment, we will be meeting in executive session for >> No, it's omitted. It's >> um All right. Motion to adjurnn.
035>> Second. All in favor? Thank you. Uh Mr.