001Thank you and welcome retirees. Uh regular schoolboard meetings are business meetings that are open to the public during which we provide several opportunities for public comment on items that are before the board. The first comment period is reserved for announced additional items and items on the consent agenda only. Additional public comment will be heard for the actions listed under priority discussion. And the final comment period near the end of the meeting is reserved for all matters of concern, official action or deliberation which are or may be before the tees board of directors and which are not covered by the other comment periods. Each public comment period is reserved for residents and taxpayers. Additionally, the board will accept comments from sitting public officials for non- campaigning purposes and by agreement with the TEAA and Tenig, the
002board will accept comments from the union presidents. All comments should be directed to the board as a whole or to the presiding officer. No comments or questions should be directed to individual board members. All public comments and responses should be in the spirit of civil public discourse. Also, please be aware that intentionally disrupting a lawful meeting or the administration of a government function is a criminal offense in Pennsylvania. The school board values the opportunity to hear from the community in person and we appreciate your cooperation in advance. The first thing we have on our agenda is we will hear from our rising senior Lucy Salada. She is our student uh representative and she has a a report for us this evening. >> Yes. Thank you, Mrs. Titi. Hello everyone. I'm flying solo tonight. This is
003my first meeting without Maggie, so hopefully I'm able to keep it under control. Um not too much of an update since last month, but I'm excited to say this is the last week before summer break. Spirits are definitely high at Konos Stoa and I think everyone's ready for some summer. Last week was the class of 2020. The class of 2026 officially graduated. The graduation ceremony was so great and Mrs. TD gave an amazing speech. The day before graduation, the seniors attended reflections, which is a ceremony where students give speeches and perform music. And I've heard that it's a really cool night. And last week, we had junior and senior awards where students are recognized for their achievements. On the sports side of things, girls lacrosse is the only sport still going. They have crushed their
004opponents in the first two rounds of states and they have a game tomorrow at Exit High School against Mannheim Township. And also, one of those first round of state games was played on our new Cassat field. So, that was really exciting. And a final reminder for anyone here that's going to play a fall sport, August 17th is the start date for that. And then football starts on August 10th. And I have loved giving the sports report this year. I would like to say thank you to the board for this opportunity and that's all I have and I'll see you all next fall. Have a great summer. >> Thank you Lucy. We really enjoy having you on the board and now you will be the senior member of the student uh representatives and we look forward
005to you helping the next person come along just uh as they'll need to in the fall. I'd like now to turn to Dr. Anthony Stevenson who is our director of human resources. He's going to lead us in the recognition of the 25 26 retirees. Dr. Stevenson uh hosted prior to this meeting uh a brief reception here in the atrium and all told our retiring employees have served I added this up 562 years and their principles and supervisors shared some lovely stories about them. We thank you all for your service and uh we would like to have you come up uh and shake hands with Dr. Gusk and I if I would get out of my chair. >> Thank you um Madame President. Um the board um and the district would like to recognize the following
006employees um who for their years of faithful service in the district to the community and the young people um who attended school each day. We ask the retirees who are present as you come up um to shake the president and the superintendent's hand. Um we have Joan Blair of Valley Forge Middle School, 21 years. Eileen Brick Brick um 14 years. Bumont Elementary School. Deborah Chiella, Konos Stoga High School, 17 years. Irene Clur, Valley Forge Middle School, 26 years. Mark de Marino, Valley Forge Middle School, 35 years. Wendy Dico, Knos Stoga High School, 18 years. Deborah Kosinski, TE Middle School, eight years. Mary Nagel TE Middle School 18 years. Kevin Peachin Kosoga High School 33 years. Linda Peek, Konos Stoga High School, 24 years. Rosanna Saldine, Konos Stoga High School, 21 years. >> Jessica Shepard, Valley
007Forge Elementary School, 29 years. We want to congratulate these retirees and their families who were able to attend tonight and those others who retired who were not able to attend. Thank you. >> Yes. >> So, I just wanted to take a moment. Um, I know this is odd, but uh there's someone else who's sort of retiring. Uh, it's Ken Roose, our solicitor, and he is definitely a part of our TE team, and I just wanted to recognized him for a moment here this evening. Um, he Ken Ruse has been here, I looked it up, 28 years, and in 1998, he came here to be our solicitor. He's done over 300 schoolboard meetings, if you can imagine that. Importantly, he's also done 28 years of policy meetings. And those policy meetings are really setting the setting
008the formation, I think, of our district. It's what we're all about, policies. and and he was always there to help us navigate the challenges and changes that came along with laws and school code and modifications as so much has changed in the last 28 years. Uh he has guided us in writing and revising our policies. He's foundational to who we are. He from special education to land acquisition to litigation to labor law to construction. He's done it all and we are really going to miss him. Tonight's his last meeting here as our solicitor, but we we know that in the future he'll do wonderful things in retirement when when that comes around and it will be pretty soon. Uh we will miss him, but he's leaving us in good hands with someone else from his
009firm. And uh we thank him for his time, for his knowledge, and for his passion for public education. Thank you, Ken. the time in the meeting when we get down to the other business that we have. And we certainly welcome you to stay, but we also understand that it's a beautiful evening and you might want to just go home and um enjoy the rest of it there. So, it's uh thank you for being here this evening and again, we thank you for your service. I think we're all set now to continue our meeting. Uh there are no additional agenda items that have been added to our agenda this evening. So we turn now to public participation from district residents and taxpayers regarding any item that's on the consent agenda. If you'd like to make a
010comment on the consent agenda, please line up at the microphone. And when you come to the microphone, please state your name and your uh township of residence. And we'll end with the last person in line. Seeing none, uh the next item on the agenda is board action regarding an amendment to of agenda items to include additional agenda items, but we have none of those this evening either. Uh our next item is the consent agenda. Although board action is required, it is generally unnecessary to hold discussion on these items. With the consent of all members, they are therefore grouped and approval is given in one motion. In the event a board member went to dis wants to discuss any item, the board president will move it to an appropriate place on the agenda. A board member
011may vote nay or abstain with respect to a consent agenda item without the need of removing the item from the consent agenda. The action under consideration is that the board of school directors approves the following recommendations on the consent agenda as printed on page six of the agenda. Do I have a motion? >> So moved. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Okay. All in favor, please indicate by saying I. >> I. >> And those opposed by saying nay. The eyes have it. And the motion passes nine to zero. Vice President Hong will now tell us about the gifts received by the district during the last month. >> Yes. Uh thank you, President TD. Uh one of the pleasures of being vice president is acknowledging the uh wonderful generosity of our community. Tonight we
012have 59 donors listed on page 59 or sorry uh page 92 um who have donated to the food and nutritious nutrition services department with a total of $1,15982. A thank you note will be sent to them from our board secretary. Thank you. >> Thank you. And thank you to those who who did that. That's that's quite a number of people and we appreciate it very much. Uh our priority discussion this evening uh revolves around the adoption of the 2026 27 final budget. We've been talking about this budget for a long time. um I think since December actually when it we first had a draft of it. And the action under consideration this evening is that the board of school directors adopts the following resolution that pertains to the approval of the 2026 27 final budget
013submitted by the district's administration. The text of this rather long resolution can be found on page 152. Uh, I wasn't planning on reading it if that's all right with everyone. Um, but do I have a motion? >> So moved >> and a second. >> Second. >> Thank you. We'll now ask uh Dr. Gusk and Mr. McDonald to pro provide further information about the final budget this evening. >> Thank you, President Titi. It's my pleasure to join Mr. McDonald this evening in presenting the 20 26 27 final budget for your consideration. As of today, TEESD serves approximately 6800 students. We recognize that sustaining our programs requires significant resources and we remain mindful of rising costs and appreciative of generous contributions from our community members. Our community expects and deserves continued excellence in educational services and outcomes.
014So, those of you who've watched our highlights part of the monthly meetings have grown accustomed to hearing about the great many achievements earned by our students and staff. And I just can't have a comprehensive list of them all, but I will share a few highlights. In the fall of 2025, Konosoga High School led Pennsylvania with 39 National Merit semi-finalists, 61 National Merit Commended students, seven African-American scholars, 11 National Hispanic Scholars, one Indigenous Scholar. In the spring of 2025, 1,060 Konis Stoga High School students completed 2,695 AP tests. And of all those exams, 93% of them were a score of three or better. This year, we had five Konosoga High School students chosen for PMEA, Pennsylvania Music Educators Allstate Choir, Band, and Orchestra after qualifying at the district and regional levels. Our dramatic productions continue to
015stand out for their excellence in performance, drama, and technical execution. Our middle middle school students excel in math competitions. TE and Valley Forge Middle School students were top scorers in math counts and PA math league competition with strong individual and team finishes at the county and state levels. In addition, MA middle school students excelled in the AMC math competition with multiple students scoring in the top 10% nationally. Two of Konosoga stu kosoga high school's robotics teams represented Pennsylvania in the 2026 VEX Robotic World Championships. One of these teams was named a tournament finalist at the World Championship. The other was a tournament champion at the Eastern PA State Championship. Three TE Middle School students earned top honors at Delaware Valley Science Fair after strong performances at the Chester County Science Research Comp competition. One student
016was invited to apply for the prestigious Thermo Fisher Fiser Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge. Konis Stoogga's literary magazine, The Folio, was selected from 456 student magazines to receive the rank of superior in the 2026 Recognizing Excellence in Art and Literary Magazines program. This program recognizes excellent literary magazines produced by students with the support of their teachers. TESD has six Central League champions this year. Girls cross country, field hockey, boys and girls basketball, boys swimming, and girls lacrosse. Three of our athletic teams won district 1 championships. Girls golf, boys swimming, and boys tennis. Girls golf also captured PIAAA state championships. Well, there's a little unfinished business. As Lucy just shared, girls lacrosse team is still competing for the state championship um in girls lacrosse. We're actually we're also proud to recognize two TESD teachers who got the
017Citadel Heart of Learning Award for outstanding service to our students and families. Beth Adams, a first grade teacher at New Eagle Elementary and Bridget Redmond, Bridget Redmond, an special education teacher at Devon Elementary, were honored for compassion, advocacy, and dedication to our students. So why highlight these examples now as we're about to discuss the budget? The achievements earned by the students are credit to them personally as well as to the teachers, families, and community members who support them. But the budget you're about to consider is the foundation of it all. It funds the 543 professional staff members, 181 support staff members, and 60 administrators, supervisors, and confidential secretaries needed to deliver the entire program. It supports the contracted services employees who help our students with everything from academic skills to life skills to behavioral skills
018and much much more. It funds the buses and pays the electric and water bills. It maintains and improves the buildings and grounds of our existing eight schools. And Bear Hill Elementary School is scheduled to open in August 2027, bringing full day kindergarten to all elementary schools. Tonight's budget includes means to support opening the new school and the transition transition to full day kindergarten. Delivering this program in 2627 will cost an anticipated $24,783,097 in expenditures and Mr. McDonald will now provide a specific breakdown of the revenues and expenses. >> Thank you, Dr. Gusk. this will not be as exciting as that just was, but we'll we will muddle through. Um, so we've been talking about the budget as uh, President Titi said for quite a number of months and the board, this board approved the proposed
019final budget back at the end of April at our April board meeting and we've done some work on it since then and the numbers that we're going to show you tonight are the same numbers that we talked about in our finance committee meeting uh, most recently and we are on track obviously to meet the state's timeline which is approving a budget by June 30th. So we're well in advance of that. We haven't seen the state budget yet. Uh but we will be approving ours and we will be sending it into the state and making sure we file all those appropriate paperwork as a result. So these are the numbers of meetings that we've had where we've had opportunities to talk about the budget and specifically uh some of those meetings were just to talk about
020the budget. Uh the budget development that we've done uh in the last couple months, I would say, has been uh pretty aggressive as far as um attacking some of the things that were impacting the deficit. And we've got it down to a number that we think is consistent with where we've been in prior years as an average. So, we're down uh to the numbers that I'm going to show you on this particular slide uh which is slide 162 and that is in the far column. So tonight you're looking at column D uh which is the revenue and expense that you see there along with the revenue produced from an act one tax index uh increase and a referendum except exception for special ed. So that's going to produce approximately that 7.4 $4 million that you
021see on that line that closes the deficit uh to just under 3.9 million and that's what you're going to be voting on tonight in your resolution. I'm going to jump back real quickly to the tax rate. So the tax rate is made up of those two pieces that I mentioned, the act one index which uh legislated at 3.5% uh for the state. Ours was not adjusted. So ours is at the minimum of 3.5. And this year we were eligible again for a special ed exception and that's on line four there. And you see the amount of that producing a little over 2.2 million. The rate that you're going to see uh in the packet for uh the board exhibit which is the mills rate that you're setting is at the bottom of the screen. That
022new rate of 31.1364. uh put the property tax uh rent rebate slide in here just forformational purposes so we keep it in front of the public. Encourage those folks that are eligible to please apply. We've been looking at where we are in the current year and there hasn't been any changes uh to this slide since we talked about it at finance. Uh we have a budgeted deficit of a little about right around 3.1. Uh we're still trending a little bit above that. uh we're hoping to bring that in line with the budget or and or better uh by the end of the year. There's still although we're in June uh you know we close the year over a period of 60 to 90 days after. So this number will come into a little more firmer
023view in the next 60 to 90 days. This slide is really just a summary of what you see in print in the resolution. So just to orient you, if you look at the top there, those are the revenue breakdowns for what we anticipate as bud as budgeted revenue at about 189 million. The two tax rate increases that I mentioned earlier, the act one index and the special ed exception brings the total budget revenue to 196,422,650. That's the number that appears in the resolution. And we break down the spending into two kind of categories. We have an anticipated spending number that's on line five. And then we have the authorized spending number on line 8, which is what you're going to see in the resolution. So that's the authority uh to spend is at the $24,783
02497 number. The reason it's a higher number that's was anticipated is because we have to produce a balanced budget to send to the state. So we cannot send a deficit budget to the state. So we must fill it uh with fund balance and we're filling it with fund balance in this particular budget to the amount that appears on line six which is the 3,860,447 in the resolution. However, the other number that's part of that reserve number or fund balance number is what appears on line 7, which is the 4.5 million budgetary contingency reserve. uh we have that there for unanticipated things that may happen either in the operation of the school or in our projections for revenue or uh the like. Oftentimes we put special ed in here, but we can really put anything we
025want in contingency, but what it does is protect the board and the district from having to reopen a budget in the middle of a budget year uh to be able to authorize some additional spending. So, it's a cushion basically. So lines six and seven are added together in your resolution uh that's in your packet and also on the slide. So that's that 8,360,447,000 number that you see in the resolution. Similar to President Titi, I will not read this entire slide. I highlighted the red uh sections to just draw your attention to the numbers that I just mentioned as part of the budget summary. And then the tax levy that's as part of the budget that you're approving is at the bottom in red. And that um is an increase of 1.4797 mills from the current
026tax rate. I'm going to leave this up on the screen. That completes my formal presentation. Certainly welcome your questions. Thank you, Mr. McDonald and also Dr. Gusk. Uh before I turn to um my board colleagues, I I just would like you to, if you wouldn't mind, go over the um the impact of the $6 million which we have been uh targeting as an a contribution to our capital fund over the last few years. And if you look on the current budget, it looks like we have in the year that we're in, we have a three and a half million dollar hole. Uh but there's $6 million in there and and there's $6 million in this budget as well. So I just wondered if you could briefly go over that. >> Sure. So I brought the
0272526 slide up on the screen here. So, uh, what we've done in several the last budget years is put a separate line, a budgeted line item in for a capital expenditure transfer out of the general or operational fund over to the capital fund. And we've done that um for um the same reasons that we've done the transfers in the past. It's just now that we're actually including in the budget, it impacts what you know shows up as a deficit and a budgeted deficit. So in this particular slide in line in column A, you'll see that deficit of 3.1 million. Well, that includes a $6 million expenditure that really becomes very discretionary to the board. It's in the budget just like most of the expenditures are, you know, discretionary, but this is something that we talk
028about at the end of the year once we close the books. We look at the amount that we have available to move and still stay in a positive fund balance category. So we try not to go reducing our general fund fund balance in those years. So each year we evaluate can we move enough money that we've budgeted. So right now it's 6 million. Last year we budgeted 6 million. We only moved 5 a half. So we didn't get to totally to the 6 million but very close. So we'll do that same process again this year in the fall. We'll look at uh the final audit numbers. We'll realize how much do we want to change or transfer uh and what that amount is. And then we'll come to the board most likely at a finance
029committee meeting and have that discussion. If we were to pull out that 6 million, let's say, out of the budget that we're talking about this evening for 2627, that would virtually well would get rid of the deficit and it would put us in in the black basically. But we feel that transfer is extremely important for a number of reasons. One, uh we're very good about maintaining our physical plant in the school district and want we want to continue to do that. But we've also uh been in support of those expenses in the capital fund from the general fund to be able to really lessen the impact of issuing bonds for the rest of the needs in the capital fund. So we're not just issuing bonds to pay 100% of what we do in the in
030the capital fund or what construction wise. We're balancing that with money that we're bringing over from the general fund. So those those dollars that are being produced in in the general fund are being used to also pay for capital expenditures. So the tax rate really impacts that expenditure or that spend as well. And obviously when you're issuing bonds, you have debt service. That is an expense that appears in the general fund as well. So those two things together are what's really making up 100% of what we do and what we talk about in the facilities committee meetings. >> Thank you. >> Sure. Uh are there board members who'd like to make a comment about the uh presentation? >> Miss Wild. >> Yeah. I I just a general comment. I when I drive through my neighborhood
031and we all drive through our neighborhoods at night, all their lights are on in all the houses. And the reason all those houses have lights on in them is that people live in them. And the reason people live in this district is because we have an excellent school district and have a long long history of having an excellent school district. I am aware of and sensitive to the tension between that and the need to raise taxes and I'm sensitive to the fact that we need to always be mindful of trying to bring the deficit down and to minimize if possible the extent to which we have to raise taxes. But when you're like this and the tension is raise the taxes or lose some of the excellence of the school, to me, that's a no-brainer.
032And I think I 100% support the budget. I support the excellence of the school district. And to the extent that we need to as we open a new school and continue to achieve all the things Dr. Gusk talked about, to the extent that we need to raise the taxes to do it, I think that is, you know, it's never an easy question, but it's an obvious question. So, I thank you for the presentation. I support the budget and I look forward to next year. >> Thank you. Do you have others, Mr. Canour? >> Yes. Uh I do want to appreciate the with and recognize the work that the administration and this board has done over the past few months uh on the budget since December uh from where we are to where we were to
033where we are where we are today. I do want to rest assure rest the public assured that the work on the budget doesn't stop today. Uh we know that the administration does their best to try and not only meet the budget each year but to beat the budgets that we that we pass. Um but as we can see from this presentation uh despite best efforts this past year uh we really we only met the budget this year. Uh so despite the level best to try to try to beat it that fact plus knowing that we have to fund the projects that we have authorized and this community has supported. Um and in addition be able to looking forward to fund the operations of a new school and also full day kindergarten across the district. Uh
034I am in favor of this budget and the the increases that are associated there with. So thank you. I want to thank again the administration, this board for working with us over these past few months to to get to where we are today. Thank you. Is there anyone else who would like Mr. Hong? >> Thank you, President TD. I would also like to say that I support the FY 202627 budget and the uh proposed tax rate increase of 4.99%. For the average homeowner in our district, that translates to roughly $388 in their annual tax bill. It's not a decision I or I don't think any of us here take lightly. As Dr. Gusk has amply highlighted, the district is one of the highest performing public schools in Pennsylvania. Our community expects it to stay that
035way. And that expectation is reasonable. Meeting it requires us to be honest about what that costs. What drives this decision, I think, is pretty straightforward. As other board members have mentioned, expenditures in this budget at $2 million against base revenues of 189 million. Uh even at the act one maximum, we are projecting an operational deficit of $3.9 million drawn from our general fund balance. Special ed costs alone have grown by more than $15 million in the past decade. Uh while state funding for those mandated programs has only increased 365,000. That's not a rounding error. That's a real structural problem in terms of our state funding. And as we've also noted that the board and this administration has done a great job working on the expense side of things. They've cut the departmental budgets by $2
036million for this cycle, managed their projections and um forecast conservatively. Uh timed staffing decisions, negotiated contracts that are fair to our employees and responsible to our taxpayers. um our six million capital transfers as we discussed reflects a deliberate choice to invest in our facilities. Um so I I don't think by any means we are spending carelessly. We are really ringing out every dollar that we can and the administration is doing that. But I don't think cost controlling alone will uh close this gap necessarily going forward. our revenue ceilings constrained by the act one index which is a backwards looking inflationbased index. Our district has a low uh equalized tax effort which caps our state subsidies. Um and we have an absence of an earned income tax uh by the state funding formula that has failed
037to keep up with the uh the pace of real costs. The district's general fund balance, while stable in general and uh dollar terms, has declined from over 25% of budget a decade ago to 18% today. And that trajectory matters for our AAA bond rating while still there in stable. Um you know, we we don't want to put that at risk, which will increase our cost to finance our projects, including things like Bear Hill Elementary School. And this isn't a problem that's unique to our school district. in conversations with other school boards, other superintendents, um, in our neighboring districts, the picture is consistent. They're navigating the same structural squeeze, the same act one constraints, the same explosion in costs that outstrip inflation. Um, it's a statewide problem that Pennsylvania has not solved and that that context
038does not make this decision easier and it does clarify where some of the real policy failure lies. The board will have hard conversations with the administration over the coming years about what it means to sustain these excellent um education under these conditions. Those conversations will require honesty about trade-offs, engaging with Harrisburg on state funding reform and serious community discussion about the range of revenue and program options available to us. So tonight, I support doing what's physically fiscally responsible and I'll go on record saying that tonight's action while necessary um on its own will not solve uh the final financial trends that we're facing. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Pion. >> Thank you. I concur with all of the statements made by fellow board members. I'd like to add that uh our property values uh
039have uh increased and uh it and we have kept pace with uh our surrounding school districts in regard to especially full day kindergarten. Uh usually we're the uh leader and we are now uh caught up with our surrounding uh school districts. This has been remarked by uh the realators and the realer association in our uh communities here and uh and in that regard uh people want in addition certainly because of our uh high academic uh proficiency and achievements. uh it is uh con incumbent on us to keep pace with the educational needs which would be full day kindergarten. So that's in addition to uh the remarks made here. I fully concur and will support uh the expenditure with in regards to this budget. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Puchion. Dr. Hoinsky. Uh I'll be
040brief because I think my colleagues have admirably covered all all the factors that have that have contributed. Um I just want to make sure you know that we emphasize for the community that we are we have made some investments that are a long time coming. Um and so uh it's we definitely appreciate the community support. As Dr. Gusk said, our community is very supportive of public education. Um and but we needed we recognized that it was time to do certain projects that you know as over the years the elementary school needed to be airond conditioned. We needed this atrium because the kids didn't have places to go during their free periods. They were in the library or the cafeteria or the or the hallways. Um and we uh needed the classroom space which is uh
041you know was a big investment. um we needed this athletic fields that you know we hadn't built fields in a long time and girls sports have come a long way more kids are participating in sports and we know it's great for kids mental health and you know finally with the elementary school as Mrs. Picion pointed out we are the last this we would if we did not decide to move ahead with full day kindergarten we would have been the last district in Chester County. So it was coming. It was time. So um we appreciate that uh for the past couple of years we've had to have tax increases that are higher than we've traditionally tried to maintain on the board. Um but it has been part of a plan which was presented to the community
042which had strong support. Um, and we'll we're because we have made those investments, we are going to be able to make it through and open up the new school in 2027. So, I deeply appreciate and we all appreciate the community's uh contributions. Um, and once we move past these capital investments, I think we'll be in a more more normal place. So, um, just want everyone to recognize, you know, what what the drivers are and how deeply we appreciate the community's contributions. Thank you, Dr. Missos. >> Yes. Thank you, President Titi. Um, I might not be brief and I might not have original ideas, but I'd like to give you my perspective on why I plan to support the adoption of the proposed budget resolution. I'd like to make note of today's date, which is June
0438th, coming about 22 days before the deadline for this budget. That's because we have to, and it has to be balanced. Our state budget is probably not going to come on time and the federal budget never has to come on time nor has to be balanced. Just for perspective, children in Pennsylvania are entitled to public education at no cost to their families. Federal and state laws combined to enshrine this right, and our district policies, curricula, facilities, and of course, our people further ensure that our K12 students receive a highquality education tailored to their needs and interests. What's not insured is the funding to deliver on this obligation. TE budget revenues comprise about 14% from the state and less than 1% from the federal government. The remainder, about 85%, is the district's obligation to fund. We
044have no way around this formula. It's up to the state and federal government governments to change it. Public budgeting is always a forecast. Continual preparation and adjustment for external factors. For one, innumerable mandates come from the state and federal governments, and they are largely unfunded. The district delivers special education services extremely well, but it's costly, as we've seen marketkedly this year, and our state and federal funding has fallen flat and far short for many years, despite increasing demand every year. We also need to take care of our people, the human resources that make our district a sought-after place to live and raise a family. On the revenue side, TE relies on property tax revenue, but again, it's a forecast. And not all properties are assessed at fair market value. This inequitable assessment policy is a
045choice by the Chester County government not to regularly reassess its property values on a regular basis. And it leaves school districts in Chester County uncertain about local tax revenue yeartoear. We can also issue bonds for capital spending which which the district has done responsibly earning a AAA bond rating along with its financial management awards but that leads to debt service costs with my yes vote today. It's not my intent to unduly burden taxpayers. However, this year is extraordinary given our baseline obligation to fulfill our children's rights to public education and extraordinary costs for a new elementary school and full day kindergarten for all eligible children starting in September of 2027. I trust the strong fiscal health of the district and the administration's intent and ability to manage the budget responsibly and to, as Dr. Gusk
046likes to put it, to course correct during the fiscal year. It will be a lot of work, but we can get it done together. Thank you. Thank you. Are there any other comments? I turn now then uh to the public and the board invites members of the audience to comment on this item. If you have uh a comment, would you please step to the microphone and identify yourself and uh also your township of residents. Seeing none, uh, I think we're ready, Mr. McDonald, for a roll call vote. >> Okay, I'm going to start with Dr. Miseros. >> Yes. >> Dr. Zinc, >> yes. >> Miss Pichion, >> yes. >> Miss While, >> yes. >> Miss Sheer, >> yes. >> Mr. Canour, >> yes. >> Dr. Hatinsky, >> yes. >> Mr. Hong, >> yes. >> President
047Titi, >> yes. Motion passes unanimously. Thank you. >> Thank you. Motion passes nine to zero. Uh we have a second part to our budget in a way rel it's related to the tax uh collection and it's about our homestead uh resolution. So we are going to ask um for a motion about that. Uh the action under consideration is that the board of school directors adopts the following res resolution which pertains to the approval of the tax bill Homestead Farmstead exclusion for the 2026 27 school year fiscal year. The text of this resolution which I am not going to read uh is on page 165 if you'd like to reference it. Do I have a motion? So moved. >> And do I have a second? >> Second. >> I'd like to ask then Mr. McDonald if
048you would uh please uh tell us about that particular item. >> Sure. So, in the U presentation of the budget this evening, there's also a slide that on this tax rate slide that I went through earlier that has a little notation at the bottom. And that amount that appears is the property tax allocation reduction amount. And that's what appears in the resolution this evening, that 3,726 856 number. I just rounded it off here. So, what that gives us the ability to do is reduce the taxes of those folks that have filed uh with the county for a homestead farmstead exclusion and we can give them a reduction in their tax bill, which is really a reduction of a fixed assessment amount that would come off whatever their property assessment is. And that that typically averages
049right around $346. The exact amount appears in the resolution. So, anybody that's eligible out there will get this reduction. We always encourage people to file. Uh there are quite a few number uh quite a few residents that have not filed this. We know how many residents uh are being taxed and we know how many file. So encourage people to get out there and do that. And um the exclusion in the resolution is listed at 11,000. So that's the reduction of assessed value. So you're voting to accept that and also have that reduction appear on everybody's tax bill this year. >> Thank you. So, if someone has not filed and it's too late for this year, but what should they where could they get this information so that they could uh be eligible for that kind
050of a reduction next year? >> Right. They could go to the county website and find that information and file with that office, the county office. >> Thank you. Does anyone have a question or comment about that? >> Yes. >> Sorry, Dr. Missos. >> Yes. Thank you. And so am I correct that the deadline to file is March 1st of the tax year? So March 1st, 2027 for the 2027 tax year. >> Yes. And that's every year, >> right? Thank you. >> Uh do we have any public comment on this particular item? Seeing none, uh are there any further comments from the board? All right, then I think uh we are not going to do a roll call on that. Uh we'll just all those in we've already had a first and a second. So all
051those in favor, please indicate by saying I I >> and those opposed by saying nay. >> Uh the motion passes nine to zero. Uh, next. Thank you, Mr. McDonald. Uh, next item on our agenda are committee reports. And we have had only one meeting since our uh, last board meeting because our last board meeting was just on May 26th. So, I'll turn to uh, our finance chair, Mr. Contosk. >> Yes. Thank you, President Titi. Uh, the finance committee last met on June 4th. We started out the meeting with our monthly and year-to- date financial reports uh brought by Mr. Livergood. Uh the May revenues included an increase in the receipt of local revenues where compared to last year and that overall revenues are were higher by 2.4 million but they were down as a percentage
052of budget as compared to last year. The main differences in the local revenue number are real estate tax collection including delinquent collections. The total revenue as of May 2026 was almost $174.9 million. Expenditures and incumbrances showed that instruction expenses were higher this year and overall incumbrances and expenses are at 97.9% of budget um as of May. uh expenditures and encumbrances as of the end of May 2026 were $192,288,62048 approximately. Mr. Livergood added that a little over 90.6% of the total budget had been expended as of the end of May, not including incumbrances. Uh we next had a discussion about the 2627 budget development and calendar. We just uh passed that budget so I don't feel the need to rehash that topic for everybody. Uh and finally during our finance committee meeting we had an update
053on the cost to up operate Bear Hill Elementary and the administration and Mr. McDonald gave us a revised estimate of 5.5 to $6.5 million annually which is down from a previous estimate of $8 million annually. Dr. Dr. Cusk emphasized, however, that this estimate could change again as the details about the attendance area for Bear Hill and other factors associated with operation of Bear Hill are finalized. Um, this was our last finance committee meeting of the year. Our next finance committee meeting will be sometime in December and announced on the website. So, stay tuned. September, did I did I say a different month? >> You said December. >> December. >> Said December. I was only That's a Freudian slip. I was only hoping >> that we would skip the first couple months >> at this point.
054So, yes, September. >> Oh, all right. Moving right on. >> Thank you. And that concludes my report. >> Thank you. Um, we have no other actions under consideration, which now brings us to public participation from district residents and taxpayers regarding non-aggenda matters of concern, official action, or deliberation which are or may be before the board. residents and taxpayers may address the board on matters not included in the agenda. If you have a comment, would you please step to the microphone and state your name and township of residents? Okay, I think we we have none this evening. That closes the uh comment period for this evening. And now we're at the point in the meeting for the last time. Our solicitor this evening is Mr. Ken Roose and he will make any required announcements. >> Well,
055first of all, I I want to thank you for your incredibly kind words. It's been an incredible honor, and I'm very humbled to have been here for the last 28 years, and I thank the board 28 years ago for taking a chance on that 38-year-old. Um, uh, there was a board executive session tonight prior to this meeting to discuss labor negotiations. And again, thank you, >> Mr. Uh, future meetings of the board. Uh, Monday, August 24th, we'll have another regular board meeting at 7:30 at Konesoga High School. And then our September meeting will be after the finance meeting that Mr. Contoorsk is going to have. Uh it's going to be Monday the 28th of September 2026. Uh now is the point in the meeting when if we have any uh general announcements for the good
056of the order. Does anyone have one? Miss Pitchion. Thank you. I have an announcement two announcements actually. One is uh TNE Care which is a group of uh residents who support uh TE schools and uh their students. Uh they they have an annual school supply drive. It is uh ending this June the 12th. Uh the school supply drive supports local students in need and we're the group is already thinking about next year's students. So, uh to um volunteer or to donate uh to the school supply drive, go to their website, tecare.org. My second announcement is to highlight one of our senior students reflections speech. uh the student's name is Su Yen Zho and it's he made a comment at the end of his reflection you know one of those comments that uh for me for
057others may be a um paradigm shift but for me it's an epiphany and it made me uh sit up to the edge of my seat and he concludes his remarks of his experience at uh TE schools with this comment Optimism is not just a soothing mechanism. It expels complacency and cynicism and empowers people to realize their full potential. What made me stand up and basically euphorically uh and take notice is that usually when I'm driven out of complacency, it's because I'm angry with something or upset with something, I've got to do something about it. Here it brings optimism. And true, it is not a soothing mechanism. It is an energizing mechanism. and it took a student to light that bulb in my head. So, I just want to bring that out. Thank you. >> Thank
058you. Any other announcements, Dr. Meros? >> Yes. Um, for the good of the order, for the good of the public, just wanted to emphasize um something that Mr. McDonald had touched on in the budget discussion, which was the property tax and rent rebate program. Um, as you may know, normally the the deadline for this is June 30, but typically it's extended to the end of the year. So, it is December 31st for the 2025 tax year. Um, since the Governor Shapiro took office, the income threshold has been um much higher than before. It's now about 48,000, a little over that. it increases three, it has increased 3% every year. So hopefully next year's program or the 2026 program will be a little bit more as well. Um so depending on your income and other kind
059of characteristics, um you it's worth checking out. Um you can get up to $1,000 of rebate directly from the state. So it's based on property taxes that you're paying to the school district, the county, and your your municipal government. Um, also just want to mention, as you probably know, um, we have two state legislators that represent the area to, um, the state legislature and their district offices can help facilitate these applications. They, um, they do them very routinely. So that's representative Schusterman. Her district office is in Paleoli and Senator Kitta whose district office is in Westchester. I encourage you to reach out to them. >> Thank you. All right. All right, I think we're all set then. Um, we have no correspondence to report since our last meeting. So, we're ready to adjourn. Uh, do
060I have a motion to adjurnn? >> So, move >> and a second. >> Second. >> All those in favor, please indicate by saying I. >> I'm not even going to ask about names. >> And I hope everyone has a wonderful summer. Uh, we'll see you again in late August. And this meeting is adjourned. Thank you.