June 23, 2025 KASD School Board Meeting

001I'd like to call this meeting to order. Would everyone please rise for a moment of silence? Call this meeting to order. Would everyone please rise for a moment and pledge of allegiance? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Like to thank everyone for coming uh this evening. There's a log in the front. If you haven't done so, please sign in. If you have anything in particular would like to bring to the board's attention, please also write that down. If at any time during the meeting you would like us to mention something on an agenda item. There's also time for um please raise your hand be recognized after normal business there's also

002time for public comment where you can bring up additional issues. Um this meeting is being recorded and I will also announce that there was an executive session conducted prior to the meeting to discuss personal matters. Mr. Aaron Angel here. Michael Hass here. Hoffman here. Silia here. Jason Cup here. Jeremiah Le here. Dennis here. Daniel Whisper here. Laurel Ziggler here. Thank you. Uh, first thing we can do here is the approval of minutes from our June 2nd, 2025 school board meeting. I'd be looking for a motion to approve those. Dishes. Second. Five minutes. Motion and a second. Any questions or comments on those? Mr. Aaron Engel. Yes. Michael Hes. Yes. Rea Hoffman. Yes. Cecilia Holt. Yes. Jeremiah Light. Yes. Dennis Dishious. Yes. Daniel Whisner. Yes. Laurel Ziggler. Yes. Jason C. Yes. Motion carries. Four and five

003we can take together. Um I'd be looking for a motion to approve both the treasures report. Items A through R are listed out and then uh the approve the bills for payment A through G. We have a motion. Second. Any questions or comments? Mr. SW. Michael Hes. Yes. Rea Hoffman. Yes. Cecilia Hol. Yes. Jeremiah Light. Yes. Dennis Dishes. Yes. Daniel Whismer. Yes. Laurel Sigler. Yes. Aaron Angel. Yes. Jason C. Yes. Motion carries. Six is communications and reports some chat superintendent report. Thank you. Uh we have a series of presentations this evening. Um and just first before we get to without a full report um before we get to the presentations just wanted to highlight one fantastic achievement that was um after the end of after our last meeting to end the school year. I'd like

004to congratulate um our National History Day competitors Gian Pizzal, Lucas Pizzal, and Rea Ziggler. um had an outstanding showing at the National History Day competition in College Park, Maryland. Um again, their powerful documentary was t uh titled Out of the Ashes, a city, a movement, and the children they failed. They just had an incredible run. Uh first place at regionals, first place at at states, and then competing against over 100 junior group documentary finalists across the globe at the University of Maryland and earning a top 10 finalist rank. Congratulations. um they they've achieved great things in National History Day and I think my understanding has had a great time doing it. Seems like it's been a really really positive experience. So congratulations. Um congratulations. Congratulations to the students of course and parents and teachers. Um

005next up uh we have a high school student Mary H wants to share her Opie experience with us. Mary the floor is yours. Hi everyone. My name is Mary Hess. Last weekend, I had the opportunity to travel to Newman University to attend the annual Hopi Leadership Seminar. I had a wonderful experience there and it meant a lot that I was able to attend. Through active discussions, panel boards and activities, I was able to foster my leadership skills, provide help to our communities through service projects, and I formed close friendships with students from a variety of school districts across Pennsylvania. My specific group was volunteering at Bartram's Garden in Southwest Philadelphia. Bartram's Garden specializes in being an African Daisora farm, meaning it caters to the large population of African descent of the area. They grow and

006harvest fruits and vegetables native to Africa and sell them at fair prices to the local community. I have the opportunity to work with their organization as well as help weed and harvest raspberries for the community. We also were able to work alongside representatives from the Philadelphia Orchard Project. They work with community- based groups and volunteers to plan and plant orchards primarily in lowincome neighborhoods where people have limited access to fresh fruit. They have limited access to fresh fruit. They provide orchard design assistance planting materials and shrinking in orchard care. Community organizations own, maintain, and harvest the orchard. Expanding community- based food production, environmental benefits and opportunity for nature education. Going to Hobie was truly a life-changing experience and I learned skills that will help shape my future as a leader in my community. I felt

007accepted, welcomed, and supported the entire weekend. And Hobie continues to inspire young people across the world to become positive catalysts for change. I would like to thank both the school district and my counselor, Mr. Brett, for helping me get to Hobie and sponsoring my journey there. I hope KHX continues to nominate and send students in the following years. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Barry. Before you sit down, before you sit down, just um Mary had shared a series of pictures. It seems like they're they didn't go through properly and in getting Dr. Myers uh for for Dr. Myers display, but you know, just this is an annual thing where we have students go and be expire go inspired by the um the experience just um what's your very short pitch to another student to

008go? I know, you know, showing your appreciation of what you learned. If you were making the pitch to a student who's a rising uh junior, I guess what would your suggestion be? Well, like high school can be difficult. It's difficult to fit in to really find yourself. And going to Hobie and being surrounded by such genuine and kind people, supportive leaders, and like a board of just successful and inspiring panelists. It's just great to go and kind of find yourself and experience just what it's kind of I don't know just I really loved being in that environment. It was happy. It was welcoming and just overall a great place to be. Newton University was beautiful and I got to spend time with a lot of great students from other districts. So I broadened my horizon

009for what I can find here in Pennsylvania and I feel like I have better skills to be a leader in my community here. Fantastic. Um my pitch would just be you know annually we do have when we have a student who attends they always speak of what it's a life-changing experience it's you know it's some described that way and recently have had you know a student same age in my personal life who had kind of had that same experience. So um what we'd say is sophomores kind of rising up is talk to your your school counselor about what whether that is an opportunity for you as well. Thank you so much for sharing your experience. As a fellow Hobie alum, I really want to congratulate you. That's awesome and I'm thrilled to hear that as

010a district, we're continuing to support the program. It's excellent for student leadership and really glad that you're able to pictures. Anything you'd like to share about the picture specifically? Um, those are some of the berries that I helped harvest. Those are called golden raspberries. They're native to Africa. It was great seeing those in a lot of them. That was my group. Uh, some of them were from Arabian. Some of them were from districts close to New Jersey. That was that was our group leader. It was really cool. His name's Derek. And Gabby King, who just recently graduated this year, she also got to have Derek as a group leader. So, I thought that was kind of wholesome. That's me and my friend Maddie picking raspberries up at Berry Hill at Bartram's Garden. That's our group

011when we did Hobie Olympics, which was kind of just like an extended field day. And that was my group. A lot of team bonding there. Worked on teamwork, collaboration. That's my group again. Just smiling. Toby stamp. Thank Thank you. And thank you for sharing. Thank you. Next up, we have Mr. Yapsuga and we have entitled spring sports presentation. I think really here to celebrate some of the incredible achievements of our student athletes. Thank you. So we'll get to uh the major achievements and recognitions uh towards the end. So this actually is kind of a uh triannual presentation usually done at a committee meeting but when we have something special like champion or a first conference champion we like to recognize him at the full board meeting. So we have a presentation up here and gonna

012use it as my cue to go along. So we're going to start off with our boys volleyball team. We had a first year head coach Eric Fleming with assistant coach Alberto Raone. This year we had 10 participants at the high school level. They finished three and seven in Burks 2, four and 11 overall. This year uh we had one Burks allstar recognition this year with Liam Zotter, a junior. He was Burk's all division two honorable mention. Um, and the one thing I want to say about our boys volleyball program this year is with coach Fleming and Coach Monk stepping into to lead the program this year, they showed tremendous growth and uh, skill development and competitiveness and just overall volleyball IQ and they were a whole lot of fun to watch this year. So many

013exciting games. They even took a set from state qualifier Brandy Wine earlier this year. Um, so a lot of competitive matches that four and 11 overall record to the visa have been shifted a couple more into the wins column. Had a couple more plays going our way, but uh very competitive and we're excited that coach Fleming does plan on coming back next year. So with that, he's a local Goodtown resident, so not far for him to come coach our boys volleyball team. So congratulations to uh to our boys volleyball team this year. And did forget to mention every picture that you're going to see in the presentation. All again courtesy of DK photography again supplying so many great action shots for our for our athletes this year again. Then moving on to our next sport.

014We have our boys tennis team this year. Uh again the uh the records coming back to to coach again. Lann is our head coach, Dale helping out as a volunteer coach. Uh Brian Christ as the assistant coach this year and Tiam Muller coming back to help out as a volunteer coach. We had 10 boys participating this year. They finished six and two in Brooks 2 division. Uh which was their third place finish in the division, 9 and4 overall. Um some postseason accomplishments, they qualified for VCIA team tournament this year. We lost to Daniel Boone three nothing in the quarterfinals. Uh we qualified as the six seed in the district 3 team tournament this year. Trinity came in and gave us a tough match and we lost 4 to1 in the opening round of the district

015three uh team playoffs. And we got David Newan Schwander, senior named Burk's all division two all-star this year. So congratulations to our boys tennis team. Another very competitive year and that program just seems to be growing and growing each year and has been a consistent uh competitive program over the past couple of years at Burks County. So congratulations to the records and the boys and forward to another spring next year. Our baseball team once again Tim BS coming back to to coach. We have Laura Schaer and Trevor Greenwalt as our assistant. Our middle school coaches this year, Seth Hener and Andrew Shamley. Um, back once again with volunteer coaches Rob Howard and George Sherry helping out at the high school level. We had 19 players at the high school, 15 at the middle school. Uh,

016our boys finished seven and four Burks in Burks four, 13-9 overall, and they are the Burks Division 4 champions for the fourth year in a row. So, congratulations to them. Uh, they qualified for the BCIA tournament uh for the playoffs. state lost to Governor Mifflin in the quarterfinals and qualified for the district 3 3A tournament and lost to Y missing in a marathon game over there on May 19th. The final score was 12 to 11 or 11 to 10. Um that game lasted three hours and 15 minutes. We were down 11 to2 at the end of the second inning and slowly but slowly we just kept creeping back in and uh took him to uh eight innings and but fortunately missing got us to the end. But truly an exciting game, competitive game line missing

017certainly wasn't counting on us making a comeback like that but boys showed a lot of fight throughout the season and in that game in particular. So congratulations to our our baseball team. We have some postseason recognition for our baseball team. We had Colt Matias named the Burks all conference team. Colum Deal, Ashton Dunn, Cory Gilbert, and Chase Scheler all named Burks all division four team. And Chris Bergstrom, Elliot Nudson, and Ryan Walters all named Burks Division 4 honorable mention. So you have a strong competitive team, a division champion. You're going to have a lot of recognition with our players. So congratulations to all our players named uh with the postseason recognition up there. Our next team, we have our track and field team. Uh some Oh, there we go. Coach Jester is our head coach

018again along with Shelby Breck, Kelsey Yog, Carly Turner, Jason Morazz, and Austin Corey. Uh no volunteer coaches. We had a couple of interns from KU middle school head coaches. Lee Clark along with Steven Kercher. We had 28 boys and 21 girls at the high school level, 24 boys and 23 girls at the middle school level. Uh broken down, we still have that co-op with Brandy Wine at the middle school level. So, we had 13 total from Pitstown, five boys, eight girls. And for Brandy, we have 19 boys and 15 girls. And looking to flip-flop those numbers moving forward next year. Get a couple more from from KZtown uh coming out. Boys regular season, we finished one and four in Brooks 2, three and six overall. In the girls regular season, they finished three and two

019in Brooks 2, six and three overall. And so Burks postseason recognition, we had James Underoupler, senior, Burks all division three in a triple jump. Clara Angel Jr. who's here with us tonight. Uh Burks all division three in the long and triple jump. And Riley Durstein, sophomore, BS all division three in the javelin. And then moving on to the district three championship. These were all our qualifiers that we had this year. So a strong group of my student athletes going representing us at Shippensburg this year. We had Lena Kley finishing 12th in the 3200. Olivia Boss finishing 18th in 100 meter hurdles. Clara Engel, we will kind of put a highlight on her in she won gold medal in two events in the long jump and triple jump. And in the high guard 10th in the

020pole hole, Riley Durstein sixth also medal there in the javelin. William Fizzalante 15th in the javelin. Rebecca Bats 12th in the shot and a 4x4 hybrid relay consisting of Emory Zimmerman, Sydney Chappelle, Caitlin Hoffley, and Clara Engel. uh finishing 11th at this race. And on the boys side, we had Lucas Hoffman finishing 17th in the hunt hurdles. Jimmy Coupler finishing 12th in the long jump. And our other district champion from uh from Chippensburg that weekend. Uh Jimmy finished first in the triple jump. Gavin Howlet finished 14th in shot and the 4x800 meter relay team finished 10th. and we had Daniel Cali, Kale Sego, Egan Su, Tucker Hillyard, and Jackson Hillyard. Part of that replay. So, congratulations to all our place finishers at the district championship meet. And I said before, we had uh one of

021our three recognitions for tonight. We had Jimmy Underler, who's a district 3A champion in the triple jump. He went on the next weekend at the PIAA championship meet and finished uh 12th in the triple jump the following weekend. But just wanted to say a big congratulations to Jimmy. Uh so h happy and grateful that he was able to accomplish this as a junior last year. He unfortunately missed out on the district championship meet due to unexpected illness. So he wasn't able to compete last year and he was ranked very high in medal contention last year going into the meet. but for him to come back this year and gain his focus and u be able to accomplish what he did and he has earned himself a a banner to be hung in our gym because

022of his accomplishment. So congratulations to uh Jimmy as a district 3 2A champion in the triple jump. And then we have our other champion here and I'm going to have you come up and stand in front of everybody as well here. When you show up you get to come up front. So, we have Clara who is a two-time or how do you say it? One time district three champion in two events. So, district three champion in the long jump and triple jump. And then the following weekend at the state championship, she placed fifth in the triple jump. Um, so Clara has been, you know, working so hard. She kind of burst onto the scene her freshman year and really set the stage for what looked to be and what is a very accomplished career. She

023has another year left of competition here at Kutztown. So, um, you're not getting your banner yet because we have high hopes that you're going to add more stuff. You only get one banner, but you can put as much as you want. The fun just gets a little bit smaller, but just enough for everybody to read all your accomplishments. So, uh, just a very big, uh, round of applause and congratulations. And because just to make sure get the banner after you graduate days for come back here point up there I did that. So congratulations Claire. All right, our final spring sport uh for this season. Uh we have our softball team. Uh head coach Kevin Conrad joining us who just retired from Ktown, but only from one job, not retiring as our softball coach. He's still

024coming back. Made him promise me that. Um high school assistant coaches Stacy Cresley and Ashley Donat. uh volunteer coaches, his daughter Megan and Megan Donat and Bart Fstermacher. Our middle school coaches this year, head coaches Sherah Frederick and assistant coach Jim Frederick. We had 14 players at the high school level, 18 at the middle school level. And in the regular season, our girls finished 11 and0 in Burks 3. We actually moved up this year from Burks 4 to Burks 3 uh to face some tougher competition. We wound up going undefeated in league play this year, 23 and five overall. So we are one-time Burks Division 3 champion, but we are division champions four years in a row. Uh because we have won Burks Division 4 championship the previous three years. Uh Burks County champions this

025year, first time since 2002. First time any Christown team has won a Burks accomplished championship since 2002. and that's a softball team and TI district uh PIAA district 3 3A runnerups and TIAAA quarter finalists this year we have some postseason recognition again just like with when you're division champion when you're conference champions you're going to have a lot of athletes being recognized uh in the postseason so we have Brandon Douser senior she was named to Brooks allconerence team and the Burks conference player of the year this year we have Satie Ber senior named to the Burks all conference team as well. We have Jay Fitzgerald a softball, Jaden Jay Fitzgerald a sophomore, Jaden Garris a junior and Felicia a junior all named to the Burks all division three team and Ava Tut a sophomore and

026Miranda Morstat a senior named the Burks division three honorable mention team at some notable accomplishments this year. Satie Burgerer, a senior, recorded her 150th career hit this season and Brianna Fer recorded her 300 strikeout versus Brandy W, which took a place right at the Lions earlier this year. So, congratulations to uh Cassad and Brianna. I know there's some individual accomplishments this year. And we have a couple representatives from our softball team. They said before, coach Kevin Conrad come on up. We had Mexi Matana from our softball team, freshman come on up. One of the future players throughout for the next couple of years of our program. So big congratulations to our representatives from our softball team this year. Thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Yapsuga. Just uh some incredible accomplishments from our spring athletes

027and the the culture, you know, as I listen to it all and think about all the programs and how they work, the culture of hard work, the culture of pride and what they do, you know, really is a is a theme throughout. I mean, obviously the softball team and this group of upper classmen had an incredible run. Um Lexi big shoes to fill. Um, you know, but with great leadership, I think, you know, we'll continue to see that level of success in future years and, you know, multiple golds in track is just a phenomenal year for an individual, but alone for a team and for, you know, for the boys and girls team, you know, with a lot of continued success there. We're excited. Boys baseball team had a great run. um the culture, the

028the the the words you heard coming out of volleyball this year just about how I think actually even on a Monday night do uh around a meeting I heard it right here uh just about the um the level of coaching and organization and the culture of accountability within that program was just phenomenal this year. Tennis I you can't go behind this building on a weekend or an evening and not find somebody playing tennis back there. and it's usually our student athletes and they're with our volunteers and our coaches or sometimes alumni that are back to help co you know coach them. It's just a great culture of improvement. Um and that's that's all a credit in all of our programs. Uh so congratulations to all the coaches, all the student athletes and all of the

029failed retirements throughout that. Um DK failed retire coaches failing to retire in a good way. I think replet retired a handful of times too and they're still there to support our students and it's it's a you know what I started with of the culture comes from those people being so dedicated to our program. So, thank you every um last in our our presentations here today at the last meeting uh we attempted to queue up the videos for the education foundation fundraising efforts and Dr. Myers wanted to still share those with us here. Elementary School already does have a beautiful playground adjacent to large fields and a screen which seems like an ideal place for children to play. But for children who have sensory processing concerns, it becomes challenging for them to navigate such an overwhelming

030and overstimulating environment. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 36 children are diagnosed with autism in the United States, a number that has been steadily increasing. The Goodstown Area School District has seen a similar rise in the number of students who have individualized education plans requiring advanced support related to autism spectrum disorder and other sensory processing challenges. Over the last several years, it has become more and more evident that students need regular opportunities to access their environment in ways that allow for a variety of sensory experiences. KZtown Elementary School has worked to establish a specific classroom space to provide some of this sensory integration, but would also like to provide a playground where students can explore in an open-ended playbased environment. Right now, our outdoor space isn't fully accessible or engaging

031for students, many of whom require specialized equipment and structured activities to thrive. To say that I'm excited to hear about this project, a fully inclusive playground, is an understatement. The benefits of having equipment and a play area that is accessible and available to all our children is monumentous. Since the career courtyard is an enclosed safe place, it gives the staff looking to give our children an opportunity to many valuable essential social and play skills while also receiving sensory input. This space won't just benefit our students. It'll be a place where all children, regardless of their ability, can learn and grow together. Scan the QR code or visit www.kded kdedfoundation.org to learn more about how you can help and make a gift today. We take great pride in our music and theater program. Our students excel

032year after year. We have had both vocal and instrumental students learn earn spots in district, regional, and state chorus and jazz band and concert band. Recently, our auditorium was renovated and it looks awesome. However, our sound and lighting systems were not touched to maintain and expand on our tradition of excellence. The Kutztown Area School District Education Foundation is looking to invite Kutztown Area School District alumni, families, businesses, and individuals to buy a front seat to the future of the programs by donating to this project. The proposed upgrades to the Castenary High School auditorium are a gamecher for our students. With better lighting, uh improved acoustics, the performances and presentations will be more engaging than ever. Not only will the new lights be more cost effective, they will also emit far less heat on stage and

033allow for professional looking lighting effects during the shows. The projection system would allow the use of virtual scene illuminations and stage decoration. Music and theater students should have a professional space to showcase their talents and every assembly and guest speaker that comes through will be clear and more impactful. This isn't just about the arts. It's about creating a space where every student feels inspired and heard. At first glance, many view the auditorium solely as a venue for school concerts, musicals, and assemblies. However, its role extends far beyond that. It should also serve the needs of our community. Over my 40 years here, I have witnessed and engaged in a variety of events held in our auditorium, including Junior Miss Outstanding Young Woman program, local dance recital, music educator and Burks County festivals, and music in

034the park festivals, which draws participants from across the east coast. For many years, students in the Kutztown School District Tech gained wonderful life experiences, made many forever friendships, and felt the enormous pride of performing for the Kutztown community. These upgrades will help continue this tradition into the future. Scan the QR code or visit www.kdedfoundation.org to learn more about how you can help and make a gift today. Thank you for playing those uh Christian. I know that I asked last meeting um to do that. I just wanted the opportunity to highlight what the Ed Foundation has come to do for our district and in our community. Um you probably have much more detail on what the ed foundation is and and I mean the ed found the education foundation is here to support students you know

035in a variety of ways of course um mostly historically through the scholarship programs that happens at our site but we also have um support scholar program where students who are attending co taking college courses while they're in high school can apply for some funding. Um they have our miniig grant program that they're highlighting with our u teachers. Teachers can apply for miniig grants to try some exciting things in their classroom. Um and this is a new campaign two two campaigns concurrently uh to support our students that have significant behavioral needs and and some specialized uh programming and equipment in uh at the elementary school. And then really just, you know, one of the points of pride within our district is our auditorium and all and our facilities and just upgrading so that we can maximize

036um our students talents and highlighting those. If you heard Mrs. Edoyer within her speech in the video talked about some rear projection, I think proud to say that the rear projection is now installed in our auditorium. That was the first component of that uh staging the future. um have students working with that equipment, you know, so that could that was handled some through the EITC funds that the education foundation annually assists us in securing. I'll just give credit the large EITC donation from Ruters uh community partner here. Um so that's kind of the first phase of that and looking to continue with the momentum to be able to support those projects through the generous donations of community members and businesses. Great. Thank you. Thank you for the explanation. Uh we can't do enough to to

037promote and publicize what the Crystal Education Foundation does for our students and all the folks that are involved with that organization do a excellent job doing a lot of hard work. So just thank you to them. Next, we do have two stu two new student board representatives, but they are not joining us here yet this evening. they will um be joining us meeting very soon. The senior board representative is Lydia Boss and the alternate is what it's called, but essentially our 11th grade uh superintendent is Lindsay Schmeck. So, um Oh, there you are. I'm sorry. I guess Olivia said she wasn't going to be able to be here. So, Lindsay, thank you for joining us this evening. We we're meeting sometime in the in the near future to talk about the rule a little bit.

038Um, you are welcome to to take your seat up to the board this evening, I think, if you want to. You don't have to. It's up to you. The old one. Well, we need we have to we have to get the new name plates. Turn that around. Turn them around. I'm sorry. But do you have any This is really on the spot. But do you have anything you would like to share as a student board representative? I don't know. I just took the opportunity because I thought it would be like I don't know like more be more involved with the school and like my class. Yeah, that's it. And just just so you know, one of the things when we do get to meet in the intro is it is okay to say I don't

039have any reports. So you always have that out. Say there's nothing. So thank you so much for your time. I think um I know we all here appreciate the engaged stu engaged student board uh representatives to bring the student perspective on things that are happening in the school community but also just the business of the school board. Um, you know, these folks volunteer a massive amount of time to provide the governance level of coordination for the school district and although many are parents, therefore they get to see it firsthand, you know, being able to directly interact with that student representative, I know they find very well. So, thank you for for your time. Thank you. Congratulations. Look forward to working with you here. Uh, next thing we have is the board committee reports. start with

040uh BCTC, Mrs. S. Um, thank you. Yeah, they wrapped up their career camp last week. So, that was exciting. Um, they I don't know if anybody knows what career camp is. Career camp is a week long during the summer where a certain amount of kids come to BCTC and take a different class every day. Uh so they did um electrical, they did power and rack, culinary, cosmetology and precision machine. Um so they that um happened last week, my daughter was involved in it, she really really really loved it. Um my one sad part is that the more I talked to parents about it here in our district, they had no idea about it. So, I really really would like us to be a little bit more diligent next year about advertising this because it's a

041really great opportunity for kids even if you're not going to go to BCTC to just be able to see what they do and the different you know. Yeah. And it starts so she just finished sixth grade. So, seventh graders and can participate. Very good. And the rest is in the briefs. Okay. Thank you, Mrs. Hawen. It's a very good point though for next year. Um, next is BCIU. Thank you, Mr. Cuck. Um, I was unable to attend the meeting, so I have nothing to report. Okay. Thank you. Uh, Perks Tax Collection Committee, Mr. No. All right. Thank you. That's uh PSBA. I miss all report. All right. Thank you. Then we will go to the extracurricular facilities committee. We had no meeting. No reading the report and that takes us to policy and curriculum. Uh

042we had Thank you. We had um some textbooks we discussed and then uh we got an update on the MTSS the multi-tered support for the students that and then uh we have some policies for for reading tonight. Okay. Thank you. I believe that is the last of our committees to report. Next is public comment on agenda items. We have no one signed up here in the room. Dr. Myers, is there anyone online? No, there is. Okay. Well, thank you. Then we will can move right into new business. Uh the first item of new business is the final adop budget adoption homestead and farmstead resolution. Um so I'll be looking for a motion um for an option A through D. Uh it is the recommendation of the budget and finance committee that the board of school

043directors adopt one of the final budgets options and the accompanying homestead and farmstead resolution for the 2025 2026 school year. A through D are listed out. Um and as we make a motion for one, we can read them. Uh I'm going to jump out here first. All right. I'd like to um make a motion uh for option A, which is 85.0183% 0183% um tax increase. And if uh I'm able to get a second, I'd love the opportunity to try to convince four additional people to vote along with me. Second question, a second. U Mr. Thank you. Um I I'll keep this short. It's really nothing that I haven't said at probably the other four to five uh budget meetings that we've had. Um we this year for the first time I think ever have applied

044for the special education um exemption um through the state which we do qualify for. Um there were a number of steps that we had to go through to show that we were qualified um to ask for this exemption um for our budget and we made all of those qualifications. Um, so I would like to see us include that in the um, budget proposal this year for a number of reasons. U, but I think probably the most important reason is that we have a a fairly large special education need in our district and that has just recently um, come into the district in the last few years. I would like to see our district support these students with that extra exemption money that we have because although we're able to meet their needs in the classroom

045at any moment any one of these additional students could have the need for out of school placement and a year of out of school placement I think on average might cost around $80,000 or more. Yeah. tuitions will run anywhere from well I mean the typical placement tuition they could there's no limit really but I mean it's really we're looking typically at 55 to about 90 is the tuition but then there's typically a pretty significant transportation cost because um very few of those schools are local um until most recently we do the new story Maxon Elementary building is local but the rest are pretty significant distance so yeah you're looking well over $100,000 often uh per student um if they can't share transportation. So, we have that potential because we have a higher special education student

046population in this district. So allowing for us to to take that exception means that we have that money essentially set aside to take care of those situations should they arise or should we get additional students in the district that might need those funds. Um, in addition to that, I also think that that extra money could be useful in helping keep our elementary student classroom numbers more manageable. Right now, we have third grade numbers um in our school that are approaching 28 to 29 students per classroom. I really do not agree with balancing the budget on the back of elementary students. High school and middle school classrooms can absorb higher numbers because those students are more capable of doing independent learning on their own. Elementary school needs those more moderate numbers to give more individual um

047attention to those students. And in our elementary schools, we are doing a lot of diversified learning for our students, trying to individualize as much as we possibly can to maximize their education. And it is very very difficult, if not impossible, to try to do that when your classroom involves 28 to 29 students. Um, for those main reasons, I am I don't want to say begging, but I am asking for people to really really take a strong look at this option and understand that that extra money will be put to good use. Um, because we do qualify for that exception. So, I I am really asking for people to look at how they're voting on this and really consider how we would be able to properly spend that extra roughly $200,000. Thank you. Thank I'd also

048like to speak in support of that um option. Um, in addition to the reasons that Mr. capacitated. Um although no decisions have been made regarding elementary school feasibility um study options, um if we are in a better financial position as a district, then we have more choices when it comes to making those decisions. Um, and especially if we do have a cir circumstance, that is one of Mr. Hess's examples of having to fund um, additional needs for a student and we have to dig into our budget because we haven't raised that additional money, then our options are far more limited and then our options to serve students are far more limited. That's one of the reasons I support. Thank you, M. I'd like to share maybe a different perspective. Um, so in the primary last

049month, 82% of our community of voters spoke loudly and clearly that they were not in favor of a 10% tax increase. That was despite misinformation that was out there that tried to tie the that tax increase to Saving Greenwich Elementary School, which was never true. 10% tax increase would have allowed the district to not cut spending only to have us in the same place again next year. And the voters rejected that. Last year, this board passed a 3% increase. If this board now passes a five, four, or 3% increase, we will have effectively increased taxes by eight, seven, or 6% respectively, in one year's time. I honestly don't know how any of us can consider that action representative of the will of those who voted for us. These increases most dramatically impact seniors on fixed

050incomes and young people trying to buy their first homes in our community. But compounding increases affect the spending choices that all of our members of our community can make for themselves. I believe that the path we are on as a school district is unsustainable. We are heading in the direction of passing tax increases to make it through another year only to again pass tax increases to make it through another year. This will ultimately result in a tax structure so punitive that only the wealthiest of people will be able to afford to send their children to a KASD school because they're the only ones able to choose to buy a home in our district. Until such time that our district sees some significant industrial investment in our community, this cycle will continue. Although I am not

051in favor of all industry in our community, our community needs to understand that opposing all industry will lead to perpetuating the cycle. I recognize and respect the diligent work that our superintendent has done to reduce spending in the last several years. But if we don't take our spending even more seriously, I fear that we are heading to even more difficult challenges ahead up to and including the dissolution of this district altogether by being forced into combining with another. Thank you, Mr. Yes. Just to clarify, there is no discussion whatsoever about combining with another district. Is that factual? There's no discussion. That's great. So, you obviously do not need to own a home in the school district in order to attend KSD. You can rent as many many of of uh our constituents within the community

052do so as well. Um, could you remind us of the the tax increases that we've seen in our fellow Burks County school districts over the past 10 years and the range of those uh cumulative 10 plus year tax uh increases as we've seen uh the overall cost of living and and inflation impact again not not just within Burks County but everywhere. Um I need to pull up that document. I will say that the cumulative tax increase over the last five years ranges from as much as 67% cumulatively um to you know the there's one district that has actually reduced taxes in that amount of time and then there's us at that bottom of that range are cumulative it's just what happened last year. Um, when you look across the county, you're going to see averages

053in the two to four range. You know, if you say cumulative over five or six years, you're going to see an average of about 2 to 4% each season. So about 20 to 40% tax increase over the last 10 years. You're saying most most property homeowners within Burks County have had their taxes go up anywhere from 20 to 40 to 67%. Yeah. Because over the last 10 years. And we here at Stone have had taxes go up 3%. That's correct. And it's just I mean it is the it's the way the system is designed. I think you know where I think it's really challenging and you hear different perspectives about the budget. There's almost everything they said is true, right? Because there the reality is the way the system is currently designed for funding that

054if there's not a significant increase in taxable property which right now in Pennsylvania typically comes through the form of industrial property. um or you know you the other sometimes it's moderate increase through res residential development plus some type of light commercial type development um the only way to raise enough revenue for most communities and school district Pennsylvania schools is through increasing increasing taxes annually um our costs go up at status quo every year just like everyone else's I mean again that's why there's truth on all sides of it because that impacts households the same way it impacts us as a district So, um, we're talking not pulling up the actual numbers, but yeah, what I'm saying is true. I mean, it's we we are very very much on the bottom end of that. Um, as

055we went nine consecutive years without tax increases and, um, it's just, uh, it's a real, you know, Mr. Dish says is a reality that the only way to sustain what we do now is either increase in assessed value or to increase taxes essentially. Um, and we've held the line and cut I I really think as much as we can, you know, in those years very proud of that work. Still very proud of the product that we have. Um, it's just there's no there's no more fat on the bone. I mean, for parade analogy, it might not be perfect. So, just in summary, our our taxpayers, which are not every single person here in the district, right? We have um many many people who live in the district and are not paying into school taxes. It

056is only impacted. So if you rent, you're not paying school taxes. It's only if you own a home in the district, you have only seen a 3% increase in taxes over the last 10 years when certainly your own personal budget has had uh inflation and you've seen that in your own home budget. But other other homeowners throughout the county have experienced anywhere easily again from 20 to 67%. Okay. So even if we went forward with this 3% last year and 5% this year at 8% we would still be the second lowest school district in the county for any sort of increases over that cumulative time period. Yeah, that that's true. Um, okay. We I mean we typically took a county information out because the funding is a little bit different there. Um, but also um,

057you know, and I think we got we started this path because we were comparatively higher at taxes, you know, there's no doubt about that. So, we started this path 10 plus years ago, you know. So, it's this but we've we've swung the pendulum. We've swung the pendulum over those 10 years. No. Yeah. No. No. We have. Um we have because because they were high there was enrollment decreases all those in all those years there was good reason you know for us to do that just cumulatively becomes a problem and and what would be for again for an average homeowner um in the district at a 5% increase what would that 5% increase mean for an average homeowner in our Start 1565 a month with the average being the the average assessed property in P center

058is assessed at $20,000. Okay. So that's an average of $15.65 per month. When we talk about assessments, it's not like you go on to Zillow and you're saying, "Oh, my house is under $20,000." The assessment value is significantly less than what you will see to homework on Zillow. So for an average homeowner within the district, we're talking about $15 extra dollars per month to ensure that we're keeping I believe the difference between the zero tax increase or the 5% is over 10 teaching positions and four par and four pair of professionals. uh between the zero and five that would be because the the five already includes us not replacing some of the positions that we've talked about throughout this budget season. So that's really eight positions between certain five. So 15 $15 per month to

059ensure that our elementary students are not in a classroom that is 28 30 kids in a classroom and that they are getting a quality education and that we are keeping uh again the there's a range of options here but we're we're keeping uh the minimum the cut to our teachers to to only four teachers in that which is horrific for me to say but only four teachers in that 5% option and I would say the difference you know even so even at the 5% number we would have the potential to add one more teacher from what we talked about all that would potentially that would be a poor decision would be potentially a third grade position that would keep those class sizes down. we still would have better class sizes in fourth or fifth grade

060than we have maybe historically because those are decisions we've made in previous years again as a part um and effectively the difference between we've based a lot of what we've done as administration and presentation is getting to that 4% index because it was really challenging just to get there you know the difference between the 4% and the 5% option is are really about $3 per the difference between those two so it's I think I don't want restate what you were trying to say, but I would say so it's a Duncan a month or it's the difference between having depends what you order about half a dunin sometimes it seems like but yeah um and then we would have the opportunity to make the board to make that decision about what you know um and just

061to to kind of make it clear in these different budget scenarios and what we represented here on the agenda we had to keep it as simple as possible and this format is not simple in in its own right. Um you know the 4% we've been pretty clear about what that means in details. Um when we budget a balanced budget in each of the others where all of the difference from the 4% is in personnel because at that point we'd be able to make decisions one way or another. um that was just to simplify, but there would be for the sake of fitting it on a a line that I I would just like to clarify one of the comments about renters not paying property taxes. Yes, they do. They pay it through their rent to

062the property owner that they were renting room from, the whole house from, whatever. So any cost that gets increased to that property owner is going to be passed on to the renter and their family as well. We have a lot of low-income families in this district that are renters. So that means that their costs are going to go up when we increase taxes. So that statement is false that you said it's not false. It is false. They pay their property tax. They do not write a check to the to the tax assessor. Yeah, I do understand that many many home many rent uh landlords may choose to pass that along to I know several property owners not required by any landlord to pass that along. Many landlords own their properties and choose to try to

063help to benefit and and they maybe their mortgage is already paid off and so they're not going to pass on that little bit. So while it's possible it is not it is not false. You're saying your cost, if your cost goes up and you're renting to somebody now, say in three years time your cost went up 500 bucks, you're not going to pass that on. I find that hard to believe. Me personally, yes, I do I do own properties and I have not always passed it on to my renters. So glad to hear that. So again, that let's just be clear. It is factually only the the landlords the or the the property owners who are responsible for tax assessments. It is not renters. Would I be able to make a point, Mr. Please? Um

064just just something to I mean it's really just more of a a question and point of discussion. Um because I I do agree in uh when we look at these always challenging decisions to make looking at these through the minimizing the educational impact um as being kind of the fourth most thing that I try and consider. Um and then looking at the sizes of the elementary classes. So when looking at that specifically and then looking at some of the the other um ways to create some efficiencies particularly with full-time employees um while again this is not you know it's it's it's the ne out of necessity um as I see it looking through that minimal educational impact um kind of the idea of um looking at full-time employees when looking that are less impactful. Um

065so like physical education um would be one thing that was in the uh ideas or or what would be possible as far as other deficiencies. So I guess that would just be one thing I wanted to to place out there. You're referring to the 3% that would be also reduction correct think that point I mean I think conversation goes from Mr. is one which I don't think will at 28 or at 23 or 24 but um neither here nor there on the point of that um is that if if that is the position that's most needed in fact effectively what we're doing by raising to five if we raise 5.1% is we are raising to maintain um a second fizzed class in the middle school and and some sort of fizzed class in the high

066school. Um because if that's an exposition that we would cut, then logically that could be done and replace the elementary school teacher at the 4%. which means that the 5.1% in reality is to support our further support our physical education programs in the district, not necessarily our elementary school teachers. I think that that's something that's that needs to be clear. And I think I I could see that point if we ever discussed that at any budget meeting that we've had so far this year, which we haven't. That was that was only suggested after this 3% tax increase was put on the agenda. We never ever ever spoke of that during any budget presentation. So, we really are putting like a last second decision on the administration to either uh to essentially eliminate or change a

067position from full-time to part-time. This is something that we seriously wanted to consider. I really wish we would have spoke about that in January or February or March, not here in on on June 23rd when we're trying to make decision on the final budget. Yeah, I'm not sure that I would recommend doing this year, but maybe that's if 4% passes in that 5.1 that we can look forward to try and if it is a problem when Oh, you got a problem. Thanks. Thanks, Mr. H. I I share Mr. Hus's concerns that even this evening, you know, we we should have a a simple matrix that shows us that the teacher impact for every one of these options. And again, this was not thoroughly and appropriately discussed. We've had tons of meetings, but then when we

068have this behavior two years in a row now where at the very last minute at the very last meeting, there's all these different options that are thrown in with ideas and suggestions that have not been discussed previously. I I really think it is unfair and a disservice to the community because they've not had an opportunity to come in and really discuss, you know, the possibility of a 0% tax increase. that has not been seriously deliberated upon over the last how many meetings. That has not been the tone and tenor of the conversation. So I am very concerned that again we're we're talking we're referring here to an an email that we have within the board that is details that were not even shared publicly. So I'm I'm very uncomfortable with how this whole thing has

069progressed as well. Mr. some challenge. One question that Mike had brought up about with the uh special education exemption, does that cover the transportation part of that or is that out of our transportation budget? Yeah, I mean it could cover it. You know, historically we have not looked at special education. Of course, they get coded from the count for special education versus regular education because, you know, to go back. So special education is a federallymandated requirement. Um that is very very minimally funded through the federal government or through the state government. Uh we get annual increases they are very very small but the expenditure increases in special education over the last 20 years massive change because of the needs and their their needs to need. So we've never in our budgeting really talked about how

070do we cover just special education costs versus regular education costs. we cover what our students need, you know, and we build them all into one to one lump. Um, I mean, if you know, if we had a new situation of where a student required to be out of district placement, um, yeah, the difference would cover, you know, that kind of discretionary need that might happen. Um, and when those needs arise, we we find other ways to to meet those needs or around our budget. Anyway, you know, and there are times, we'll say this all the time. We'll come back um you know, January, February, March, and we'll talk about budget to actual, you know, within 1% of a 37 $38 million budget. We're going to see a $100,000 difference or a $200,000 difference. So, um

071the reality is we have legal requirements to meet those needs whether it's part of that tax decision or not. Um, site's a very roundabout way to put it, but um, sure it it could it would be enough to cover transportation for students around a district. Um, but we we build this budget, we present it with the intent of meeting all students needs, you know, and not kind of parsing it out that way. It's just because that's the way the state lists the exceptions qualify because of need compared to our student population. Can I make just one more quick argument in the hopes that I may pull somebody over to my side? I hope it will soon be dashed off. Sure. Um so we just signed um for a $15 million bond. Um and our bond

072rating, while not terrible, wasn't great. Um, and I think we were rated at risk or the out there's an at risk outlook is what it is. So, the rating wasn't actually dropped, but they give you a outlook as well. Um, you know, and that's based off of your projected ability to pay to pay over time, right? Um, where we and it it was changed to negative the last time that we went out to a bond issue. um in the narrative conversation that we have with those folks as a part of the process. They feel um optimistic and positive about the direction that we are going. You know, I've shared everything through our budget uh processes including, you know, looking at contracts and negotiations and the administration making recommendations for tax increases at whatever whatever level

073they might be. And those are all things that are viewed positively in terms of your home. So in the narrative it speaks that there's the outlook looks like it's turning in a better direction but it's been negative now about give or take. So I would just say this. So in addition to the other reasons why I think our best option is option A, a secondary reason for that is we inevitably are going to need to do some kind of additional bonding to either for whatever we decide to do in terms of our our different buildings throughout the district, whether we consolidate, whether we build out Green Witch and Kutztown, whether we just do improvements at those to schools. They have distinct maintenance needs that we will not be able to pay for within uh just

074a year-to-year budget. We will have to take out loans or bonds to make those u repairs. If our bond rating continues to be questionable, if we have to dip into our fund balance because we have to pay for things that we didn't foresee and we don't do any kind of like gap budgeting year to year to try to absorb those so we don't lose it out of fund balance, we're going to have to pay more for our bonds and insurance rates and it will be more difficult to secure those bonds because of our rate. Um so I I am asking people to strongly consider option A for a multitude of reasons um across classroom numbers, special education needs and our future bond issuance needs that will be here in the next year or two years

075depending on what you guys decide to do in the years to come with the different facilities. And I just want to correct something that I said you know in response. So looking at a 10-year over the county tax increase interest, the highest in in the county is just under 40% cumulatively over that time where again ours remains same shared but I was referencing 60 as there are there are districts in the county have seen upwards of over 60% increase of expenditures in the last six years. I was just pulling the things and made a mistake. So again, just for reference, Goodstone has gone up at 3% over the 10-year period where the highest district in the county was just under 40% increase in property tax in that same. How much is our how much are

076we uh paying the per student these days? Our per student um have to calculate that. It's it's still on the high end. I mean there's there's no doubt we brought it down um comparatively. Are we in the top 50 in the state? Still we're out of the top 15. We're probably in the top 25 state. Top 25 I would say. We where we started we were in the top five or six in the state. Um the last time I had state available data we were that because that's like two-year lag where you get that level of data. Um we were at 18. We dropped from about six to 18 over a period of time you know. So I would say comfortably we're in the top 25 and uh if we're if it's a little bit

077lower than that, you know, somewhere in that range. Yeah, I think that's that's a fair range. Districts in that top range look like us, right? I mean, that's just the reality to it. We are a smaller district that's that's higher performing with with a high value of education. Um still high as high. I mean, there's no no question about that. But they're districts that look like us. small districts have high um cost per pupil because there's just less efficiencies that you can at 4% we need to balance the budget based upon the proposals that you put forward with a few months correct correct um at 4% does that include any trust cyber charter reform that does not include cyber charter reform so it's maybe where we at that is there any feeling you need to

078state this one now the states the the latest news out of the state is not to expect the budget anytime very soon. So any sort of reform or or even a spend or a gap is going to give us a surplus this year. Correct. There's going to I mean so just where are we with that? There is there was a bill that was um passed the house and sent to the Senate for significant cyber charter reform and actually set the um base tuition rate at $8,000. The numbers that we have been quoting typically were 10,000. So that would actually be better for us. I just, you know, I that's going to be a part of that budget adoption process. It's going to be lengthy as a while. Yeah. Won't have that information till after. There

079is there was some chatter coming out about potentially like a six-month budget. That happens anytime. It looks like there's fear for a lengthy process where it doesn't make sense to pass a six-month budget and do it again. Do a six-month budget. We'll do a six month budget for six months. I wouldn't want to do this for another six months. So, let's do it for you. Any other comments? Yeah, I have one more and um it's just really kind of adding to the request for better transparency going forward. Um and I think this had been requested um that something similar to the reduced expenses and revenue increase changes summary that had been presented for the 4% um at a lot of meetings. So obviously that was able to be included in um the agenda when it

080was posted. Um but something like that that's easily intelligible to us and the public um so that they can say well this is what we're losing or gaining um at all the different levels I think would be very helpful. I understand that the wording has to be this way and I appreciate Bethanne's work with the entire very detailed um breakdowns of the money but that doesn't really tell us yes the bottom line is bud balance but it doesn't tell us what we're losing to get there. Yeah. I mean and you know as I think we shared at I believe it was the April meeting well mix of those things right um essentially to me 3% we have to find another teaching position we go we need to go from 113 to 112 that's that's essential

081there's no other way to find it it's a person somewhere um and um that's not where the administration's recommendation is right now but that that formal decision would have to come after the fact on that with the board you know dialogue with the board um zero as we had shared you know again I think I'm pretty sure it was the April meeting in a very big way was we're talking like eight positions like that is massive and is uber complicated because you have to you can you can't it's not as easy as like just saying it is I mean you say it's this position and that position but then also who and where they go because of certifications it's just incredibly complicated um and I do think you know that is you know that that

082is to the level that we would need to have subsequent meetings even after a budget is adopted to say exactly how that's going to happen because it's it's mass you know one position I understand that but we could still say it's a teaching petition yeah I mean that's that's fair and again I did it was it listed in like the I think it was April you know in the meeting where it said if if what would that need to be and I was listed it was like at that point I think um in addition to these others we're looking at um six teaching positions plus admin but again plus an admin position and that was down from where we needed to be at that point looking at four so there's already additional reduction so I

083I guess to try to keep it simple right now a a 5% tax increase would be getting rid of three teachers and one administrator and delaying a van purchase yeah I mean yeah there's a ton more that's all true correct yes and the difference between the 5% or the 4% is rather than getting rid of only three teachers, we would be getting rid of four teachers in the 4% tax increase scenario. Correct. To be clear though, we're not getting rid of teachers. We're not hiring teachers. Yeah. They're not replacing positions. That is a different wording though. getting aware of. Well, we're we're reducing the number of teachers that are available to support our students. So, we will have we'll have even with a 5% scenario, three fewer teachers available for our students. And in the

0844% tax increase scenario, we would also additionally be taking up a teaching position in an elementary school. And and so four teaching positions would be impacting their students, right? Well, I'd just like to maybe propose a slightly different thought about the 3%. I mean, you mentioned that that would mean another teacher. Um, knowing that we don't know what cyber charter is going to do. We do think that there are going to be some benefit. So I would propose that if the board were to vote on a 3% that we would take that uh money from the fund balance in in pending the decision sign. Um so connecting that to what Mr. Hessa brought before is when looking at that was a significant portion of that negative rating though was that we have a history of

085approving non-balance deficit budgets. Um that was one thing that you know was very clear and it you know there was um you know that doesn't tell us what we have to do and that's just we also sold an administration building in the last two years for 1.7. Y um and uh that's just one of the other factors supporting that conversation was adopting balance budgets like to speak to the classroom size talk that we've been having. Um especially third grade um my daughter was in third grade last year. She was impacted by that decision that we made. She had her best year. She didn't want me to tell her Mrs. sailor teacher that was a different teacher that she had her best year. So, I am very very proud of our teachers and I am very

086confident that yes, our classroom sizes are a little bit larger than we would like, but they're doing a phenomenal job. Uh, Mrs. Grown did an amazing job and Summer has a favorite teacher. Um and Christian the the thing that you sent me that I had asked for is this for next year? Yeah, this is our projections for next year and I had sent it the same thing for the whole board a week or two before that. So just to reference and it was the projected class sizes by elementary um with class averages. Well, I had asked for high school and middle school as well. So, middle school average class size 21 kids uh for sixth grade, 22 for seventh grade, 16th for eighth grade. Yeah. And and where that's different. That's without hiring, right? That's

087without filling the position that we That's so that is level staff. So that's just core school. That is based off the current projected 113 FTE staffing. You know, where middle school is different. That's based off of so I mean it's very clearly like when we say we have classes in elementary it's typically been because we run four sections instead of five right well in the middle school with the programming we have five on the core projected at each of those so um that's why those class sizes are lower that eighth grade class is just really small so that's why I see that number you know so programmatically it really drives those class sizes more but everything you said is true that's that's what we're looking at in the middle school effectively not filling those positions,

088our students are still going to be in pretty manageable classroom sizes. Yeah. The core classes in middle school, they're going to look just like they have this work. Yes. And in that upcoming eighth grade class, I believe has 85 students enrolled 120 for some other grade. So again, that we'll see 110. So, we'll see that continue to just each year move up one one grade because there are not a lot of kids enrolled for that one year. But again, obviously, you can't let go of a middle school or a high school teacher just to accommodate that one very low enrollment year. But you can change teachers from ninth grade to 8th grade. If your classroom sizes are if your kid you have more kids in seventh grade, you move your eighth grade teachers to 11th

089grade. So the sk the schedule's tricky. I mean, you know, you could theoretically it's it's a heck of a lot say easier and again that's not a good term like could a high school high school teacher do it sometimes. High school teacher comes out and teaches one section if you needed that. um middle school with the current middle school schedule and I know we have some middle school schedule changes on this agenda that doesn't impact the core, you know, in a way that that would change this. Um there's there's ways that certainly you can condense those sections, but it changes programmatically. The program's pretty significant to do that. Um you know, you you need your your core to line up so that you can have a spot for a student in every period and then

090the armed core fits in it. It's not too long and there's always a spot for every student want to go take places. So, they're just so different. Um, you know, the way that we staff them at the high school, it's massively different to where we've seen class sizes increase significantly in like our base classes in the high school because of the efficiencies the last couple years, but you're still always going to have a large number of classes. 12 10 you know um students because they are they're electives and you know that's that's the way they run or it's an AP class that only 10 students out of our classes that take so um the elementary is just the only one that's kind of simple to look at that way that it's the creative average is

091really and thank you for calling out the incredible job teachers Mr. H. So on the final budget adoption of homestead and purp resolution um motion the second for option A 5.013% tax is a 1.5555 mil increase. So option A is what we're voting. Okay. Uh, first up, Reeba Hoffman. As almost persuasive as you were, Mike, I'm going to have to say no. Cecilia Hall, yes. Jeremiah Light, no. Dennisy Dishes, no. Daniel Whismer, no. Lauren Ziggler, yes. Aaron Engel, no. Michael Hes, yes. Jason C, no. Motion does not carry. Um, we need a motion then. I'd like to make a motion for option B, the 4% tax increase. Second. A motion and a second for option B. Um, unless there's objection, I think we're right into a roll call. Been plenty of debate already. Just coming

092up here. Take your take your time. Right. This is the vote for option B. So, first up is Cecilia Hol. Yes. Jeremiah Light. Yes. Dennis Dishious. No. Daniel Whismer. Yes. Laurel Ziggler. Yes. Aaron Angel. Yes, Michael Hess. Yes, Real Hoffman. Yes, Jason C. Yes. Motion carries. Thank everybody for their hard work, you know, on this. It's these conversations are challenging and difficult, but this is we worked really hard to get to this recommendation. Thank you. Appreciate that support. B is personnel. It is the recommendation of the administration that the board of school directors approve the following personnel items. One through five are listed. Do we have a motion? Catherine. Second. Any questions or comments, Mr. H? Whenever you're ready. Um, Jeremiah Light, yes. Dennis, yes. Daniel Whismer, yes. Laurel Sigler, yes. Aaron Angel, yes. Michael

093Hes, yes. Rea Hoffman, yes. Cecilia Hul, yes. Jason Cotton, yes. Motion carries. All personnel are approved. Penny seat of all mandated credentials. C is school board secretary. It is the recommendation of the administration that the board of school directors appoint Michael H as secretary to the Fitzen area school district board of directors effective July 1st, 2025 through November 30th, 2025. Do we have a motion? Second. Any questions or comments? Thank you, Mr. S, in advance. You're welcome. I assume this comes. I'm going to vote for myself. We'll call when you're Dennis Dishious, yes. Daniel Whismer, yes. Laurel Ziggler, yes. Aaron Angel, yes. Michael Hess, yes. Real Hoffman, yes. Cecilia Holton, yes. Jeremiah Lake, yes. Jason Copic, yes. Motion carries. There's no conflict because it's volunteer. P is the PSBA delegate assembly. It is the recommendation

094of the administration that the board of school directors appoint Cecilia Holt as a voting delegate to the PSBA delegate assembly on June 23rd, 2025. We have a motion. Second motion. Any second? U any questions or comments? Thank you, Miss Holt, for volunteering. Daniel Whismer, yes. Laurel Ziggler, yes. Aaron Angle, yes. Michael Hes, yes. Rea Hoffman, yes. Cecilia Holt, yes. Jeremiah Light, yes. Dennis Sudicious, yes. Jason Cup, yes. Motion carries. E is policy maintenance. Is the recommendation of the policy and curriculum committee that the board of school directors approve the following policies for first reading. One through four are listed there. Unless there's objections, I could look for a motion to approve you with all four of them. Uh I'd like them taken second. Okay. Um and what would you like me to pull out? Uh

095the first one. The first one. Okay. Then um we'll do this again. Uh for E here, policy maintenance, it is a recommendation of the policy and curriculum committee that the board of school directors approve the following policies for first reading. Um we are going to take the one policy 6.1 attendance at meetings via electronic communications. Do we have a motion? So move whiz motion and second. Any questions or comments? I do have a few questions if that's okay. Sorry, I apologize. I was not at um any LP policy and curriculum meeting so maybe these were addressed there. Um this was just through reading um reading the uh proposed policy. Um so for uh so it seems like this policy is like it's this weird mix of uh an attendance policy but mostly for school board

096members but kind of for other people too. It's it's it's kind of really strangely worded because there's some very distinct language around the school board member or schoolboard directors, excuse me. Um and then some very very vague language around other people who might be attending um virtually or via electronic device. Um so just a couple clarifying questions. when a schoolboard member has to submit a request to attend virtually. Um, is it just submitting like a sheet that says they're going to attend virtually or is it submission and then somebody like who is approving this submission and what is the approval process for the submission to attend virtually? I don't I don't believe the intent was for it to be that formalized that it's really email or text that so it's really just a notification more

097than a like a a distinct request that could be denied or approved. Yeah. I mean we didn't discuss that that was going to be the process. I mean intent was some you know sometimes these policies get bogged down in like really language. Um, you know, but I I believe the intent was it's it's really about notification of the board president and I think myself just so we can coordinate as we need to properly but I believe that was the intent if I'm incorrect on that. So the intent is just notification not an approval process or that makes it easier to understand. Okay. Um so then there's kind of weird wording around how we're going to distinguish our regular board meetings, which I'm assuming means like the first and third Monday of the month versus the

098um like committee meetings. Um but if I doubt this is ever going to happen, but I don't know. This is really not worded well in there. Um if someone's if multiple people let's say let's say there's ever a time where five of us would be submitting to attend virtually a meeting that meeting then would have to be cancelled because the wording in the policy says that if there's not a majority of board members present for a meeting no one can attend virtually and and in the exception of like the emergency stuff that we have at the way way bottom which sounds like that probably would never happen. Um, but is that correct? Like if somehow we would be like, "Oh, there's five of us that are going to attend virtually or maybe three people submit

099and then two people have an emergent issue. There's an accident, they can't get in, but they could attend virtually. If there's five of them, then we would cancel the schoolboard meeting." I mean, that that's essentially what the policy says, right? That if there's not five people here for president, we will cancel school board meetings. PSP is right. Okay. Um and then I just want to I I believe the thought from PSBA is just there's a level that maintains the quality of the inerson meeting, you know, and that's having a physically here. Correct. Yeah. Unless you know, right? If there's there's something that happens and we're like we all have to be on. Got it. And we live those and those meetings were slightly less effective for sure. But they I don't think I think we've

100live we're living proof of that some. Um, and then the last question I have is um what and again I think the policy seems like it's much more focused on being able to disqualify a board member from attending virtually over disqualifying anybody else who might attend virtually. Like if we invited a speaker that couldn't be here, they're virtual. Um, so who who gets to decide if a board member is disqualified and what qualifications count for just like essentially will we physically ask Dr. Myers to kick them out of the meeting? Would we just not let them speak during times when the board members can deliberate? Would they be allowed to speak as just like a guest member like any other community resident could? Like I think there's some questionable legalities to kicking somebody out. So

101the direction So the direction would always come from the president or whoever sitting is the president and they would no longer be I guess a again I'm just speaking to what I was interpreted to be is they would no be no longer be attending in as a voting member right but of course any resident can come and go as they please right so it's to attend any way. So to me that attendance was attending as a voting member. Um, and again, if I'm if I'm misrepresenting what we all kind of thought that was meaning, you know, maybe I that's what I always believe that I from my perspective just in general, like I I this this goes beyond just a school board meeting, but any meeting in general, but specifically in this case, it's it's

102a slippery slope and from where I'm coming from, um, maintaining the the ability for the meeting to take place, show the value of the meeting. Um, we saw things as a teacher having to manage what was, you know, a large virtual search uh situation during COVID and a mixed situation. It creates a huge it can it has the potential to create issues if this can you know if we have uh minimal participation or if this becomes more of well you know an inconvenience thing and I'm not I'm not saying that's the that's any intent it's just very easy for things to slip into well this is uh the minimum expectation this is more you know convenient and then you run into you know issues and if somebody's um you know disconnecting and reconnecting and everybody's

103sitting here waiting and and so it just it creates more of a challenge. And so I think from my perspective when when going through this it was to try and shore this up from the idea of maintaining um the quality that the meetings deserve. I guess for like for good deliberation between all certainly a big part of it but so again the intent would not be that someone could not attend they could be they can attend it was not the intention but it's attendance in terms of roll calling because what I think what I would like to see is to me the policy reads more as a punitive policy than it does a policy that's trying to set an example of trying to foster communication. Um, and maybe that's just the way I read it.

104Um, I think and maybe some of these questions that I have might be more answered by like the administrative administrative directive of how you implement this. But I think my fear is that we're going to get into situations where maybe we ask maybe Dr. Myers before the meeting starts and says, you know, Mike, can you hear me? and maybe I didn't hear him at that second or maybe I say yes but my voice cuts out as it's coming through and someone says all right he can't I can't hear him and then they immediately cut me out of the meeting. Um I would appreciate if this I could support this policy if the director was like, "Oh, he's having trouble. Let's just give it a second. Can you hear us now?" Okay, you can hear us

105now. Good. I would just hate for this to be a way to abuse anybody who can't be here and kick them out as soon as there's any kind of disruption in either the video quality or the audio quality without us at least giving uh a chance for them to say, "Oh, sorry. I I I accidentally muted my microphone while I was talking. Please don't kick me out of this meeting as a voting board member." So I mean so you're this has already been separated from the others you know should make the motion to table this as still under you know past first reading until it passes second reading it doesn't go into adoption you know there's between first and second reading or there certainly is um opportunity to to have discussions about an AR. Okay.

106Um you know the other option I guess again we don't ARS do not technically administrative regulations do not need to be board approved. there's sometimes where they are. There also can be a request for the board to say, you know, let's adopt it and can the administration bring back an AR that tells about those evaluations. I think either of those would achieve your goal, you know, follow process or um or somebody makes a motion to adopt. I mean, there always are they're kind of our options against. Okay. I also have several other I share the concerns that Mr. has brought up, but I guess I'm also unclear what what we're really again trying to impact because again, we've not had experiences where we've had the majority of board members online and that we've had disruptions.

107I mean, that's just that's not been the case. So, and I'm I'm also not really clear. Again, this is definitely falls into a a topic that has had a significant amount of discussion within the policy and curriculum meeting that in no way has any sort of impact on student outcomes. So again, I'm concerned that this is a quite a distraction from from true board work where they should be focused. um you know over 30% of the jobs in the US right now are remote and obviously you know anyone who works in a global environment is on meetings that are virtual um frankly all day long and collaborating richly and with discussion and you know frankly much of the board meeting here when we're sitting here we're all here silently until we go and give a

108yay or an a on a particular vote. So again, I I don't really find that the collaboration, you know, comment is at all valid. Uh I mean, we actually even let our own kids do virtual academy, right, and are working with teachers and and working virtually and asynchronously. So, um, you know, I I think the the other aspect here when I look at some of these, again, there's some things that are nice preferences or recommendations that you have a landline or, you know, a a wireless um or or stable wired or wireless internet connection or that you'd be visible. But, you know, when when we also dig into this, I mean, you know, what if someone truly is sick and really doesn't feel comfortable being on video that evening? They'd like to attend. They're sitting

109in their home. They're happy to listen in. They're happy to chime in audio, but are we really saying that we'd rather have no participation from them than having their participation in a video? Um, you know, I also know I've dialed into these meetings from 3:00 a.m. in London. You know, I really don't have any desire to be on a video at 3:00 a.m. sitting in my hotel room. So again, it is the preference that we are excluding people because we're putting in the mandate that they must be visible on the screen during the duration of the meeting as in bullet point four because again if it when it's when it's in a policy and it's in writing and then we're saying that the board president can can by deem that someone has violated it and

110kick them out at any point. we need to be very careful on what explicitly is listed down here because it seems rather again rather arbitrary. Um, you know, I'd also say, you know, if someone's sitting at home, they're awaiting a COVID test result, so they're feeling great, but they don't want to come here to possibly expose anyone. We're going to say, you know, oh, you again, you you you can't you you have to follow all these strict rules, and you must be on video. And maybe they don't want to show their home. Maybe they don't want to have a background on their their home visible to the community. Uh they could be sitting in an airport lounge and again not be able to have that wired internet connection and they need to do it over

111their phone. They could be in a hotel in another country where they're not wanting to pay the $25 fee to connect to the hotel internet and they don't want to charge get incremental charges on their wire, but they'd be happy to dial in and could do that in an audio fashion. So again, I I think that that this this is a overreach of again really I'm I'm not clear what it's trying to solve. um you know and and I am very uncomfortable with again giving the the board president who is a fellow elected official the ability to kick someone out um because of their their arbitrary judgment. You know I mean again and this is going to sound extreme. Of course it's extreme. Are we going to say that if somebody looks out the window

112here and doesn't seem to be paying attention that the board president can kick them out of the meeting here? I mean of course not. That would be ridiculous. So I I do think that we need to take this back. I think there's elements this this that are reasonable. I know anytime that um you know many times that that Christian has indicated someone's given notice and but again it should be the word notification that they will not be in attendance not request because the word request does have a very different connotation as Mr. Hus was pointing out. So I do recommend that this goes back to committee. Um, I recommend that the word request be changed to no notification. I recommend that uh the bullets uh four, five, six, seven, and eight are really unnecessary and

113that we should be removing that board president uh should be able to make that judgment of whether or not they are um they can continue on. I think again if they are we already have have guidelines in place. if they are being disruptive again. If there is a a more egregious uh you know again out out situation then that could be handled by Robert's rules of orders in the moment. But, you know, this this seems as if it's again a far outreach and and again really arbitrary and uninforcable and um really just a lot of noise, a lot of distraction and clearly has a punitive intent behind it. So, um I do think we need to encourage folks to uh run for office and to be um you know in in their profession and and

114their best effort to make it to every meeting in person versus sometimes needing to dial in should not be uh something that that is uh so tightly regulated that that they cannot um participate. So, I would I would encourage that this uh I'd like to see this go back to committee. Are you making a motion to Yes. table? I would I would second that motion. We have a motion. Could I could I make comment for that though or is it too late? Comment after the motion and second. Okay. All right. So I I'm I am agreeable to specific legal concerns that Mike said and the solution with the AR and I think if there's um you know specific language uh changes that we need to address certain things I I have no problem with something

115like that. Um I think um much of this is coming from PSBA. Um so I mean as far as PSBA being punitive I mean maybe that's that's possible. this policy was up for review. Um I personally I think um what this boils down to at least in some cases it sounds like um is just a disagreement on the expectation and performance policies of what a schoolboard meeting should look like. Um, having lived the end of having to like juggle a lot of this stuff, um, I I it just sounds like I have a uh expectation that not everybody agrees with. And that's okay. And that's that's kind of the whole point of all this. Um, just like any policy that comes up and we try and and shore things up um with the people who

116were at the policy meeting and discussed all this stuff, we moved it out of policy. That's fine. Um certainly I hope um you would attend uh if that was the if we would end up moving this back so that we could um you know move this forward because I just I I don't think that this is a disagreement that this is just another policy that we moved through and we went through the process and we talked it out and um and this can be part of the process. That's fine. But um I think labeling it as punitive and a distraction is just a entire misnomer. You could say that about anything with the policy any policy that's moved out. Um but again that's fine. I reserve everybody's right to be able to disagree on that

117one. So, um, specifically speaking, um, I I would be in favor of moving this forward in in um, uh, light of concerns more in line of what you were speaking of, Mike. But if we're talking about this as being some sort of punitive policy, and that's the understanding, I don't think it would uh, be productive. And again, I think that would be a distraction. So I think I would be more in favor of moving it forward then and then moving towards an AR in order to resolve some of these issues. And I ap like I apologize for using the word communive. It's just the first word that came to my mind. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And you were saying it could read that well in something. It was because it felt like it was about kicking

118board members out of the meeting whereas the other people that are vaguely talked about and because the policy is attendance attending meetings virtually which includes multiple people outside of the board members but then the only pieces of the policy that would have somebody being removed was only school board member related which to me felt like oh we're going to punish our board members but not somebody else who's having an issue. that that's absolutely valid. You could add that. And I do I I'm also in favor of having somebody to move a meeting forward and be able to there's not anybody that can make a decision based upon their best judgment and you know the intent the overall goals and intent of you know and again even if we don't all agree and I just wanted

119one point of clarification this is a you know um 006 so under the zero center policy it's the governance function of the board governing board procedures. Um the other people kind of reference this as really talking about like presenters or maybe administrators who are asked to come you know in a capacity because any community member is governed under the nine. Just to you know clarify that we talk about one specific policy it reads like it covers everything but it based off its definition of a 0000 it's only governing the board kind of references that. So it never it has nothing to do with community members. only has to do with board or board's guests like formal guests and that's kind of what I took that to mean. Yeah. Um like you know when we have

120um people come talk about like construction projects or something like they're always here but maybe they're attending online anyway. Yeah. Um you did answer another question I was going to ask which was like where did this policy come from? So you're saying it's based on the framework of the PSBA policy. I mean we did have made some changes to it because there were language discussions there were a lot of language discussions that we were you know trying to come to an agreement on. Um so yeah I mean there was other things that were beyond PSBA but PSBA put forth the the policy. So, I think that there have been significant um concerns raised at this meeting by folks who aren't on the on the committee. And typically when that happens, when a small group recommends

121a policy or another recommendation that's to be voted on and um that's the opportunity that the other board members have to talk about it and there are concerns that need it to go back to committee. I think it ought to go back to committee. Um also although the recommendation or the version of the policy that came to us to be worked on at policy and curriculum was with PSBA changes included Mr. Light brought some changes that had not been shared with the committee in advance and certainly were not shared with other board members. Um, so, um, it's not a straight PSBA thing and, um, I think, so I think it should go back. Um, and I also think that the tone of a policy or what we say in a policy should really be the

122direction that we want. We have ARS if there need to be particular procedural things but the that should not be determining what our policy dictates. So if our policy isn't dictating what we want it to do and what what we're looking for the direction of the board to be in their meetings, then we need to work on that. And I don't think it should be fixed by a by an administrative regulation. That's not the the point I agree with on that. I think this should be a board policy notffected by we have passed the first reading and then made changes to it for second reading as well too in the past. That's when it's something that the admin is basically working on fixing for us. Not when it seems like there are a lot of

123issues that we need to work out as a as a court or a committee. And this feels like a kind of a net new policy. Um, I do have a question. If this does go back to policy and curriculum, am I allowed to show up or does that put us in a quorum? Oh, any So, even if we're over five, any board member can show up to any committee any time because our our policy governs that the uh committees are only recommending bodies to the full board. Okay. If if a committee hypothetically tried to approve something because it was born there, it wouldn't be legal to do that because they should only recommend Okay, I just have one shortcut as it relates to the being on video before I did what you all know I

124do now. I was in corporate world for many many many years. I attended probably hundreds if not thousands of video meetings. I think the distinction is the one is that between a participant and an attendee. So in meetings where I was an attendee being lectured to for example I didn't necessarily need to be video present but in in meetings where I was a participant I was expected to be video present and I think for our schoolboard members we are all participants and so I don't think it's unreasonable for us to be expecting be able to see each other. What was the expectation for students during the requirement for online? They were they were expected to be on camera. Um, not to say they did it, but they that was the stated expectation camera. I you

125know I think that was there's mixed success with that. But I I I agree that it should be an expectation for someone to be on camera, right? I I think that's great. the the challenge is when we're then saying that there's a board president who can say that someone is violating it because again I just referenced five or six different examples where I think it's okay for that board director to have that self-judgment to say it's 3:00 a.m. or I'm sick or I don't want someone to see inside of my home. you know th those are that that should be allowed to be left to the discretion of a school director. Um and you know I I know that in times in the past I've come on video when I am speaking when I'm particip

126you know but also it's quite distracting you know to to have your face huge and be looking at yourself there when everybody else is in small dot right you know so again there's just some logistical elements too of again we that would be great to have in as a recommendation but that is different than a a policy that needs to be followed, you know, letter of the law to to it has a a oh, you're violating and you can get kicked out element. I just think anything without a standard is left to your concern about showing the inside of your house. Number four, the last part of it says the background may be blurred. I know Christian's been away numerous times where he's blurred the background and several other participants blurred their background. So, you

127know, I I don't understand where the concern is. Well, you can't blur background easily from a phone, right? Sure. So, you just need the proper program to do it. You can do it with any anything. When we dial into the meeting, don't we dial into dial? Zoom. Yeah. Okay. So, it should all be standard. Yeah. We don't need anything extra. Okay. Um the school board members represent the residents and taxpayers. And so I know as a resident I would be upset if my representative was kicked out of the meeting and unable to vote because of the spotty Wi-Fi connection. I would feel like I wasn't being fairly represented there. ready to vote on the motion to table and send it back to Paul. need to see where we last left off. Okay. Um Laura Ziggler,

128you're up first. So, this is a motion to table. Yeah. Yes. Yes. To table. Sorry, I forgot to get first second. Okay, you were Yes. Thank you. Sorry. Um Aaron Angel. Yes. Michael Hess. Yes. Rebel Hoffman, no. Cecilia Hall, yes. Jeremiah Lake, no. Dennis Judicious, yes. Daniel Whisper, yes. Jason C, yes. Bush can be on the agenda in Yes. Okay. Thank you. Um, so then we can take two through four, I believe, together. I'd be looking for a motion um to approve the first reading for policies 2 through four. Motion in a second. Any questions or comments on that one? These three. Yes. Michael Hes. Yes. Rea Hoffman. Yes. Cecilia Holtz. Yes. Jeremiah Light. Yes. Dennis Gishes. Yes. Daniel Whismer, yes. Laurel Ziggler, yes. Jason yes. Motion carries. F is the Vista School. It is

129the recommendation of the administration that the board of school directors approve the extended school year educational services contract with the Vista School to provide educational services and support to a special education student. Uh, do we have a motion? So, move pass. Any questions or comments on the rest of the school? Roll call, please. Mr. Michael Hes, yes. Rea Hoffman, yes. Cecilia Hall, yes. Jeremiah Light, yes. Dennis Udishious, yes. Daniel Whismer, yes. Laurel Ziggler, yes. Aaron Angel, yes. Jason yes. Motion carries. GD is the 2025 2026 ESS pay scale and wage increase. is the recommendation of the administration that the board of school directors approve the 2025 2026 ESS pay scale and employee wage increase for the attached. Do we have a motion? So moved. Yes. Second. Motion second. Questions or comments on this agenda item.

130All right. Mr. Roll, please. Rea Hoffman. Yes. Cecilia Hull. Yes. Jeremiah Light. Yes. Dennis Udishious. Yes. Daniel Whismer. Yes. Laurel Ziggler. Yes. Aaron Angel. Yes. Michael H. Yes. Jason C. Yes. Motion carries. H is of the 2025 20226 KD classified employees pay scale. It is the recommendation of the administration that the board of school directors approve the 2025 2026 KD classified employees pay scalely attached. Do we have a motion? Moved a second. Motion second. Any questions or comments on this? Cecilia. Yes. Jeremiah Light, yes. Dennis Udishious, yes. Daniel Whismer, yes. Laurel Ziggler, yes. Aaron Angel, yes. Michael Hes, yes. Ruba Hoffman, yes. Jason Cup, yes. Motion carries. I is the fund balance commitment is the recommendation of the administration of the board of school directors increase the committed fund balance for future IT infrastructure in

131the amount of $114,500 to $229,000, which is the second implementation of the anticipated cost of the Benennial project. Um motion Michael second motion. Any second questions or comments here? Yeah, this is IT infrastructure. Uh we were fortunate uh two years ago to be able to use one-time er funding for an IT infrastructure upgrade that ends up being necessary ever every so many years because so much of the technology changes. At that time the board committed to putting money away because in five to six years the projection we would have the same type of project would not have federal funding to do that. So this is 205. Thank you. There's any questions comments? I just think this is I'm this is something I'm really glad that we did. It's like one of those few times where

132I think we did a really good job of being like we need to do this for the future so let's put away a little bit at a time. So, uh, great idea. I came with that. I think it was your idea, Mr. Roll call, yes. Dennis Dishes, yes. Daniel Whisper, yes. Laurel Ziggler, yes. Aaron, yes. Michael Pes, yes. Rea Hoffman, yes. Cecilia Hall, yes. Jason C, yes. Motion carries. Today is the KMS schedule changes. It is recommendation of curriculum committee that the board of school directors approve the student schedule changes at Cooktown area middle school to allow reading and math intervention to occur during the compport block for the attached. We have a motion second motion second. Any questions or comments? Yes. The kind of full explanation that would then move reading class for all

133students which was the six core in eighth grade out for eighth grade. Um and uh the each of the periods currently are 40 minutes where the rest of our core periods in sixth and seventh grade are 48 minutes. So now all core five core which for then includes world languages in eighth grade and you know um in previously in addition to reading this would now be not in lie of but that would be your fifth course it' be 48 minutes. Um and then then also to frees up our ability from staffing standpoint to provide those interventions. There's somebody dedicated to helping provide those. Thank you. Dennis, yes. Daniel Whismer, yes. Laurel Ziggler, yes. Aaron Angel, yes. Michael Hes, yes. Rea Hoffman, yes. Cecilia Holt, yes. Jeremiah Light, yes. Jason, yes. Okay. Is the BCIU copy

134paper bid is the recommendation of the administration that the board of school directors award the contract for purchase of copy paper through the Burks County joint purchasing bids to WB Mason in the amount of 12 $12,767.88. Do we have a motion? So move. Yes. Second. Motion second. Any questions or comments before we have a roll call for us? Still use paper to still they going to deliver it on one of the buses then I'm sorry Daniel. Yes. Laurel Zigler. Yes. Aaron Angel. Yes. Michael Hes. Yes. Rea Hoffman. Yes. Cecilia Hol. Yes. Jeremiah Light. Yes. Dennis Sudishious. Yes. Jason Cer. Yes. Motion carries. L's employment commitments. It is right at the date of the administration that the board of school directors approve the superintendent to make employment commitments to qualified person professional applicants for the purpose

135of filling vacancies that occur after the June 23rd, 20205 board meeting with the action to be ratified by the board of school directors at the next official board meeting. We have a motion. So move test. Second. Sibler. Motion and a second. Any questions or comments? Yeah, just with the, you know, hi hiring occurs in the summer and with that gap between meetings, it's essential to have this in place for uh me to to share confidence with our candidates they're going to be approved that they're our recommended candidates. Um so we currently have two positions posted and that is within you know that 113 FTE structure. uh we're really close to identifying those candidates and they would receive then a letter formally after much conversation of course a letter formally of me calling out this approved

136item as their indication that they can um begin adjusting their other situation. Thank you. Laurel Ziggler, yes. Aaron Angel, yes. Michael Hess, yes. Rea Hoffman, yes. Cecilia Holt, yes. Jeremiah Light, yes. Dennis Dishes. Yes. Daniel Whiser, yes. Jason Cook, yes. Motion carries. M is liability insurance. It is the recommendation of the administration of the board of school directors approve the renewal of the insurance proposal from CBiz Insurance for a one-year period beginning July 1st, 2025 at a cost of $176,84 attached. Do we have a motion? So move our second. Yes. Questions or comments? small increase this year I believe 6%. Yes. Excellent. Um Aaron Angle, yes. Michael Hess, yes. Real Hoffman, yes. Cecilia Hall, yes. Jeremiah Light, yes. Dennis Dishes, Daniel Whismer, yes. Laurel Ziggler, abstain. Jason Cook, yes. Motion carries. N is employee settlement

137agreement. It is the recommendation of the administration that the board of school directors approve the settlement agreement with employee 21103. Do we have a motion? We have a motion. Who's who's taking credit for the motion? Go ahead. Sure. All right. Whisper. Second. There we go. Do a roll call whenever you're Michael H. Yes. Real Hoffman. Yes. Cecilia Holt. Yes. Jeremiah Light. Yes. Dennis Dishes. Yes. Daniel Whisperer. Yes. Laurel Stigler. Yes. Yes. Aaron Angel. Yes. Jason Cup. Yes. Motion carries. Oh, is introduction of new business by board members. Do any board members have new business this evening? It's not new business, but you know, Mr. Hes brings up the BCIU transportation. And I just want to say uh we're very excited BCIU hired the transportation supervisor that will be serving foot school district Maggie Sheer. Maggie

138is a graduate of Foot Center High School and is we are thrilled that she's going to be serving as BCIU. Should be on site any day now. Um and uh just want to welcome her to the team. Excited to get started with continue the implementation of of our transition to BCIU with Maggie as our main point of contact. will be on site every day. Excellent. Thank you. Um then nine is public comment on non-aggenda items. Dr. Mahers, is there anyone online? No, there is. Okay. I do just want to point out to Lindsay that all of our meetings do not go to, but thank you for sticking around. Thank you very much. Then isform informationational items for BCTC. Our upcoming public meetings and formative dates are listed at 11. July 14th is the monthly school

139board meeting. Correct. Okay. At 7:30 p.m. here in the high school and by Zoom. And then August 4th, we have a workshop meeting here in the high school and by Zoom at 7:30 as well. Um I would be looking for a motion to adjurnn. So move for second.