001where we should be going to go. All right, we can begin the April 14th policy and feel good. One sec. Okay. Just make sure um just a reminder we uh cancelled the facilities meeting afterwards and uh we've got a about an hour and a half meeting with uh lots of items for policy and to start off for curriculum we have the middle school policy and schedule for MTSS. All the things. Yeah. I guess so. We've certainly been talking about MTSS at great length over the last at least year or more um as we built the comprehensive plan. That was a big goal going into it was middle school and high school adding those supports for MTSS. Um and so at this point we are ready to look at how that will structurally affect things in
002the middle school where we have found the space to create opportunities for interventions without upheaving and disrupting everyone in needing a place and space for every single person at those same times without and hopefully by causing the the greatest impact with the least overall disruption to things. So Sean's going to share what our proposal looks like. So thank you all for allowing me to speak with you tonight. Um just a a quick reminder of some of the things that Miss Develin has been talking about this year. When we refer to MTSS, we're referring to a system that provides support to students that generally speaking are performing below grade level in one of the areas of reading or math. Uh we talk about three tiers of the intervention. There's tier one intervention which is delivered on
003the classroom level. That's the instruction that all students receive. Tier two is targeted intervention and tier three is intense intervention. So students that are in tier 2 intervention are still in their classes. They don't get taken out of the regular schedule. They receive classroom instruction. Tier two is in addition to their classroom schedule or the scheduled classroom instruction that they receive. tier three the same. If a student requires that level of intense intervention, they're still receiving tier two and tier three. What brings us here to this point right now is if we look at the data points that we have that we use in discussions of student performance, we basically talk about PSSA data which happens once a year and we talk about our star benchmark testing and I'll refer to our winter data at
004this point. So the benchmarks that were given uh just either right before Christmas uh winter break or when we returned. So for PSSA data for 23 24 grade six to 8. So building wide 31% of our students are performing uh at basic or below basic in reading. 51% are basic or below basic in math. And if we look at our most uh recent benchmark data that we have, 37% students are basic or below in uh or below basic in reading. 55% are basic or below basic in math. So about half a year from the PSSA to when we give our winter star benchmark, the numbers are very commiserate with each other about the same. One of the interesting anomalies that we noticed as we were looking at things today too is that in ELA we
005do not have a large number of students who are in that below basic category. They're landing in that basic just under proficient level. In math we see a a much higher percentage of students that are in that below basic category which may simply be an indication there's greater skill gaps or deficits that we need to be working to remediate. just we talk about this data in a variety of different ways. You know, those are just percentage facts. Um I know, you know, we share student achievement data. In other ways, we talk about ranking just to know comparatively where we are, you know, and um the 31% of students in grade six or eight basic or below basic reading. still places us at top the county, you know, from um in ELA in both sixth and
006seventh grade and has seventh and eighth grade, but you know, if you kind of lump them together, it still puts us top in the county if you're lumping all three grades together. Um in math, you know, we had a really good year in sixth grade last year. uh we're fourth in the county and then 10 to the 15th which is right you know it still puts us in the upper half even with that large number of 51% to talk about what math achievement scores look like across the country across the state across the county but um for the purpose of this convers you know comparatively when we look at PSSA data what does it serve what purpose does it serve for us it looks as compared to others across the state of course um but
007when you break down act percentages it's just what percentage of students are proficient based off of that standard and you know STAR is intended to align with PSSA that it's not you know a onetoone measure but we see basically very very similar numbers there right so um just because when we do talk about ranking high amongst our peers that is absolutely true that still leaves 30% below you know is there a difference between I mean that's a six through eight so we is typically 51% across the board or we see a trend down or the math trend works downward. So from sixth grade to eighth grade% to be at its lowest at 8th grade which then we look at our Keystone where they have multiple attempts to reach that proficiency level and our growth looks
008amazing because if that middle school trend works downward then Keystone we have a very high percentage of proficient in the long run. reading's the same way or not as much. Reading does not trend downwards universally like it does in math right now, which is where a lot of this conversation really stem from. We currently in our system looking at our instructional time for ELA compared to math was where a lot of this began. Is that trend common within schools? The math is nationally. um ELA tends to vary greatly. Good segue to the instructional time that currently uh operates at the middle school level. So for ELA instruction, ELA at the middle school is broken down into two class periods, ELA writing and the reading class. So students spend 80 to 96 minutes a day in
009their uh receiving ELA instruction. That discrepancy in time is the length of class period for sixth and seventh grade is 48 minutes each. Eighth grade it's 40 minutes. I'm sorry, did I say that right? Sixth and seventh grade is 48 minutes uh each. 40 minutes for eighth grade. Uh we do provide additional support uh during our advisory period. And for math instruction, students receive 40 to 48 minutes a day. Again, that's 40 minutes in eighth grade, 48 minutes in sixth and seventh grade with additional support available in advisory. And when we talk about advisory, um advisory for us happens first thing in the morning right after home room. It's 35 minute class period or time period. It's designed to be a flexible period within the schedule to accommodate for a bunch of needs that the
010middle school student has. Um, it's where we deliver our second step lessons. We have Den activities, chorus and band meet during that time. As the year goes on, that's also where students are meeting with teachers to make up work that they've missed for retesting if they need additional homework help or just help in a class and skill strategy and remediation. So that 35 minutes of time that pulled in a lot of different directions in addition to when we try to provide targeted intervention during that period of time too. So the purpose here is to operationalize our MTSS system to increase time for math intervention and differentiate the support that we give our students for reading. The goals are to continue to grow a culture that values data for decision- making. Identify critical benchmarks within standards
011for tier one. That's the instruction that everyone receives in the classroom. Uh create a schedule for students to receive their intervention and provide strategic interventions to strengthen skills strategies to fill skill gaps, move students on a trajectory towards grade level proficiency. So the proposed change is to reduce the eighth grade reading for tier one uh instruction to increase the availability of an intervention specialist. We'd be condensing the ELA and reading content for eighth grade in their ELA classrooms. Providing intervention for tiers two and three as needed in grade 8 and reading and foreign languages become concurrent options. So the discrepancy in time between sixth grade, sixth, seventh and eighth grades is foreign language is a core class part of the everyday rotation in eighth grade. So we can look at that time as an a
012place where we can find some intervention time within the schedule for students in eighth grade. One of the challenges that often happens when you try to create an intervention schedule is you create a period of the day and you need to find something for everyone to do. That creates its own set of challenges. And so what we've done is look at foreign language as a place where if there's an intensive intervention that needs to happen for reading or math, having a student not participate in foreign language at the onset of the year to be able to get that intervention, they still have the option to take language one in nth grade. And if that intervention is completed and fulfilled, they could still enter into that foreign language class mid-stream in the year, just as a
013new student might enter a foreign language class. So, we're not being prohibitive of that opportunity, but we are prioritizing some of those core content needs first, still allowing plenty of opportunity for students to take that foreign language. So, basically, the student would if that need is great and we need to have that intervention take place, they won't participate in foreign language in eighth grade. they would instead receive that intervention. You're better at anything before you start. Yeah, that's a I I don't wouldn't know a percentage necessarily across the [Music] um across the state, but you know, that's your your typical it's it's not typical to just have all students take language arts reading and language and a foreign language or world language in eth grade. It's it's more typical again out of a percentage to
014have this type of a model where in eighth grade when that world language kicks in that only students who are not proficient yet um continue to take in class and it's just the different options that we have. Um, you know, we when we say proposed change, we go back and we we look at those goals and those goals are goals that we've had for several years now, trying to figure out how to bring more consistent support into the middle school based off skills similar to what we do at the elementary school, you know, and and it's uh it's a challenge, but we do this proposal comes in the context of our expected staffing for 25 26. Um, so how do we It's always that challenge for us. How do we do both things? How do
015we continue forward with goals that we have? Um this has been an extending our or expanding our MTSS program into a comprehensive plan goal for us for several years now. Um so there is there's a bit of something has to go for something to come and that's that's uh this that's what lands here in this proposal that only students who are below grade level getting a full period of freedom and support and being able to generate additional support for students. Now currently on the team schedule um you know there is when the so in a middle school schedule we have personal planning time and team planning time on six days cycle on the six day cycle and you know that team planning time is used for you know a variety of purposes for cross team
016planning for developing supports for students both behaviorally and academically and also working to identify deficits um without somebody targeted towards, you know, helping identify those interventions and review data. It is a challenge, I think, typically for teams to do that and do it well. Um, you know, because there's so much involved with just supporting students um for their curriculum support, I say their grade, you know, they're catching kids up on what they have missed in class, homework assignments, you know, remediating for their content. Um, but to truly commit to it, you have to dedicate somebody to help support teachers to support kids. So would content in the eighth grade ELA course change? It would bring in the components that the standards that are addressed specifically in reading would come over to the ELA class. So
017that would need to that would involve some complexion. And so then that's still the tier one meaning that three supports would go. Yeah. So in seventh grade would still have that longer time frame of tier one instruction, eighth grade would diminish. And I think over time as the system grows and we find the interventions that are finding us the successes that we need that's that's really a continuum that where you can look at seventh grade and start to say are there ways we could provide more support to the students who need the most support and back off some of the support that students could have some different options as well. So there's there's lots of possibilities there. There are not many middle school models that are still utilizing that full double period of reading and
018ELA without that reading being something highly differentiated or related to intervention. Clarifying question. So currently six and seven receive their language how many days out of cycle? For language. Yeah. Seventh grade receives foreign language two days a cycle as a elective or an encore class. Sixth grade does not receive foreign language at all. Okay. That's right. Eighth grade it goes into the core. That's where that time difference between four minutes and the eight minutes gets pulled into a period and that's where current. And so unless you mentioned that um not many schools use the model that we're using now are they having success. It looks a lot more like that MTSS model where reading becomes a place for differentiated tier 2 and tier three support and students may have different different options. Why missing is
019a model that's been doing this for quite some time. Um we've had lots of conversations just recently at our leadership series around MTSS with how they're doing some of these things. Um and we've talked about even getting over there to see some of how they schedule it and things like that as well. Looking at the just looking at those numbers, one would expect that we'd have more um more intervention in math than reading. This is just to provide opportunity to individualize their education versus correct. So if a student just needs that math support then rather than foreign language that's where that math support would take place. um if a student needed both math and reading then we look at where the priorities and the data are and get the thing that's needed first and most
020importantly to them first and balance out and that's where having someone to strategically look at all the different places that those interventions can happen becomes really essential. Yeah. Some of it comes down to you know the staffing piece there just we have you know it is very likely to the staff member you know in this interventionist role is very likely to be someone who has a greater skill set in literacy just because there's you know that's where we have a greater uh you know we we have more staff members with that skill set but a key component of it is to develop in learning how to support one data analysis which really looks the same across but how to help schedule interventions and eventually deliver interventions in that as well because we really we can't
021dedicate a full staff person without supporting both said that but um that's just that's a skill we have way more skill in the district in terms of how to support um literacy based off training and education. There's also just to really quantify that there's no such thing as a math specialist certification in Pennsylvania. There's a reading specialist certification in Pennsylvania, you know, so there's programs dedicated to that support across, you know, and there just isn't one at math. Although, we're wondering why we have a teacher who would like that program to exist already. She has requested there to be such a program at KU and we know there's a need for it. Yeah. No, I mean even if if it is a a reading specialist that show that their skills in math or kind of
022level because we able to assist our students that's falling behind in sixth and seventh and eth grade seems like a lot of it is really just learning the cycle of diagnosing, understanding what intervention can support a specific gap. And with math being so cumulative and our numbers where they are, some of our greatest needs could be kids who have gaps that are very early gaps in their math progress. There for sixth and seventh grade. Uh we will have the intervention specialist that is available to provide tier two and three support for sixth and seventh grade. um tier two and three intervention be scheduled uh in the encore time for students that require that intervention. And um tier two and three would also be looking to the the grade level as a whole to be helping
023provide some of that intervention. So the process uh moving forward for the remainder of the year would be collaborating with building leadership to establish the intervention schedule for identified students um over the summer. I just want, you know, so we're here tonight for, you know, curriculum meeting um looking at with support from the from this committee to then really be able to dig in at the building level and start to develop more details really what things are going to look like because um you know the way we way our policies run like there's not a requirement to change a schedule to for the full board. There's no stated requirement of anything for the full board to approve a change in schedule. But that's a pretty major change and do typically bring those to the board.
024Um you know but again this has occurred the conversations have occurred at leadership series they've occurred you know with some leadership groups within the building but to really go and dive into the details um you know with support of the committee in the philosophy I think that's where Sean Wilson and if I can just clarify one thing from that last slide we talked about students using some of that encore time for students to receive intervention just to clarify there's a double period of encore so students students might have um library than libraries. We would not have students missing both of those encores in a cycle, but just one of those two so that they are still receiving their full complement of the encore courses. We will be needing to work out, you know, details with
025Encore teachers to see how that plays out in terms of grading and assignments, but we didn't want kids to miss an encore because that's where they find those passions for music and art and all those other things. yet the amount of time that they have, we felt we could spare some to be able to provide this target while other students are still all scheduled in a location and we're not creating a as elementary schools call it what I need time where everyone is upkeep and you need to find places for everyone. So this is really trying to work within that schedule. I think another important thing to mention is in the MTSS uh flow flexibility of MTSS the student receives intervention for the the intervention that a student receives is as intense and for as
026long as they need. If we identify uh learning gaps with a student in math and we start giving them intervention and after a period of a time of maybe a quarter, they've shown progress to where we feel they are on track, they don't need to continue to receive MCSS. They would be put back into a schedule as they would if they were not receiving those interventions. So our our intention is not to continue this for a whole school year. We want to give a targeted intervention, get students back on track and then have them back into the the middle school schedule. At the onset of doing it, it might not be as quick as we will hope that eventually it will be, but until the system is really up and running and built, it will
027take a little bit more. So it sounds like you guys are looking at uh ways to make clear expectations for the students who are getting pulled out of like graded encore classes and how that's going to look as far as not correct. It would not be an expectation that they're making up the work that they've missed during an intervention. They would be responsible for the work of the one period of encore they're attending but not the period that they're having intervention. And that's where we would need to go back and work with our encore teams and talk about what that can look like and how we schedule for that. Sean's been very strategic in looking at ways to schedule so that it creates the least disruption for the teachers along the way so that there's
028not these perpetual kids coming or going from an encore class, but rather a pretty steady group that may move somewhat in tandem so that it's not creating gradebook upheaval or anything else for teachers who have all the students in the middle school across a number of days of the cycle. And then the teched position. Um what what specifically is that? Well, technology. Yeah, technology education. You know what? And um so that's that's sort of as I said in this expected staffing piece, we you know, we did have at the budget committee meeting the recommendation to um eliminate the library teaching position. as was referenced before that is on the encore schedule. If we do not um you know if we don't reconfigure all of the encourse with the number of days they the frequency with
029which they meet um the best option we have to put to fill that gap um with skills that kids can learn math you know they learn problem solving would be to move tech into encore schedule. So that is that's sort of and all these pieces get connected to each other in that that's not technically a part of the MTSS but that falls under that kind of expect staffing piece that if we get to June and we are we have the need um to have the staffing that was presented in terms of from a budgetary standpoint that's a best option according to schedule education which again you know um is everything from the design and engineering process to working with mostly those metals steals technology and engineering standards. Yes, steals and engineering, right? The standards right
030in there. Um, so that's sort of a tangental part of this that's related to how what does the encore look like? I know the administrators are aware of this. There are lots of studies and literature that shows that schools without libraries and librarians score poorly on standardized reading tests. We're already at 37% without a librarian that's going to go up. MTSS isn't going to fix that. So, some of that metadata, I mean, I'd be really interested to see, you know, more granular data of, you know, the percentage of those percentage of students who are, you know, not performing to grade level and and what, you know, their reading habits look like that would be, you know, related to libraries. um you know but we feel confident that we continue to support the literacy skills that
031are measured and we can do so better in an MTSS support system. Um I think any as I say every spring when we have conversations with anything that we have less of there's some pain that goes with it. Um and I think that um we are this is a focus to later supports for students irrative. Are there any standards that were addressed in library class? Yeah. And how will those standards are met? I mean there standards of um research and media literacy primarily is what they are. you know media literacy has a very broad title at this point. Um research standards are also met within ELA curriculums and you know we for media literacy there certainly in our technology courses where you know we're have to find the opportunity places um you know within the
032curriculum to address those standards. You know when we think of media literacy addressed across almost any curriculum see that embedded into our social studies like the arts I mean that particular piece media literacy is super important. It is super important. Um our students get a very heavy dose of media literacy throughout elementary school as well. Um you know so that's going to require some coordination between that K12 continuum of it. So it's there's always there there are challenges with any of the regulations you know related with the the tech head position that you mentioned. Um that's me at middle school. Um and that time when the tech would go into the schedule is the time when I provide the the gifted support to students that are identified gifted. Um so that would severely change that
033that program and reduce it. Um it's also the time where I have the flexibility to work with teachers to develop projects where they figure out how Egyptians moved heavy rocks. um where they committ and design tessellations um it's a flexibility for me to design the field trip to go and see the MCER tessellations for the whole school to go and take part in that and the academic competitions and the spelling be and the steam fair and all those other things that that take place and you know I'd like to say I continue doing all that and add in a couple more tech classes I think that's not going to be possible and I think that would be a cost that would need to be considered. Yeah. Yeah, the primary one of those is the journey
034gifted time, right? I think that's that starts with, you know, first we have to carve time into that. um you know where there's certainly some of that time would go would likely become a part of advisory you know but there's a scheduling challenge with that that and there's details that we that as a team as a building team kind of have to work on to make right because there has to be a starting point you know this the starting point is those continuing with those goals of how do we support the students that we're show the percentage of students we're showing they're not at grade level and you know the expected staffing levels that we have so nobody suggest it's easy but you know I feel like we collaboratively have always found the answers I
035still don't maybe this question doesn't really affect taxpayers but it's certainly going to affect students your students that are going to be in the classroom what is the time frame we're talking about for reg regular regular core classes. Now that we're adding the MTSS to the schedule, are we going to reduce the class time that teachers are going to have with students or are we going to just the time stays the same with the exception of the eighth grade? Um, you know, those classes would then be longer with the exception pulling the reading out makes the other classes 48. So it it increases that core time for the majority of But you're reduced on a class period. Yeah. I mean, the time has to go. It's that's if you if you take that 40-minute period
036out that those minutes are distributed to 40 the eighth grade schedule would mimic the sixth and seventh grade schedule. I don't think we have enough time for math already. I I just I think the math thing I don't understand because I saw those numbers up there. Again, I'm a social studies teacher. Yeah, I'm already concerned there's not enough time for math. There's not. So, there's only so much time in the debt. Um, yeah. And that middle school, you know, and what's what's good for kids? So, you know, we think what is the purpose of everything serve, right? We know I think we know what our our literacy and our math what purpose they serve. They're the foundation of all learning that occurs. and all preparation going forward. Um we have you know the unique purposes
037of understanding science and social essentially what we call the core right there our academics and then we have the encore the encore's purpose in a middle school is to give students a variety of experiences and understandings of other topics of interest from technology to um sorry family consumer science family consumer science yeah I mean to our what we have as our computer class to um health health class it's really essent you know get some essential skills those students physical education. So they get an experience in those and then in theory as they get into high school they start to choose which of those types of experiences they want to have you know um but again everything takes some time away. um you know even you look at the beginning of the day and there's large
038chunks of time that's our advisory time and that is well used to help support students for individual support they need that might not be skill sets like the MTSS it's what I always call curriculum support in addition to you know we have a second step program that that has students inter determining how to interact with each other in a in a positive way. Um there's opportunity for the dens or the teams to do activities and then in addition to the big rock that we always when building a schedule in perfect way you have this philosophy of the schedule and everything flows together you know but we do in that advisory block and although for that also it supports our music program because we share a um band teacher here with the high school you know
039so we have a jazz band started the earliest is part of that as an elective piece and there's scores that happen during that time as well. It's just we run out of time at some point, you know, in a perfect I think in a perfect world, we just add a block of math and keep the extra block of literacy. Then we'd have time to have TSS and then at 5:00 they'll go home. But I know that, you know, I don't I don't know that anybody in that building would, you know, survive very long, the kids or the teachers, if that was the case, and it was a 7:30 to 5:00 p.m. schedule. We just we think that's why this model At least trying this model makes sense because you're able to give the kids that
040need that extra time in math and may not need reading that time. This is provides flexibility for everyone. Yeah, they would at least in eighth grade be able to have a double period of math potentially with their core class, an intervention period, and then possibly additional time to that encore period. So for the students who need that time, we are definitely trying to find that time. What we're trying not to do is assign that to people who may not need it, which is a little bit of kind of what we're in with the reading component a little bit of how that's been designed. And that's pretty standard. That's been very typical operating. And now it's just how do we start to break that down and give kids the specifics of what they need. And I
041know that the they're all sort of interdependent, but this is not really have that much to do with Mr. Ashton talking about tech at all. Not really. No. No. I mean, two, they are, you know, one, um, I I do think, you know, we start with, we wouldn't do anything we don't think is good for kids. So, I think it's good for kids to have tech in sixth, seventh, eighth grade. I think you know starting from scratch I would say it's great for people to be able to work with their hands and math and problem solving and that um what really drives us to that question is you know our budgetary questions that we have as far as with staff. So that is kind of an independent piece of it. Um, you know, I even
042outside of our I shouldn't say that because if we had an unlimited budget, we would say just add an interventionist on top of everything else and you know, we would we could schedule kind of the same by pulling kids out of the wrong schedule. Um, we don't live in a world of unlimited resources. So, we feel like this is the best way to get that support to students. Um, you know, and honestly, we came very close to making a very similar proposal quite a few years ago, you know, with with the same concept of we have a large percentage of our students, even if it's not as high as we want it to be, who are proficient in reading in 8th grade. Should they have a second period just like a lot of other schools
043don't do that? And then how can we support the students who have greater need? And for one reason or another, we didn't get to this final point. Um, we also I can speak for myself and I think I can speak for our team administration is year after year to come back and say math scores are struggling. We have students who are still not reading our grade level and to talk you know to keep trying to make changes and adjustments within that 40 or 48 minute block and expect to find magical difference in results. It I don't it feels like we aren't doing enough you know. So again with all these things with our goals of the MTSS and supporting kids and our expected constraints we feel like this is the best possible way forward to
044try to continue to support those kids and there's going to be bugs to work out but until we can feel if we without feeling we like have a we have a general support concept from at least this committee so that the team can go and kind of feel the details I think we're kind of in this hole. vote on that. Yeah, I think that would be great if you could from the committee and then you know just to save process I think in June we'll bring back the final you know we can bring back the final burdens to the full boards see what it is but we will at that point have had there's been some input from teachers have been building up of course you know through um leadership teams, leadership series and individual
045conversations of what could this look like? But now we can get more feedback and ideas and when things become, you know, as we talked about sometimes things become a little bit more real, it gets easier to figure out what's what could be better and different instead of being stuck in kind of. All right. All in favor of moving the MTSS schedule as presented here the full board say I. Wait, I was ask I was just asking the committee the committee support to move forward to get you know to be able to work with teams and to move forward to develop say I any opposed. Okay. Then that brings us to policy items. And first we have policy 218 continuing the conversation we left off last time student discipline. Try to reject. Yes. So what we
046had landed on number six and seven after a lengthy discussion was concern about uh the student code of conduct in relation to um the nexus nexus. So what we did if you look at page two number one simply crossing out nexus calling in a connection early so trying to create a tight coupling so we're looking at location we're looking at timing we're also looking at the students off campus expression so again trying to create a tight coupling of those behaviors to where I recall Mr. you had brought up that concern as far as you know how far do we go with things. So looking at uh as an example, if we have a an event here at night, students leave the gym, they go down to your local establishment, Turkey Hill, something goes on down
047there, we don't necessarily want to be involved with that as a school. Um but um you know if something was said or done here on campus that spilled off campus after that event as an example then that we might want to uh you know intervene as far as out what was said what what resulted in so hopefully that makes sense but there's any further questions or concerns please let us know but that that's our thought on that again covering location timing and the on and off campus expression of conduct confines it a lot better think the word nexus in itself it's kind of it's the legal term that was given to public school educators when the case occurred 15 years ago. But outside of that, just basically and and then to us adding number two
048as far as the one off campus. Thought that was important in uh in relation to those comments made last As far as number seven, that was the only one that I had concerns with, but I don't think we had general support for that one. So, that was the only thing I was just going to bring up again. My original thought was the conduct interferes with or threatens to interfere with the rights of students or school staff. I I was concerned threatens to interfere with creates a a third distinction there. Um, but that was the only other thing that I saw. And if that sits all right with everybody else, then I really happy enough with that. I mean, I still support that language because it gives the clarity to be able to intervene before something
049bad happens. Any other questions or concerns? All in favor of moving that one to the full board say I. I. Any oppose? That brings us to policy 308, employment contract board resolution. Yeah. So, there were some changes here. I'm going to try. So the changes that were made here deal with resignations as far as piece on the superintendent's resignation. There's also a piece as far as 60 days of notice prior to the resignation effective date in accordance with law school board policy. Um there were some changes as far as schoolboard role in the process and also delegating authority to superintendent and making those those known through the policy. So basically the PSBA has simply developed some language outlining the submission and acceptance ofations and making sure that those items in line with code one question
050which is when there's a resignation um in the termination does that 60 days still apply the 60 that we can hold somebody for 60 days. The so the 60 days is you know part of the PA code to protect school districts or protect students I should say from somebody resigning and walking out the next day. The need to enforce it is on it's the district's responsibility to enforce it. So, in le of termination, it would never be the district would never say you're we're going to terminate you, but you chose to resign instead. We're still going to hold you for 60 days. It's um it's really that 60-day hold where and even that 60-day hold from a legal standpoint, what happens if now there's a pretty good understanding between school districts in Pennsylvania where they
051will not allow somebody to start the other district releasing them from that 60-day hold. Um but in all honesty, the only thing you can do legally is then you would um uh file you would file their evaluation as an unsatisfactory based off of that and then that becomes a part of their kind of record. Um that that's it's that's the only legal recourse there is to that because they've already signed. that if it's in termination yeah it's to protect students it's so that they they have a teacher for it's 60 days you know when when PA code was designed was considered a reasonable amount of time to get in teacher basically so they just can't walk away at the kids without a teacher I mean I was just think we shouldcl clude on the back
052of it except for negotiated resignations in le of termination. That way you never have somebody come back and say you do mean by 60 days because it I mean the line says they have to give it at least 60 days prior to the resignation's effective date. Yeah. So if you submit a resignation, you know, just ex just exclude those two events right there then because well they don't need to give submit those things and negotiate a resignation. It's negotiated, right? That's the whole purpose. That's the whole purpose. Yeah. Again, as I said, there's no functional benefit from it. So I would agree if we make it actually I would say make it clear. Are there any other circum those are the only two there that I would yeah that would be my opinions just to
053list it well the under the definition of resation. Yeah. Yep. just seems simple and straightforward to just un in that where where this the paragraph where the 60-day yeah put just forward these two types of resignations and termination and negotiated resignations we'll have a sale like We all good with that? Okay. Then with the exception of that added line in noted place, all in favor of moving policy 308 to the full board say I. I. All oppose. Any opposed? So that takes us to policy 200 enrollment of students. There is a um there's a line dealing with students experiencing educational instability. We have dealt with that policy in the past. There's also a line for children of active duty military families. We've also dealt with that policy in the past. So it's simply simply mentioning
054those two under the guidelines. Now the the the line with students experiencing homelessness there was a similar line second page. So pretty much simply put it in pronounced place over guidelines the active military family. So that one, the first one that's folded actually has a similar statement on the second page. So we'll simply move it to the front just to put those two pieces together understanding this right. Kids that experience this, the homelessness foster care, they don't have to ever request us with like the military one 45 days. What we what we can't do is prevent them from enrolling. We're supposed to work with them in order to gather that paperwork. um any student who most most of these cases what happens is you know we've had bid meetings so best interest determination meetings with
055other school districts beforehand um that's one way of doing it um as far as understanding the background and so forth that way when the student is is ready to move forward the county is usually involved in those cases trying to lead us into the process um we may have a situation to to uh for the family who may present themselves as homeless to us um at the district office. So we of course investigate and figure out the background of the family, what they are experiencing and so forth one so we can support them. But what what the law states that we can't we can't over um question as far as as far as providing that assistance. And I've been to many of these meetings throughout the county and the bottom line is if a a
056family presents as homeless, they're supposed to initially take the word on that fact. Um the the state does want these families um to have the supports. They want families in school and so forth. So whereas in other cases there might be up to a fiveday period um you know the county in particular in the past have contacted us and said please please please uh admit this family as soon as possible. Um so admitting the family and then working with the family and then gathering that paperwork. Sometimes like I said it's working with the county. Sometimes it's working with the school where they came from. Sometimes it's Zoom meetings through the best interest determination process that that leads up to it. There's all kinds of different scenarios. But the bottom line is I've experienced it mostly
057through the county where they contact us and and mention the family is is homeless and need supports. They want to student more students involve the school as soon as possible. That's usually how it takes place. But we we will always follow up to figure figure out the uh background the needs and also the facts behind the course. One thing that's key about know what's most important to us is does a student live here right now? They're entitled to an education. And a key part of all that best interest determination work with families transportation, you know, so you typically know exactly where you do know exactly where they're living while setting up transportation. And if if time elapses and they're not living here or were not displaced from here, which either of those cases they would
058potentially role, this one is talking as an inol living now um after some reasonable amount of time which isn't necessarily defined. You would then call a bid and say, "Is this really in their best interest? They're not don't actually seem to be living here, you know, and then that process gets there's it's a little gray, you know, because he has to determine what that reasonable amount of time would be, but but it certainly come to flip to that too, like I said, we were contacted by the county, you know, sometimes paperwork. There was a case last year and I certainly came from New York and we had a sit down meeting very first day and gathered what we could from from that as far as a paperwork rolling very quickly. So that that's what we
059always do as our that's our best interest to do that to help families. At least our mission it's just by law by law it's really u explicit as far as they are treated a little bit differently than than students who are not under the umbrella of homeless foster care or other forms of educational stability. the concerns with I just will call out um you know when you look again at those guidelines district shall not enroll a student until the parent guardian submitted the proof of student age residence and immunizations and a completed parental registration statement. You know, in committee, we spent some time with the immunization policy um last year or some time, but just as is typically the case under the authority, it references back to in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, both
060policy and administrative regulations. So, it references back to policy there, even though it kind of very broadly uses the terms later later. I think there could be a need if that wasn't there there would be a need to you know to say and immunizations per policy but it references that initial including that paragraph the third paragraph from the second page which has been moved up to page one. So just having that which will change the first page. All in favor of moving policy 200 then to the four say I. Any opposed? So then that brings us to 339. Hopefully very very soon I think they're added as far as superintendent board of all uncompensated leave provided as a reasonable accommodation of course the all the regulations. There is also the term in writing included under
061guidelines as far as application of the policy. So a request for uncompensated leave shall be made in writing to the superintendent and then the period of read. Now the first first paragraph on the period of leave is actually already in the policy. But moving that statement from the beginning to the uh to the period of leave section only because that's how PSBA's current policy guide is written and it makes sense to be in that section. So that is that is not a new statement. It's already there. It's just removing it. And then the uh the catchphrase is in many of these policies is compensated leave shall be granted in accordance with that of the law regulations and board policy. Then there's also a paragraph as far as uncompensated leave in relation to elected officials. I
062think we might run into some problems with this the last paragraph about giving them uncon compensated leave if they're elected official then and then they're pretty much guaranteed a spot if they no longer seek that office. If we go through a couple budget cycles during that four years where we're not filling positions due to retirements and stuff like that, now we're going to be forced to take somebody back. Think that's been yeah that can of worms in the in that situation. We would have to fill it with the long-term subract you know that that's because they would be entitled to PAP. Yeah. A lot of people do. Yeah, you can't you can't read it via code currently right now. But it is found a trick to do so. Yeah, you did find a trick. Yeah,
063there's HTML. Oh, okay. Um, but yeah, that is PA code, but that's a right of an elected official that we have to build long-term subs, which does create a challenge, but we don't know how long they're going to be. Yeah, I think it would be a year to year and no, we can put Well, this is saying for the first four years, right? So, I guess it would have to be for the whole that's a that would create kind of a messy situation. Yeah. Yeah. They're entitled to it. Interesting. It's only at the county level. Yeah. state position, local position, not even the township. Always curious, what's the story that led to that? Right. There's always a story. Those my more localized municipal positions might count as that because they go through the county. I
064would think so. We can find out more. I just Yeah, it doesn't prevent us from moving this forward, I don't think. But um if I got worse just kind of for reference, you know, in the second paragraph references the use of no pay days. I mean we have people who no pays I say frequently you know overall the entire um staff we have no pay one or two here or there for people who do not have vacation um you know or it's it's rare outside of FMLA that a teacher takes no payments it's usually our school staff don't have only have a handful of days built All in favor of moving 339 board say I. I. I. Any oppose? brings us to policy 254 educational opportunity for milit military children. So the main provision pertains
065to the National Guard. So members of the National Guard reserve number four there. So the other uniform services I've already dimenioned. So it's simply adding the National Guard to that section. That's the only change to this policy that the National Guard be also added to where it says US armed forces and and the reserves uh top of page two. I was very confused. I mean I was I do not believe that they had they had made that change as far as to why I can't we well I mean we're putting it in for members of the National Guard Reserve up on page one. I feel that it should be found on page two with the US armed forces as well. Yeah, I'd have to go into the, you know, the citations to see how that's
066worded that as far as those definitions as far as far as why the National Guard's not there. I can't say, but I would have to look at that. In other words, if the code does not put the National Guard there, not sure as far as I do agree with concept that you unless we can think of a scenario that shouldn't apply. I would say like most things the legal change is a minimum standard and local control we have the authority to or above that standard and that's linking to this one citation it says that armed forces includes army navy air force marine core space force and coast guard and uniformed services includes the armed forces It doesn't even mention it like National Guards actually stake till they're nationalized. That might be why take a third
067category there. I'd be fine with that. I mean, I'd look into see adding it to that underneath the US armed forces. And if not, maybe we do look at like the state armed forces category then too because once the National Guard gets called up for wartime, they're nationalized. So technically they're US armed forces, but they're still classified as National Guard units. You want us to go back and do some research on this one and bring it bring it back? I mean, just to see. We'll find out where it's appropriate. Yeah, possible. Brings us to number six, pick 217. It's the opposing that till next. Yeah, we're highly unlikely that the scenario difference if there were. Okay. So with graduation once again this this deals with active military families as far as making sure that we
068provide supports to facilitate the on-time graduation of those families. That is the change that's in this policy. And just make a note that the graduation requirement link at the bottom links to the graduation. There's an attachment link at the bottom. You should make a note that that is not the very bottom of the last page. Oh. Oh, I'm sorry. Yeah, it's still a lot of papers. I'm sure which which bottom I was looking at. Sir. Oh, I understand. Congratulations. So once again, it's the children of active military families providing their support. That's the line two that we're looking to add to the policy. All in favor of 217 to the full board say I. I. I. Any oppose? Policy 607. So policy 607 there were changes as far as time frame mentioned on this that's
069been added at the bottom as far as if if tuition is being paid. So first of all I should start at the top. The authority shall tuition shall be assessed for those students who are residents of another school district but whose attendance within a school district has been approved by the board. Once again in accordance with that law and board policy. So in accepting that tuition what happens when the payment is overdue and will services be terminated? Now the 60 days does not necessarily need to stay 60. Could be 30, could be 45. Thinking of having something there to uh you know date it as far as terminating of services. So could be more stringent, it could be less stringent, whatever. Committee members are thinking on that as far as what might be appropriate, how
070lenient we want to be. I think the last time I I would keep it as is. I mean that's right there the you know tuition students does not happen further explanation on so once in a while you'll have you'll get a call and it'll be someone who wants to attend a different school for whatever reason you know and I mean I probably got two of those calls this year so it really does not happen often I just got one last week okay so maybe you're both it was a FFA student they're interested in our FFA program so we're we're working. So just for the FFA part or to enroll in the district full time, how does that Well, it was an interesting it was an interesting phone conversation. They said that something with Topa Hawin
071to Hakan allows them to enroll as as an FFA student if they're interested in that program as a full-time student. I said we don't have that particular agreement with Hamburg but you know I I I had told them to talk to the guy us counselor work it through step by step um so out of the blue we do once in a while get those calls yeah so there I mean and they come in different varieties so one like that you know might happen a little bit more frequently but you get a call exploring about program that wanted to attend um and at that point years ago the state I shouldn't say years ago it was 20 years ago a few years ago the state was sending a tuition rate number and it wasn't the board
072could set whatever tuition rate they wanted to but the state rate was based off of um the per pupil costs from the previous year of instructional costs. So we kind of took out sort of you know we took out desk service facilities etc. Um and oftent times that number would be something like 13,000 and 18,000 for special ad and that would be enough to that the call would usually end pretty quickly you know thank you I appreciate your time you know that's that's been my experience every single time now in in the instance where somebody's just interested in the program we would f I would now uh Ed was kind of communicate with the family see if they really wanted at that point we would then communicate with the superintendent say are you interested in
073paying for this at the district or some or saying hey you have a program we might have student responses we have an IOU or you know look for reciprocity so any of those can happen depending on the scenario if they just wanted to come to take two classes here we could probably work something out the district from reciprocity standpoint um but it's a full tuition they've all intended wow thank you not a lot thank you for time that's it so it's um I don't know what this year's number is but you would say it's lower likely have unlike when there are special placements out of district and they can bill us directly. That is not well you get those calls occasionally too. I've probably had one in six years you know where you have a
074student that would be looking for an out of placement. Um so again that can come to different varieties. one, some schools have special education programs that they will take a tuition student. If they have a licost classroom and they have a low number upper, they might take one of their students. Um, and then that's typically a negotiated rate that specific program. We could get the same type of call. Um, districts have become less interested in doing that because it's just you just never know what's going to happen six months down the road we're staffing for. um you know so so that could happen sometimes or once I received a phone call for a student that they just had a really challenging situation it wasn't truly disciplinary but was going to land a legal matter that
075student was believed you know comfortable in that district looking for different alternatives you know and just quite honestly the answer then typically amongst us is like I'm not not likely to recommend that we take on a challenging situation, you know, because it then becomes our situation, you know, and so it just doesn't happen as often as it might seem. So again, that's that's what the reality of it is, you know, but to say we won't ever have a you just never know. Yeah. So it's really here to protect us. Yeah. to my friends. I have friends who like went live up on the hill like a mile from my house. They're they are weak and they're like all their friends are good because they do everything and she asked me to give her the number
076and she's like okay yeah it's kind of just where it gets because it's substantial the same thing with that tuition base. We don't have a tuition. Um, yeah, we don't. I mean, historically there have been, you know, typically it's been in administration and superintendent contracts. Not typ when it occurs, which is very rare. There have been those instances where that could be negotiated in that allow their child to come if they wanted to. I'm sure there's somewhere in Pennsylvania where there's teachers contract where that happened. I just that has you don't see that as much anymore. I think the language does well to protect us in the ways that it needs to. Any other questions on that one? All favor moving 607 to the full board say I. Anybody opposed? We're looking at policy 824.
077maintaining professional adult boundaries. I'm just going to say there there are some changes as far as wording with legitimates being a very important word placed twice in the policy. Go ahead. Go ahead. Thank you. Um, I would really love to add something along the lines of not giving out personal phone numbers. Um, I don't think there is anything in here. I just know that there are a couple teachers within our district that my kid has their personal phone number. And I think that's very not good. That's not used for the mind. No. No. Like they hand out their this is my cell phone number. That is not appropriate. Even coaches honestly I feel like that's still that's still crossing the line unless you are sending a text to the parent and the child. Yeah, that's
078where you the coaches are, you know, supposed to remind teams snap some, right? And then have parents can change. Yeah. I mean I I mean that's where they have their email. That's why they have the teachers school email. find it very there are a couple teachers out there that have given their personal phone numbers to students. and I do agree that teachers and coaches given their phone numbers out, but I've also heard that a couple coaches, even though they're reminded a lot to use those like Remind and other apps, they refuse to. So, you know, something, you know, there needs to be a balance here somewhere. I mean, I do agree that I don't think that teachers and coaches and volunteers should be giving students their personal numbers. That's what the school resources are for.
079Yeah, I agree. It seems like there specifically at the bottom of page two. Examples of prohibited conduct could be added there. feel if a teacher needs to communicate with my child, they need to communicate with parent. I mean, I I think we should do it through their school email. That's the crux of it, right? Whatever. But I mean, I understand if a coach needs to get a hold of that child a little bit sooner than an email, but in that case, call the parent. And that's also what different mind is for or snap or whatever use. We don't have a unified one. I guess we use a few different ones. Yeah. But they all work. They all have those functions that works. You can set up notifications every just as effective as a tax, right?
080I I'm also thinking that and with I mean the policy does state in an emergency situation may justify deviation of the rules I mean regarding communication methods um but it says the adult shall be prepared to articulate the reason for any mediation. So that's I mean if there's truly an emergency there's an emergency they ought be contacting the parents not the students. I also think that we should include personal emails as well too in that as well. It should be school district self only between students and adults. Yeah. I mean that's the intent of the policy right in that it's a better to do it. I think the exceptions section to where sometimes that gets a little bit tricky especially in a small community you know where you do have sometimes there are existing personal
081relationships that have nothing to do with this expensive yeah those are easily explained but should be easily explained and certainly would be easily explained in collaboration with the parent would understand what that outside connection is. Sounds like to me or you know share similar concerns. How much of this involves shoring up making sure the policies that are existing here to Yeah, I mean we can add details to this, but like I said, I think the intent of the policy is still cover is covering what you're working with. I don't think that I don't think adding those language changes the intent, but that would say it's not being administered. That's that's something that we have to address as administration. And there's been some specific instances brought up that they were to our knowledge. I just don't
082it's both of those. I don't see any harm in being a little bit more detailed because again I don't think at all just detail. But then with those concerns raised um you know any information shared confidential. You got to help us. statement under examples of prohibited conduct. My understanding is possibly adding one disclosing and or sharing personal telephone numbers and email addresses. Pretty much what we're looking for. I agree with that and get the intent of that. I just am thinking about what Christian said regarding our small community and things like there will be students who have parent information because it's their friend's mom or whatever and also a teacher that is covered in there right exceptions yeah I I we both found out I think I found out that your phone number can all
083have to be found on the Yeah, couple years. So that's the other thing to keep in mind. Just because a student has somebody's phone number doesn't inherently mean by the teacher something wrong, right? It's just we we need to prevent actively giving out information in that that's the biggest issue. Yeah. I think that would be understand suggestions as trust. I mean, yeah, I think we I think both are possible. I mean, I think we could have this policy that add a few of those details and have a lot of fun. That's you're comfortable really the research that to me the real closing the gaps of where honestly just how big like communication methods. So if if with adding you know examples like personal email, personal phone then we could we could have Yes, there's also
084a line added under the uh inappropriate uh conduct list as far as having students keep any conversation, gift or activity a secret or asking them to keep it a secret. It's another thing that's added there involved that differs from the list that now existing policy. Adults shall not follow or send or accept requests encourage students to be friends or connections on personal social networking sites. So follow and accept is already there. Send again to that piece for that section. And then there's a couple minor things as far as reporting to the title N coordinator. They can report orally or in writing. And the safe schools act is cross school saf code which is standard across many of our policies. What are the other changes? So we are adding under prohibited contact conduct personal email personal
085phone correct. Yes. Okay. So all in favor of with those changes then move a 24 to the full board. Say I. I. Any opposed? That brings us to 6.1. Just will point out we did I think when we added this or ended the pre canceled facilities and ECC and said you know we have false look at the 7:30 timeline. I don't know you know we want to stick to that. We're actually past 7:30 now. Not okay to keep bagging them out. But you guys, are you done, Cecilia? Um, I would prefer to end. Yeah, that's fine. Uh, we can stop there then. U, all in favor of adjourning this meeting tonight, say I. Thank you. Hey.