001random be proud to pick it up by myself. All right. I call the June 9th, 2026 Colonial School Board meeting to order. Please rise and join Mr. Ted Laws as he recites the pledge of >> allegiance to the flag of the United States of America to the republic for it stands nationy and justice for all. >> All right. Are there any additions or corrections to the agenda? >> I have none. >> Okay. That being said, do I hear a motion? >> So move. this. >> Do I hear a second? >> Second. >> All right. As moved by Mr. Laws and seconded by I'm going to go with Mr. Handy. Um, are there any questions or comments from the board? All right. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. >> I. All those opposed,
002nay. Motion carries. All right. Next up in this time of the board meeting is for board members and the executive secretary to discuss items of information and topics from our participation in various professional organizations and committees. Uh we'll start out with the DSBA which is Del School Boards Association. Uh we'll start with the legislative committee or Dr. uh Dorsy. >> So at the uh legislative committee meeting we met uh the major bills that were discussed were Senate Bill 302 and 303. Uh so this legislation supported moving forward with a new way of funding Delaware public schools known as the hybrid funding model which is recommended by the public education funding committee. So in that bill uh that bill would allow Delaware Department of Education to begin updating it systems now so the new funding model
003can be implemented in fiscal year 2028. Uh it encourages Department of Education and DF PFC to use elements of the new models when develop when developing the governor's proposed 2028 budget. Uh it also protects school districts and charter schools during the transition by ensuring that no school receives less state funding in 2028 than it received in 2027. So the whole goal of this is a hybrid model to make sure that school funding is fair and more flexible allowing schools to better meet student needs and improve academic outcomes. Uh the the committee also emphasized the importance of strong accountability measures to ensure funding is used effectively and updating state utilization formula so funding is distributed more equitably across the school and state uh state schools and districts. Uh so DSBA legislative committee uh voted unanimously to
004support that bill. The next bill uh was Senate Bill 322. So that bill changed how Delaware school districts can adjust local school property taxes after property values are reassessed and gives districts limited flexibility to keep up with rising costs without having to hold a referendum every year. So with that bill u it reduced the amount of that bill would reduce the amount of additional revenue schools can receive after property reassessments. Also it allowed traditional school districts to increase certain local taxes up to 2% per year without a referendum under limited circumstances and also required voter approval for any large tax increases. So DSBA legis committee meet uh legislative committee voted to support this bill uh by 7 to3 vote. Uh the last bill not the last bill but the bill that was talked about the
005most was also house bill 443. So this act clarifies that all individuals currently and prospectively serving as mentors to one or more students through a mentoring program under department of education must submit a state and uh federal criminal uh background check. And that's mostly to protect our students or the people who are volunteering because schools can be soft targets for people who want to get around children and anything could happen. So we want to make sure that we're protecting our students um even when people want to volunteer. Um but also um there's also talk of funding for volunteers so that way volunteers don't have to pay the $85 for background check the state funding that they're working on. Uh because we do they they still want people to um they still want people to volunteer
006in our schools and our districts, but they want to make sure that um nobody's taking advantage of any opportunities that they think they can take advantage of with our students. Uh so the SBA legislative committee, they voted unanimously to support that bill. >> Thank you very much, Dr. Dorsy. When's your next meeting? >> Our next meeting September. >> Thank you. >> All right. And Mr. Handy, got anything for executive committee? >> Um just one thing. Uh Dr. Dorsey, Dr. Dorsey already explained uh what was going on with Senate Bill 322, but when it came to us because of all the discussion going back and forth, um we like to say our own did a great job doing the presentation for us and there was a lot of discussion arguing about passing or not passing. So
007we end up changing it to neutral vote. So we when it gets to popular vote. A lot of us were understanding the importance of it, but you had some people from down state that really didn't want that bill to be approved because they think injured them later on. They're going to have a lot of growth and then they'll have years with no understanding the ramifications of having to go to a referendum later on. So, we just Thank you, Mr. H. Uh Jeff, what do you have for the chiefs? >> Uh we had our meeting via Zoom on June 4th. We did similar to what Dr. Dorsey, Mr. And referenced, we had a legislative action conversation. We also began to look at 26 27th school year, how we were going to coordinate our communication and advocacy
008while maintaining a focus on our areas of priority. Um DOE team provided updates on HP 302 and 303 as well and then also other legislation that DOE has been supporting. Talked about um the plan to try to roll out assessment scores this summer a little bit more methodically and thoughtfully than has been done in the past where usually they just release the scores. Is it want to start talking about the scores, what they mean, how they reflect the hard work that's going on in all the schools and all the classrooms across the state. And they also shared with us how JFC the joint finance committee's markup session went. The only thing the only other thing of significant note maybe for that group is now I've been uh I was nominated to be the secretary for
009the chief's organization. So I'll now be on the executive leadership team of the Delaware's chief school. >> Congratulations. >> Yeah. >> Quick quick question. >> Yes. Any discussion from me and one more than the three of you around two Senate bill 272 that did not come it was it was referenced that there were sever but we've went on record all groups have went on record as opposing that bill correct >> no I do not believe the chiefs uh were put on record for anything you're supporting or opposing that that bill for information is one to where the any project over $5 billion automatically goes to the uh the union contracts versus going to open shops or any other kind of contracts forces. >> I know the DASA representatives and the legislative representatives from chief school
010officer were at the table with the uh architect of that bill uh with specific focus on what this would for school school projects and the impact it could have on costs actually what gets done in the buildings gets done for >> yes the impact would be about 10 10 to 15% increase on our projects >> so we've been at the table in conversations I can that's all I I can report back on that's what I heard the last session um writing consortium I have nothing to report there's been no meeting uh they're usually in the break underwriting consortium for the summer uh probably be uh more in July or August. I can give you the the meeting schedule for the fall. >> Strategic planning. >> So the strategic planning committee has uh wrapped up for
011the summer. Um uh last week I did participate. I've been bouncing kind of from work group to work group and uh I got invited to sit in on a Zoom meeting with a University of Delaware professor whose area of of specific research is teacher wellness, teacher wellness and mental health and um and there you know part part of that's one arm of the strategic plan is around employee well-being as well as student well-being and uh I stay tuned because I think she's going to be a a fantastic resource um and is going to be able to provide us with things that we don't have to invent ourselves like metrics of of to measure and and set um baselines and things like that. So, I'm excited. I'm excited about that piece of work. >> Okay. Um
012thank you. Then for the major capital construction committee, uh I'm on that and we were told that that will probably be the last Zoom meeting because the rest of them are probably going to be field trips out to the different construction sites that we have going on here in Colonial, which is very exciting uh in the next two months. And uh we saw a lot of plans going on. Got told about everything that's getting ready to start for this summer. There'll be a big boom here coming on. Um but everything is on par on pace with everything and we're excited for some groundbreaking ceremonies coming up in the next couple months. Um and then citizens financial oversight committee we don't have our right no report for that group. >> Okay. But I know I did
013hear from everything was good there. Um I'm assuming that'll be the >> the budget presented by they approved the documents consent agend. >> All right. And now moving on and it's time to board meeting for our celebration for the E and the power of we. And for one last time, I'm going to pass over to our student board member Mia to provide us with her final report of her senior year. >> Yeah. Awesome. Uh good evening, Colonials. So to start, I'll give the sports updates. The only thing I have for sports is that fall sports is now over and conditioning and try out information for no, I'm sorry, spring sports is now over and try out and conditioning information for fall sports for the 2026 and 2027 school year is going out through schooly. Um,
014for academic updates, AP exams were the first two full weeks of May and are now done and over with. Now we just have to scores on July 6th to go out. And on the 21st of May, we had our underassman and upper classman award ceremony where we got to celebrate the several wonderful students and their academic achievements. And lastly, social events. On May 15th, Penn had their senior prom. Seniors got to look amazing in their Bridgetton themed night. And lastly, on June 5th, William Penn seniors reached the end of their time at William Penn. And I'm glad to say that we're now all graduated. I don't want to sound like no mom or anything, but I'm truly proud of every uh William Penn of the Willing Penn senior class. And lastly, this isn't an update,
015but I do want to say thank you for to the board for allowing me to be up here every month. I don't know if the stuff I would made sense or if it just sounded like a whole bunch of hoopla. But um I do know that being up here I got to feel the power of we and the strength of the colonial colonial family. So thank you. Thank you. Just for the record, since we you may know we introduced Estraa earlier, we're going to ask our incoming board member, Estraa Morales Kaneo, to stand up and just say hello, wave to the audience. She'll be starting with us next school year. And we are I think we'll be fortunate. I think we're going to have Estraa for two years. She is a current sophomore. So, she's
016going to be junior next year. And so we're really going to be entertained even more so than having one year under her belt. So congratulations. Welcome to the team. >> Mia, thank you very much and believe me, it was an honor to have you here with us. >> Thank you for having me. >> All right. Uh continue with our in the power of storytelling. I'm going to pass over the mic to Colonial's executive coordinator, Miss Tyen Buts. Miss Buts, the floor is yours. Good evening. Tonight we would like to recognize and congratulate the students of William High School for their outstanding performance in the Delaware Personal Finance Challenge. Your dedication, preparation, and hard work were evident as you successfully advanced through the qualifying round and competed against other talented students from across the state. As
017I say your name, you can come up, take a picture, and step to the side. Pedro Morales. You have them all. Allison Ortiz >> Okampoception. Thank you. Next, we would like to congratulate the students from George Reese Middle School, Gun Bethford Middle School, McCulla Middle School, and William Penn, who proudly represented Colonial at the Mach 2nd Continental Congress held in legislative halls. Nominated by their teachers for this unique opportunity. These students demonstrated exceptional dedication, research skills, and civic engagement throughout the dayong program. When I call your name, you can come and take a picture. Leia Marville and Johnson's. Okay, McKinley. Ready? One, two, >> nail a new one. Okay. >> Next, we would like to congratulate all the 2027 Colonial School teachers of the year. Colonial School District would like to congratulate all the Colonial
018School District 2027 building teachers of the year. In addition to the building teachers of the year, we were also thrilled to recognize Miss Shiazan from Southern Elementary third grade teacher for earning the 2027 Colonial School District Teacher of the Year. We are honored to have her present represent Colonial Nation at the state level. We look forward to celebrating all of their accomplish this fall at the Colonial School Districts of the year event. Now, we would like to recognize our colonial educators who recently completed the equity practitioner program offered by the fourth dimension leadership foundation. This rigorous six month professional learning experience is designated to deepen participants understanding of equity and equip educators with the knowled needed to lead meaningful equity efforts within their schools and communities. Through a thoughtful design program that combines dialogue, reflection,
019curated readings, and high impact adult learning practices, participants engaged in powerful opportunities for personal strength and professional growth. The experience challenged educators to examine perspectives, strengthen their leadership capacity, and further their commitment to creating inclusive, supportive learning environments for all students. We are proud to celebrate this group of educators for their dedication to continuous learning and their commitment to fostering equity throughout our school community. This year marks the 12th cohort of Colonial educators to participate in the program. A testament to our district's ongoing investment and profession professional growth and educational excellence. Congratulations to all the participants on this significant accomplishment and thank you for your commitment to serving our students, families, and communities. Marsha Carter One, two. And that concludes our recognitions for the night. Thank you, Mrs. Butts. All right. Now, moving on. The
020uh next agenda item is the consent agenda. >> Oh, okay. Sorry. And right now, we do not have uh any public comments submitted. Uh so, we're going to move on past public comment. Uh and then we're going to move on to the consent agenda. Uh the items listed under the consent agenda have gone through board review. Oh, yeah. Okay. All right. Sorry. Um, do want to give a second. Usually we use public comment for this. Uh, for any of the families here who Well, you guys don't have homework to go home to. Please. >> Yeah. See, you could have kept them here. Fine. >> But no, if any of the families have anything to go to and they don't want to hang out to our exhilarating rest of our meeting, we're going to take a
021pause real quick so that you guys can step out. If not, feel free to hang out with us for the rest of the meeting. usually in the congratulations. It's always my favorite part to tell everybody. >> All right, moving on to the consent agenda. The items listed under the consent agenda have gone through board review, including documentation concerning these items that have been provided to all board members and the public in advance. Items in the consent agenda generally include routine personnel and business office actions and updates as well as approval of previous meeting minutes and education related items such as choice and student placements. Uh with that being said, do I hear a motion? >> Make a motion we accept or approve the consent agenda as presented by >> Do I hear a second? >>
022Second. >> All right. As moved by Mr. Walls, second by Mrs. Green. Are there any questions or comments from the board? All right. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. I. >> All those opposed, nay. Motion carries. All right. Next up on the agenda is the updates and action items. And I'll pass over to uh Dr. Mets. >> Thank you, uh, Mr. PQ. At this time, uh, we asked the board to consider, uh, the approval of the opportunity fund waiver. Uh, it was posted for two weeks consecutive journal. uh as per title 14 Delaware code section 1726 funds. This allows us to uh pull our resources and uh disperse them throughout the district to meet be more flexible and meet the needs of the students uh who qualify for the funding for the
023opportunities uh for the opportunity funding. We typically do this. We've been doing this every year since the opportunity fund uh was available. And uh we are required to seek your approval before we can submit our plan to DOE uh this summer. >> Do I have a motion? >> I move that we approve the waiverss of the provision of title 14 Delaware Code section 1726 opportunity fund waiver as presented. >> Do I hear a second? >> Second. >> All right. as moved by uh M. Smith and seconded by Mr. Press. Right. >> See, you got you got >> um are there any questions, comments from the board? >> I have one comment for the board. We did post it and we received no comments from >> All right. All those signified with saying uh all those
024in favor, please signify by saying I. >> I. >> All those opposed, nay. >> Motion carries. >> Next, we ask the board to approve a a red clay tax refund request. Uh this is coming from the tax pool for red clay. This is we've done these before. It's been quite a few years before we've since we've done a refund for the uh for the tax pool. And so we just ask that the board uh review and consider this refund request. It is not money in any way, shape or form. >> Do I hear a motion? >> I move that we approve the tax refund request as presented. >> Do I hear a second? >> Second. >> Uh as moved by Miss Smith, second by Mr. Handy. Are there any questions or comments from the board?
025All right. Just to clarify for the exact dollar amount when I said not a significant amount. So the the colonial portion of this refund is there's two. It's $37 and the other one is $28. >> No zeros on the end of this. >> There's like 81 cents. I just kind of rounded up. >> Yes. >> And literally was waiting for Mr. Walls to ask the question. >> He did. >> I heard the whisper whisper. I wanted to make sure before I misspoke I remembered it correctly. >> All right. All those in favor of the refund, please signify by saying I. >> I. >> All those opposed, nay. >> Motion carries. Six to one. >> All right. Didn't I call it earlier? >> All right. Next up, we have uh the district administration would like to
026seek a motion of consideration and action on a collectively bargained agreement with our Colonial Food Service Workers Association. And once we move on that phase, then we're going to take a pause and have hopefully a signing event. So, I'll let you go ahead. >> Do I hear a motion from the board? >> I move that we approve the collective bargain agreement with construction services presented. >> Do I hear a second? >> Second. All right, as moved by Dr. Dorsy and as seconded by Mr. Press. Are there any questions or comments from the board? All right. All those in favor, please signify with saying I. >> All those opposed, nay. All right. Motion carries. >> All right. We have some members of the CPA bargaining team here want to come forward. >> CFSWA. >> Oh, that's
027a lot of Oh, yes. CFS wa ea na I'm sorry looking at the wrong letters come on up jump around the table you're my >> pages are tabs there you can flip right to Oh, they're identical. >> They're identical again. Just signing two. See? >> Oh, good. I didn't see your snips. Congratulations. Next, excited to also uh bring forward for board's consideration and action a collectively bargained agreement with the Colonial Transportation Association. So turn that over to the board. All right. >> Do I hear a motion? >> I move that we approve this parking transportation as presented. >> Do I hear a second? >> Who's that Dr. >> All right. As pardon me, as moved by Mr. Hanny and seconded by Dr. Dorsey. Are there any questions or comments from the board? All those in
028favor, please signify by saying I. >> I. All those opposed? Nay. Motion carries. >> I thought it was. >> Where? Come on up. >> Bring up the team. You have any anybody else? >> Yeah. There you >> didn't show up. They're gonna let you get all the >> same on that one. >> She's not a nice person. negotiate. >> Oh, hey Jeff. How do you want to do it if we don't have the vice president? >> Just we'll track her. >> Every Wednesday after a board meeting the office anyway. >> Okay. Perfect. Yeah. Next up, we asked we asked the board to uh consider approving the invoice for uh the DSBA dues for the coming school year, for the coming year. All right. In regards to the DSBA dues, uh, do I hear a motion?
029>> I move that we approve the Delaware School Board Association invoice for 2026 2027 as presented. >> Do I hear a second? >> Second. >> All right. As moved by Miss Smith, second by Miss Breeding. Do I have any questions or comments from the board? >> All right. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. I. All those opposed? Nay. Motion carries. >> Next, we would ask the board to approve uh change in meeting date for the school board meeting next school year. Uh the May 27th board meeting. We would like to move the meeting from May 11th to May 4th from the second Tuesday of the month to the first Tuesday of the month to allow human resources to conduct business that complies with employment and regul employment and labor regulations. >> That's
030going to be a continuation thing with May. Correct. >> It depends on where the second Tuesday falls. Sometimes it's pretty sometimes it can be at the right time. It's just not not next last next year as well as they did this last year. We're just getting a little bit more ahead of it since two months in advance. We looked ahead this year to see something we need to change. Proud of ourselves. Do I hear a motion? >> I move that we approve the previously approved May 2027 schoolboard meeting from May 11th to May 4th as presented. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> All right. As moved by um Dr. Dorsy, seconded by Mr. Press. Uh are there any questions or comments from the board? All right. All those in favor, please signify
031by saying I. I. >> All those opposed, nay. Motion carries. >> Uh the last agenda item that for an action for the board's consideration is the uh code of conduct revisions for the 26 27th school year. Um the revisions this school year are what would be considered minor re revisions that do not require a first and the second read which is the standard board practice. Um so as you see in the board's agenda there are the only changes that we're making to the student code of conduct for the coming school year is the uh subsequent violations for unauthorized use of an electronic device uh where we removed OSS and confiscation as required and just added confiscation disciplinary agreements and ISS as optional. And then the second change is uh in the code of conduct there
032were there is a section regarding student attendance and makeup work. And the review of the code of conduct this year found seeming some inconsistencies throughout that section of what was termed unexcused excused absence. And so the administration went through with the climate committee uh to kind of to revise and modify it to be all saying the same thing. Um there really was no substantive changes to the code. It's just more of an alignment uh issue. So given that those are not substantive changes to the code, we're asking if the board would wave the first and second read and approve those changes as proposed. Do >> I hear a motion? Make a motion that we wave the first second read process and approve the changes as presented. >> Do I hear a second? >> Second. >>
033As moved by Mr. Lols and seconded by Mr. Handy. Are there any questions or comments? >> I got a question. is the code of >> is the code of um conduct is being sent to the family uh like in a hard paper? No, we do the code of conduct electronically, but we do have hard copies available for those who request it. Uh, but it is done in an electronic fashion, but an electronic signed uh that they received it >> and um and they come in a different language. >> Yes. >> What what language would it come? Probably Spanish. >> Spanish is the one that I know we publish. We print. I do not know about Haitian Creole in terms of print, but I do on I know online we have a feature on our website
034that translates for families up to Ge you know how many languages >> like many >> Yeah. on the >> Yes. >> If the family are aware of that feature, how to click on it and how to look for that. I don't know if families how aware they are of it, but it's been a feature we've had for >> we we push it out and also in all of our communication um platforms. It has the ability to translate in numerous languages. So, they're used to the ability to have that translation feature in our score newsletters, on our website, and social media already does it pretty natively. Um, but it is something that's a regular practice for what we do. >> Okay. I I thank you. >> Where's my purse? I can't remember. >> Okay. >> But
035I I do have I'm just a little confused. So, for the unauthorized use of an electronic device for subsequent violations, meaning not the first time, >> we're removing out of school suspension as required. >> Yes. And we're adding confiscation disciplinary agreements and and in school suspension is optional. >> Out of school suspension was already optional. >> Was already optional. >> It was just double list. It was required and optional. >> Okay, that's my question. Thank you. >> Typo somewhere down the line. >> Okay. Are there any questions or comments? >> All right. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. >> I. All those opposed? Nay. Motion carries. >> And the last two updates are strictly just that. They're hard copy updates for the board of the community regarding school discipline plans uh that
036were approved last June by the school board as required. Though they're required approval every three years, we keep it on our docket just to kind of provide the community and the board back with an update of what's going on with the discipline plans for the schools that were identified. And then also an update on our uh extended learning opportunities. specifically what's going on in the summer, where the sites are, the hours. So, if you're interested in attending or joining any means or joining any program, stop in and visit. That concludes the presentation that updates and action items. >> Well, that moves us to a journ. And with this being >> Oh, and there are no items removed. Are there any items removed from You hear what you're doing, right? It's this last piece. >> You
037know that three years in and it still gets me flustered. >> Are there any items you >> There were no items, >> Mr. Walls. You know, >> Chris, I'm making Hold on for one second. It is June. All right. And I'm gonna say uh we are saying a final goodbye to our student uh Representative Mia. So I'd like to ask you to come on down here real quick. >> I'd like you to get the chance to gather us out. >> Okay. >> So if you could just go right back anything and go ahead and just read there. >> Do I hear a motion to adjurnn? >> Mr. Chairman, I'll make a motion to Do I have a second? >> Now you got to choose a time breaker. That's all. Thank >> as moved by Mr.
038Laws. >> Seconded by Dr. Dorsy. >> Are there any questions or comments from the board? >> Yes, I have a comment. Mr. Laws, it has been an honor to serve with you 20 years. That is an awful lot of institutional knowledge that is walking out the door. And uh I as a newer board member h have been um just so pleased, you know, when you have taken the opportunity to dredge up some of that history and and you know, and remind us of things or or explain maybe how things used to be and why we don't do it like that anymore. So I I absolutely appreciate it and I I wish you uh all the best. >> Thank you. Any other questions or comments? >> All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I.
039>> All those opposed? Nay. >> Oh, I was waiting. I'm sorry. That's good to I'm so sorry. I thought that was happening. Dang it, man.