001I think Bill's here. >> Oh, he is. He just walked in. >> Oh, okay. Just a bit longer. Third. [laughter] Good for them, right? Rather than having zebra. >> Sure, that's a great idea. Yes. >> So, uh, Miss Grace came to, um, me a few months ago about sharing some of our stellar elementary students and our third grade teachers who are in the room uh, volunteered and said, "We have amazingly stellar students in our third grade that we would love to share." So they volunteered to have our first group of positive Panthers uh that they wanted to celebrate at the school board. So they are here tonight to help lead the pledge of allegiance and then they are going to share why they are they were chosen by their teachers in their teachers words as
002positive Panthers and their teachers are here to celebrate them tonight. So as uh Mrs. Velocity and Mr. Bonenburgger are here. I didn't I don't think they realized that all these people would be out there for them to celebrate them tonight. And I bet they're very excited for that. Okay. So, they've been practicing and they are ready. >> Okay. All right. I'm uh going to call the meeting to order. Uh please rise for the pledge and the students will start the pledge nice and loud. United States of America stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >> Excellent job. Okay, my friends, if you would come back here and you're going to each read and introduce yourselves and ex and self who you are and why you were nominated as a positive
003panther. And each of these students come from one of the six home rooms uh in our third grade classroom. Darius, are you going to start? Okay, everybody come behind Darius. >> My name is Darius Buntton. >> Nice and loud, Darius. >> My name is Darius Buntton. Darius, >> my teach my teachers are Mrs. Betts and Mrs. King. Mrs. Betts and Mrs. King said that I am the most improved in my class since the beginning of the year. I am always pause ready in the class. I follow directions the first time and mostly importantly I am example for the rest of the class. Students are catching into my positivity and waiting to follow suits. Others teachers are noticing me at a zero in the hallway as well. I give the whole class the silent me silent
004reminder as we head to lunch or encore. I am even at zero on my way in from recess. My teacher says they see me really being proud of myself for now how hard I am working to be a positive. Mrs. Betts and Mrs. And Mrs. Betts said every time she compliments me I have a huge smile on my face. She says, "I am growing into a kind and successful positive human being who she is proud of. My name is Tyler Wells. My teachers are Miss Hand and Mrs. Coglin. Miss Hand and Mrs. Cologne said that I deserve to be celebrated as a positive panther because I show leadership on a consistent basis. Miss Han said, "I embody the characteristics of a student older than myself by cultivating cooperation, responsibility, and authenticity among my classmates." She
005said, "I share kind words with my peers and I can often be overheard encouraging others to share their thoughts, ideas, and solutions. I am a positive panther to keep an eye as I am sure to have a shining shining bright future at Sulen and beyond. My name is Skyler Mid Cardinz. My teachers are Miss King and Miss Betts. Miss King and Miss Bett said that I deserve to be celebrated as a positive Panther because I constantly demonstrate kindness, responsibility, and a positive attitude both in and out of the classroom. I lead by example, treating others with respect, and showing perseverance in the face of challenges. Whether it's helping a classmate, participating with aism, or going above and beyond my work, I embody the true spirit of a panther who makes the school a better place
006every day. They tell me to keep shining. My name is Wyatt Sheets. My teacher are Mrs. Coglin and Mrs. Han. Mrs. Coglin and Mrs. Pan said that I deserve to be celebrated as a positive Panther because I cons con consistently demonstrated kindness, safety, respect and responsibility and any any everything I do. I work hard in the class. I always try my best and I encourage other others to do the same. They say I am a positive role model who treats my classmates and teachers with care and respect. I am helpful, polite, and dispendable. My my positive attitude and leadership make make me a wonderful example of what it means to be a great third grader. My name is Liliana Materazzo. My teachers are Mrs. Lewis and Senor Rez. Mrs. Lewis and Senor Rez said that
007I deserve to be celebrated as a positive Panther because I am a positive student who brings warmth and kindness to the classroom. I approach each day with a cheerful attitude, treat others with respect, and always try my best. My positive energy and caring nature make me a joy to teach and a wonderful friend to my classmates. I do my best to embody a positive approach to school and life. My name is Justin Wang. My teachers are Mrs. Histan and Mrs. Lazowski. Mrs. Histan and Mrs. Lazowski said that I deserve to to be celebrated as a positive Panther because I show up at school each day with a positive attitude and strong desire to do well. I enjoy learning new things, take on challenges, and always put forth my best effort. I enjoy sharing my learning
008with others and participate frequently in class. I listen to feedback carefully, take it take it to heart and use it to help me grow as a learner. Mrs. Histan and Mrs. Lzowski say I am always a model of respectful, responsible and safe behavior which exemplify a positive panther. So, thank you again for giving us the opportunity to share our third grade positive Panthers and give them one more round of I'd like to thank each one of our third grade positive Panthers for being so brave to come up to the front of the room. Great job, kids. My third grader would be able to do that. She would sit there silent and like when he would have been like terrified. So we were just chatting. >> I know. Judy um please attendance. >> Mr. William >>
009here. >> Donald >> here. >> Johny >> here. >> Mrs. Demco >> here. >> Dr. Laurel Ericson Parsons >> here. >> Mrs. Tracy Magna >> here. >> Dr. Shamine Paxside. >> I'm present. >> Mr. J. Santos >> present. >> Board President, Mr. Cedric Demar, >> here. >> Present. >> Thank you. Uh, we had an executive session this evening to discuss uh personnel matters including the uh superintendent contract. Can I get a motion? Oh, I'm sorry. Um, first, uh, we need, uh, we need to approve the agenda. Um, I have a couple of changes to the agenda. Uh on our new business item for election and approval of employment contract for the superintendent of schools. Um I would like the uh agenda motion to include a modification to the ending date of the contract from June
01030th, 2031 to June 30th, 2030, one year earlier. And then also I want to move the discussion from its position at the end of our meeting to be the first item that we cover on our agenda item section. That's section uh 14. Can I get a motion for that? Oh, >> okay. Sorry. One more item to add. >> Oh, yeah. Uh we also have we also have uh on item number three under personnel is the uh the pay the annual pay the annual salary adjustment for the superintendent uh and the board has agreed for a salary adjustment of 3%. Can I get a motion for that agenda? So moved. >> Second. any discussion or comments? >> Um, yeah, I would I don't think uh the motion is valid. We have not had a a valid
011call for an election for the superintendent. >> Um, well, this is just for setting the agenda, not for not for the uh specific >> the agenda item is is based on erroneous information. There's not a point point of information. We don't have a We don't have a valid call for an election for the superintendent. It does not exist. >> Okay. >> You want to >> uh Bill, you'd have to enlighten me. Um I I'm not sure what you're you're speaking to. >> We we don't have a valid call for an election for the superintendent. >> All right. Well, I disagree with that. Um what we have is we have a election item on the agenda for an election to a new uh commission along with the approval of a new uh employment contract. So I
012do believe it's valid. >> The um I mean what what is the document that you're referring to? >> Well, I'm referring to the agenda item. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> So, but what about the call for the election? I don't I don't know what you're speaking to. >> U there was a um um there was a document sent out, >> right? >> Um that says call for election or notice of election. >> Notice notice of election. Yes. Correct. >> Notice that's not a valid document and we could not be having this discussion. We certainly can't take a vote without that document. It's an invalid document that was sent out. Again, I disagree with that. That was a notice of election that was sent out and I I >> Do you have the document with you?
013>> I do not have the document with me. I certainly have it electronically. It was it was mailed um by US mail to all electors, the board members that are here. Um >> the document that I have that I received is dated 2024. >> Correct. Yes, I did note that. Um but that doesn't invalidate the document. >> It it does. It's the wrong I mean it it clearly could not have been written. Um it it's it's it's it was it suggested it was written before there was even an evaluation of the superintendent. >> Um so I I would I would suggest that that this this agenda item is is not valid. >> Okay. >> That that a proper document needs to be sent out. >> Well, it is proper because it it it adheres to
014the school code and the school code notes in part I don't have it immediately in front of me. can certainly reference it that the the board members have to be mailed 5 days in advance and actually received it well in advance the time place um um and and specific item that will be for consideration and that was mentioned specifically within that that notice. So the notice is valid. >> It was sent a year in advance according to the document. >> Okay. Any other comments? Um, all in favor of the agenda say I. >> I opposed. >> I >> you. >> Okay. All right. Um, we have eight eyes and one nay. Um, I announced the executive session. Uh, we have no recognition, no presentation. Uh, high school representative report. Hi, my name is Kristen. I'm
015the representative from the high school. Fall sports have concluded and winter sports are start on November 14th. Coaches are utilizing parent square to communicate with players and families about practice schedules. We celebrated Virginia Krauss last week as she made not only soccer history but also history by being the only student athlete to win not only league championships, district championships, but also state championships four consecutive years. The elementary production of Finding Nemo Jr. was a huge success. The show was performed by over 50 elementary students, directed by Mrs. Anger, and on November 1st, it was performed on November 1st and November 2nd. Congratulations to our cheerleading team who placed third in their recent competition and received a bid to comp compete in nationals. Cheer will also be hosting a fundraiser on the 13th where staff and
016students will take on the Harlem Wizards. Doors open at 6 PM and tickets are available by going to ww.harlewizards.com. Debate team. Congratulations for another successful debate tournament at Penraidge High School. Several debaters competed for the first time. The AMB teams had ended the day with a record of six to two. And we are solidly in second place for the LVIDA with a record of 13 and three. Marching band championships were last weekend. The scores at the championship were very impressive with a 92.35 highest scored ever score ever received and only 0.25 away from the second place. Even more impressive was the band's overall first place ranking in ensemble music. Dining day. Tomorrow we will hold our first signing day. Players, parents, and admin are invited to a photo opportunity in the main lobby of the
017high school. Tesha Makuda is going to Tennessee to play soccer. Elliot Polycare is going to Lehi to play soccer and Julia Court will be going to Richmond for swimming. Thank you. Any questions? >> Thank you. >> Okay, next up we have Oh, >> okay. Um, can I get a motion to approve the minutes? I'll move. >> Second. All in favor say I. I >> I opposed. Motion is approved. Thank you, Judy. Uh, next up we have the superintendent report. Miss Velocity, >> there's no superintendent report for this evening. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh, next we have courtes courtesy of the floor to visitors agenda items only. Would anyone like to speak? Go ahead. name and uh and and address. >> Uh hello, my name is Bodie Spencer. I go to Sag School District and I
018live at 2012 Quartermile Road, Betham, Pennsylvania. Um I just would like to step up here to talk about the extension proposal of Dr. Velocity. Just some background, I have been in the district since first grade. Uh this summer, my parents and I made the decision to transfer to Notre Dame Green Pond before eventually transferring back to Silicon Valley at the end of the first quarter. These transfers were both based on multitudes of things, but most importantly through these transfers, I realized the power of this community behind me. And so I just would like to address this superintendent extension and like to comment that the community needs its powers to be heard. The school board is representation of the population in the school district. Um, so the first thing I'm going to talk about is staff
019turnover. From 2013 to 2021, resignations in Sen Valley School District average 15 per year. In 2022, under Dr. Velasi's first year, uh, we had 31 staff resigned, the highest ever recorded since the school district started tracking it in 2003. Um, in 2023, we had 21 resignations and one termination. 2024, we had 17 resignations, which are all above the past averages. I believe it's 1.7% higher than before. And this kind of just shows that the turnover under uh, Dr. Velas's leadership has nearly doubled. Uh, next, I would like to talk about policy and community management failures. Um, I'm not going to dig too far into the out of school sitting club incident because there's a lot of legal stuff that has to deal with it and I could not handle that myself. However, at the end
020of the day, it is a result of inconsistent decision-making and poor communication which ultimately falls on the administration as they're the one making the decisions. Uh, personally, I struggle with a lot of anxiety myself and this has not made it any easier to go to school. It's not made it any easier for me to uh kind of walk in and be cool, calm, collected. I have a little brother that has been in school since uh Dr. after his tenure and he has almost had as many days off from threats as he had snow days. I believe this is a personal account because he just thinks that's normal. I know it's not normal. People here know that's not normal, but he's accustomed to it because it's just happened. Uh this leads to exposed uh safety risks
021and legal risks among the district as we saw at the school after school sating club, excuse me. Um, third thing I'm going to talk about is that the school district spends an average of about $24,515 per student, which is higher than the state medium. Yet, uh, the past couple years, fourth grade math has been down 10%. Uh, middle school ELA as a whole has been down 14% in terms of scores, by the way. And only 44% of students take AP classes in the high school. So, we see that spending is up on students, but results are neutral, if not down, and uh, neutral and down is not okay. Finally, I want to talk about community confidence. Uh like I mentioned, you see this fantastic community behind me. Everybody's showing up, showing out. Uh there sorry,
022excuse me. Uh across all online ratings that are accurate and reliable. Sen Valley School District has an average rating of n uh 2.9, excuse me, out of five. And almost every common complaint involves administrative instability and low morale. These are things that could be easily addressed. Uh like I mentioned, you guys are are representatives of the people living in the district. So, I just would like to share my two cents and share the facts with you guys because I just hope that uh whatever I say, no matter if you get extended or not, can improve the district. Um, we deserve transparency. We deserve measurable progress. That's what a good school district is. Uh, I wish nothing but success for Dr. Veli whether she uh stays or not. I wish nothing but success for the school
023board. Uh, I just want to extend my congratulations for the school board officials that were elected this past season. I hope you guys carry out your term well. I hope the new school board people uh sorry representatives uh carry out their term well and I wish nothing but the best for the school district in the future. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um would anyone else like to speak? >> Uh good afternoon. My name is Donald Flores. I am currently a junior at Sen Valley High School. I lived here for 13 years and I went to Sen Valley School District since I was in kindergarten. Um today I'm here to talk about Dr. Jamie Velocity. Um so here it says you were hired um at Eastn on August 1st, 2018. You became the director of special
024education. Um you later resigned there and you were told to resign and were given a payment of $36,000 612 to do so. This agreement restricted you and the school district from making any critical or degrading statements about others. Um, another thing I to talk about here is through your reign as superintendent, as my friend Bod here talked about, um, you have had over a total of 137 employees leaving their jobs, 38 retirements and one termination. Um, 19% of these employees leave leave the district per year. A healthy amount of employees that leave per year is 9 to 10%. As a student here, this does not just cause problems for us. It affects the great teachers, administrators, and parents of the school districts. As again, my friend Bod said, you all are here to represent us,
025yet you choose not to represent. I tell the people that come to our school district here that we have a major leadership problem. I stand here speaking for everybody in the community here who are intensely upset with the leadership the school has provided. Year after year, I see nothing but the morale go down in this school district. Teachers complaining, parents complaining, and students complaining. We have teachers in this school district who are teaching courses that quite frankly they know nothing about. They have been given this course maybe a month before and they don't know what they're talking about. They can't handle the content. They don't know what they're doing. Um over here, uh Mr. Bill Braun, um, one of the great members of the board, wrote an article stating the five reasons of why we
026should wait to renew your contract. The five reasons are that it will poison relationships, it's undemocratic, and it's wholly unnecessary. The real big question is, what is so urgent about renewing your term, and why is Mr. Brown the only voice of reason on this topic? Last year there was a petition of over 780 votes to make you resign resign. Sorry. The people of Sen Valley clearly want a major change. And yet for some reason it doesn't seem to happen. We need an external audit of Sen Valley School District to look into our affairs and see what's going on here. Last year, as if I recall correctly, we spent $27,000 on a new gym divider, which quite frankly in my three years of being in the high school, I have not seen used once. There are
027people who are calling for lights on our fields that other schools have that we don't. We're calling for a turf field. Our our roof is leaking with water damage and yet seemingly we waste our money on frivolous things and the good people here of Sen Valley pay their taxes for and yet the money is incessantly wasted. This is ridiculous. And not just this. Previously within the past week uh Sen Valley decided to post our uh teacher turnover numbers on Instagram and Facebook. Um, I went to one of my own teachers and I'm not going to name her, but she was shocked that the school would even consider to post these outrageous numbers and just how ridiculous they are. And then not just a few days later, we've taken them down. So, it says a lot
028about, you know, where our leadership is. We couldn't even check our numbers first. And not just that, but overall, I see teachers that are upset with their jobs. I see teachers every day when I go into this class complain about the leadership in this school, about how it seems like nothing gets done here. Teachers who do their jobs and who have good ideas are constantly shot down. And I see it myself. People who want to go on field trips, who want to go to clubs. In one of my own previous classes, she used to take her students to DC, but you know, we can't do that anymore. It's ridiculous the amount we are limiting students here and teachers. Um, in a lot of my teachers classrooms, I'm the president of Model UN. I asked to
029see some of the handbooks. The accounting handbook for the clubs and activities hasn't been updated since 2023. What What's going on with that? We need accurate documents. We need relevant things to reference here. I try to get things done. I try to email people. I get no response. It's ridiculous. So, to conclude, I'm calling for an external audit of Sen Valley and the immediate resignation of Dr. Jamie Velocity. Thank you. Thank you for your comments. Would anyone else like to speak? Good evening everyone. My name is Ed Kowski, a resident of Helertown, taxpayer, and a former educator in Sen Valley for 35 years. From 1988 until the fall of 2024, I faithfully served as the head coach of cross country, track and field, middle school, as well as high school, and the swimming and diving
030programs for 26 seasons. I was entrusted to provide inspiration and guidance during my tenure, and I always did that with the utmost professionalism and deity. My colleagues, former and present, as well as PIAA officials and retiring PIAA president, Dr. Lombardi can speak of my attributes. Most important to me, I am a proud and practicing man of the Catholic faith at Assumption BVM here in Kohsville, PA, attending daily mass, reading scripture pass passages to our congregation on the weekends. But enough about me. As a man of integrity and strong moral compass, I firmly believe that this school board would be making a grave mistake in renewing the contract of our current superintendent for the reasons that I'd like to elaborate on. Number one, fear of retaliation on staff members who don't comply with their orders. How
031many building principles have been removed or shuffled from each building during her tenure? The numbers are staggering, as well as that of short-lived athletic director Amy Verden, of which no one knows anything. Number two, her compliance with school board members, namely Mr. Paxat, to move his preferred teachers to positions as his children rise to the next grade level so that they may receive, as his and Mr. Demar sign says, the best education for your money. This should be a wake-up call to all of us and especially to him regarding use of power to benefit one's own needs. And finally, a long time and dear friend and former colleague, Grant Guyger, who was an iconic high school guidance counselor for most of his 27 years, was forced to step down to the middle school level, much
032to his dismay. The following year, he was moved to the elementary level, a position that he said was not fully he was not fully prepared for. On July 22nd, 2023, he passed away, leaving behind his wife of 23 years and his son. As he pleaded with you for clemency, did it ever occur to you that he had deeper reasons not to be moved? I guess not, as you seem to be the queen of the domain, your domain attempting to move 48 full-time skilled and devoted educators to different assignments this past fall alone. In closing, I want you to know, Miss Velocity, that I never meant to defy you or commit insubordination over my St. Luke's video on Coach K's shoulder replacement wearing my apparel that I purchased out of my own pocket pocket. I merely
033did it to give appropriate recognition to the men and hospital personnel that gave back my life. You feeblely tried to put a man of character and strong moral compass, as well as a good personal friend, Richard Anderson, president of St. Luke's up against the wall to get shared benefits from Lehigh Valley and St. Luke's. How you ever imagined that you could play chess with him is in my disbelief. Closing. Please leave this school district without ridiculous compensation packages which I know you had already secured from Eastern Area School District that released you for incompetence. You've destroyed the morale of our staff and to me that's the worst thing you could ever do. Respectfully, Ed Colosski. Thank you, Coach K. Would anyone else like to speak? Seeing no Oh, okay. Go ahead. [clears throat] Maline Reed.
034I reside on Maple Drive in Helertown. Um, to the students that spoke, thank you because this is terrifying. So, I give you guys all the uh props for being able to do that. Um, I came into this board meeting all of you guns of blazing. So, everybody would assume that I'm up here to fight um the renewal of Miss Lass's contract. When I first came in um in opposition of her contract being renew renewed, I asked board members to have a conversation with me and two board members did two years ago. Um they asked that I lead with grace. They asked that I keep learning and that they hoped that one day I might change my mind and learn something new. And I um I did. I think this vote is best suited for the
035nine members that are currently sitting here as you've been privy to conversation that none of us in this room are able to be a part of because of executive sessions were not allowed. So it would be my belief that you are the best nine suited for this vote whether you believe it should be in her favor or not. Um, outside of the conversation I had with two board members, I also made it a point to have a more involvement in my kids' school, which they're at the elementary school, I attended title one committee meetings with um the principal that three other parents also attended, and in that I saw scores were improving. I I hear that they're not great at the secondary school. Um, that's a shame, but the positive part is elementary school moves
036up, right? So, we would be on the right track. um in correcting something that seems to have been going wrong. Um I also asked for more clarity in the school and I've received that. So I just think that there's a lot of issues going on in the school that doesn't really boil down to one lone person. Um for example, as I listen to people speak, teachers complaining to students should really be a red flag to everyone. These are students and I understand the bravery and um the courage it takes to get up here and speak, but as a professional, you should not be complaining about your job to your students. That should that's that should there should be a line there. They are children. Um, as far as retaliation on staff, I also expressed that
037I was fearful of retaliation on my children for speaking about things that the head of the teachers union was very um firm in her stance against and nobody spoke up to that. So, should I just believe that's true because I said it? Um, these are just all things that just come to my mind that we're asking for a termination over that I don't believe, like I said, boils down to one person. And I also believe that there should be some faith in the nine board members that are sitting here as no one was voted out. Um, there was only two that ran for reelection. There was two open spots. So, the two new board members, it was not a call to action to flip the board. Um, so that was just my take. Thank Thank
038you for your comments. Anyone else? >> You all know me. Susan Baxter, Lower Stocken Township. >> Oh, can you hear me? >> Oh, that mic. >> Yeah, I know. But >> you're you're you're good, Susan. >> Okay. All right. Susan Baxter, Lower Sen Township. I know firsthand how hard it is to be a schoolboard member. Tonight, you have an important decision to make. I'm here to share my opinions regarding Jamie Velocity in the event that you are undecided or undecided as to the best way to proceed. To my luck recollection, I may be off. I've worked with eight other superintendent plus one interim superintendent. No one can hold a hand candle to Jamie. Not even close. She is smart, dedicated, industrious, and tries to do the right thing. She puts students first. She has always
039met her goals and goes above and beyond in all areas. She works tirelessly to improve our school to a fault. A particular attribute that is unique to Jaime is her open door policy. She welcomes those with different opinions and viewpoints and will spend as many hours as needed to come to an understanding. Another quality that Jaime exudes is honesty. This is oftentime rare in today's society. Mrs. Velocity is both genuine and candid. She is matterof fact and a straight shooter. you can depend on her. The most important decision the school board makes is the hiring of a superintendent. Her contract is up June 30th, 2026. At least that's my understanding, and you can correct me if I'm wrong. My understanding is also that she needs to be notified no later than 180 days before the
040expiration date. If my calculation is correct, the very last day to renew her contract is January 3rd, 2026, which is basically part of our school vacation. So, we have a very limited amount of time in order to make this decision. I believe it is this board's responsibility to address this as they are the only members who have the knowledge and experience to evaluate her fairly. The new board would have to make this decision with only one meeting under their belt. A board member should not be placed in such a position without the knowledge and experience necessary to make a well-informed decision. This is not fair to the educational community as well. It is the duty of this current board to decide whether to retain Jaime Velocity. Jaime is a jewel. Some of us may be
041closer in our opinions as you have now have the perspective as a board member. I hope you all recognize this. Regardless of your vote, I appreciate your willingness to listen. And I just have a few comments from uh the members that spoke previously and I do want to thank the students for speaking out. It's great that they they get involved but I feel they are being used. I agree with the last person that spoke that a line has been crossed when teachers start complaining to students. We need to educate the students and not them get not let them get involved in politics. Okay. And I just make another point. As the school population decreases, teachers have been moved into other positions so that we may avoid layoffs and successfully we have done that. Thank you
042for your comments. >> Hi, Alicia Kickline, Karen Avenue. Um, I would like to express my concern about the decision to move forward with renewing the superintendent's contract for another 5 years. Why is this contract suddenly being rushed if time truly was of the essence, which I do understand that there is 180 days. I do get that, but that gives you until January. Why wasn't it prioritized before the election? The current contract does not expire until June of 2026. We are moving ahead with this decision when two newly elected board members will be seated in less than a month. The timing and urgency of this process give the appearance that something is being hidden or pushed through before the new board is in place. This next month should serve as a lame duck period for the
043outgo outgoing members. A time when no major decisions such as superintendent contracts should be negotiated or voted on. As stakeholders in this district, we deserve transparency. We should have access to a copy of the proposed contract before it's voted on, which we do not. The same applies to the salary adjustment, which as of 4 p.m. today, that section remains blank. We didn't find out until about 3% until the beginning of this meeting. Without all the details available, how are the stakeholders supposed to ask informed questions or provide meaningful input? Additionally, the cost of mailing out letters to each director around $300 could have been avoided entirely if this matter had not been added to the agenda the morning after the election. If this process had been handled with proper planning, standard post could have sufficed.
044I urged the board to delay any vote on the superintendent's contract until the newly elected members have taken their seats and the public has had an opportunity to review all contract details. Transparency, accountability, and timing matter, and the community deserves all three. Thank you for your comments. Hi, Michelle Lanning, 3482 Drifting Drive, Helertown. I'm here tonight along with many others um to speak on the extension of the contract for the superintendent. Um I emailed each of you on the board. I was very happy to receive um quite a few replies. Much appreciated. Um, just speaking to some of the same points that everyone else was making. Um, I do understand that time is of the essence and I'm wondering if maybe some points could be um, cleared up for the audience perhaps. Um, I think
045it's a really positive thing first of all that we have so many community members that have come out that they're so passionate about school and what's happening here at our school. I'm wondering what would happen if you don't extend a contract by January. I know you'll most likely discuss this afterwards. It's not a give and take uh conversation here. I'm wondering if it's just like the teacher contract. Would it just become status quo? Um so that there could be perhaps another year until then two other schoolboard members come in. There could be more discussion. As you could see, there are a lot of people in this audience that are very concerned. We're talking about a large amount of money, almost a million dollars over the next five years. That's to take time and pause and
046to think about. So whether or not you agree to renew the contract, I think there are a couple things to remember that perhaps we can delay this and it would be status quo. Perhaps extending it for one year. Does it have to be 5 years? I heard that um I what I think I understood is that you were saying it would be for four years um at this point initially five years. So a couple things to consider. I'm hoping that there could be a discussion about this perhaps more explanation to the audience where um many people are very concerned that it happened so quickly. So, I'm just hoping you can clarify that perhaps delay as we asked you to in the fall when big adjustments were being made to personnel that when things move so
047fast, it makes it um very muddled for the public, for the students, etc. So, I'm asking that you delay the vote if possible and give it time. perhaps, like I said, what happens if you don't by January? I believe that there are some choices here. Thank you so much. >> Thank you for your comments. Anyone else? Good evening, directors. My name is Mark Salgado. I am a resident of Helertown Burough. Also here to speak on the uh superintendent election and contract extension. Um I actually am not here to pick a bone with Miss Velocity. I was hoping I would have time to do that at a later discussion. Um, I believe that taking action on this item tonight is premature and frankly disrespectful to the two new board members who will be seated next month.
048Obviously, I'm not privy to conversations behind the scenes, but from the outside, this decision doesn't make sense to me because if I'm not mistaken, only two current board members will no longer be on the board next month. Yet, the proposed motion tonight would lock in a super con superintendent contract for five years, which extends through and even beyond the full term of the incoming board members before they can even see the evaluation. They will be expected to work with, manage, and be accountable for a decision that they didn't even have a voice in. This board has repeatedly emphasized transparency. Been hearing that for years. Rushing this through now, just weeks before the new board members take their seats, raises questions. Why the urgency? Are we hiding something? Why exclude the people who will be responsible
049for the outcome? And maybe even who does this decision really serve? The entire district, the community, or just a select few? It is past time to put an end to moves that underline undermine a community trust. If the current board has enough confidence in the superintendent and this contract extension to vote tonight, then that confidence should stick next month after the two incoming board members have had a chance to review the evaluation and take part in the decision. Prove that this board values communication, collaboration, and transparency and table this motion until the full newly elected board is seated. Thank you for your comments. Anyone else? Seeing no one, we'll be moving on. Oh, sorry. Go ahead. Cariban was glass. I didn't plan on saying anything tonight. But hearing some of what was said tonight, attacks
050on our superintendent and I think probably unknowingly attacks on our teachers. I was lived here since 74, served on the board for quite a few years and I got to know a lot of the school staff. I am very disheartened that our young students have this view of our teaching staff because the teachers that I know and dealt with and communicated with were far more than what they are saying. I know in every organization you'll have some people upset and then they complain and things carry on but to attack them to this level it's it's just pathetic. Also, I heard tonight in a short summary of some of Dr. Phil's past and I I I actually was part of the group that hired Dr. Felacity and I investigated the stories that were said tonight and
051found out they were far from what was mentioned in this evening's presentations. The one other last factor is if you don't approve this tonight and let it go, you have two new board members coming on who now you put them in a position because you guys uh studied all the past of Jamie, her recent ongoings, they would be rubber stamps because they have no idea what she's done in the past year or two years. They're brand new members. I know cuz I was a brand new member and I knew I didn't know didly when I first sat in that seat. And then you expect me to come here and evaluate a superintendent? Bad decision in my books, no matter what anyone says. But thank you for letting me speak. Thank you for your comments. Okay.
052any Yes. [clears throat] >> Harry Smith, 1983 Lightsville Road, Helertown. I didn't have anything written for tonight, so this is pretty much just straight from the heart. I could care less right now about your past. What I care about is your future. And I know that you know me from the communication that we've had about my child, one of the three children that I have in this school district, from the bullying and the harassment that you still to this day allow to happen to my daughter that I know that you were her teacher at one point. I'm not going to name her because I'm not going to point her out to the crowd, but I have been dealing with this since August 16th of 2022, which was my first email to I'm sorry, I think
053it was Mr. Degan, who was the principal. I plan on printing out and sub providing each and every one of you the stack of emails that I've had with Mr. Casy. I'm sorry. I'm It's just one. You're just one. Um Lindsay Nicolov, who unfortunately isn't here because I guess she quit too. um with yourself Jamie and the athletic director, Rob Fry, Amy Verden, how nothing has been done to stop the bullying and the harassment in this school district. I know that I am not the only person who has this problem or who has had this problem and I demand that answers be given and action be taken to stop this from happening. The violence that happens in schools stems from something mostly bullying. Now, we take all these precautions in our school district to make
054sure that kids are safe and that we can lock a door from an intruder. Why would we have an intruder? Because kids are getting bullied and they want to come in the school and they want to shoot it up. Did that ever go through anybody's mind? It's 2025. This is the time that we live in. And things like this are real and they're happening and it can be prevented. But when you have administrators that want to slide it under the rug and not answer emails and want to point the finger at somebody else, that's not how problems get solved. I'm not speaking for the teachers or the administration or anybody. I'm speaking for my child and for the kids who currently go to P go to Sen Valley. They need a voice, too. Thank you.
055Thank you for your comments. Anyone else? Okay, seeing Oh, go ahead. Megan Lomenino Rose Lane Helertown. Um, I was really hoping not to speak tonight. I really was am not envious of any of your jobs that you have up here today and I know that I will be in your position in just a few weeks. I'm not here to antagonize or bring up specific things against specific individuals. I'm just here to ask that the nine of you give the time and due diligence that this requests. The look to the public is that this is something that came up and was discussed and brought about only in the past week. And I know and I'm sure many other people know that there have been other conversations around this ongoing for months and years. I'm just asking
056that you include any due diligence that you have in these conversations. It was not a good feeling to be on the other side and not see an updated agenda with any contract information. It was not a good feeling to be on this side and hear that these things happened after the day after the election. They could have started months ago. It is not a good feel to elect people who take their time to do those things and then hurry up and rush. It was not a good feel to see those things online on Facebook on the website and then have them taken down whether they were fact checked or they didn't like the comments that were there. I'm just asking for the board's due diligence. You have access to information we don't. But also, let's
057be fair in our decisions and listen to all of the stakeholders, not just our own personal choices. Thank you. Thank you for your comments. We're moving on. Um, can I get a motion for the presentation of the bills? >> So moved. >> A second. Anyone? >> Second. >> Any discussion? All in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed? Motion is approved. We have no treasures report tonight. So we'll move on to our agenda items. As I mentioned before and we approved for our agenda, we'll immediately start the discussion um about the uh election and approval of employment contract for the superintendent of schools. Uh to open our discussion, I need a motion. Can I get a motion for this uh item? >> So moved. >> Second. Anyone I would move to table the motion. >>
058Motion's not on the table yet. You have to wait, Bill. >> You have to Yeah, >> you have to wait. >> I'm sorry. Yeah, >> you have to wait till it's seconded. It's already in >> I thought that had already happened. >> No, didn't happen yet. >> Okay. Sorry. >> Does someone want to second the motion? >> Second. >> I'd move to table the motion. >> Okay, >> now you're supposed to ask me why. So, um, >> need a second. >> So, I I understand. I understand. So, we need we need a second for the motion to table. >> I'll second. >> Okay. Now, for a motion to table, there's no discussion. We immediately vote. So, >> but you have to ask me why. >> You do. I mean, Robert, >> go ahead, Mr. I
059was just trying to follow the the correct rules. >> This is Robert's rules. You're supposed to ask. No, I I'm sorry. I'm just trying to I'm not trying to say you shouldn't. Go ahead, please. The this there are two versions of a contract here that I just received. Um one of them I think that I've already had. One of them is is a new one. Um I think I I missed my first executive session tonight and all the time I've been on the board. Um, and I have not had time to look at this or properly evaluate it. Um, for all the reasons that many people were were sharing and um, and and and others too. Um, there are lots of reasons to doubt the wisdom of renewing this or or extending the contract for
060five years or for four years. Right now, there's no rush. we could easily wait um so that we have time to evaluate the contract uh language, we have time to talk about it in executive session, that there are that the public has a chance to weigh in um fully. Um the the way that this was uh that this agenda item was profered the day after an election that was a a a an election that seemed to call for change is it's despicable especially that two of the board members who are outgoing actually had played a hand in getting it on the agenda. I mean it's despicable. How dare you do that? How dare you guys do that? That's all I've got. Okay. Um, we're going to do a roll call and this is for the
061motion to table the item, not for the item itself, just to table the item. Judy, can you please call the role? >> Hold on. And make sure it's yes to table. It's no to keep the item on the agenda. >> Right. and tableabling means that we will stop consideration of this item tonight and uh and we would need to take it up at some future time. If you vote no, then we have the opportunity to have discussion about this item and vote on it directly. >> Mr. John Kiy, >> no. >> Mrs. Vivian Demco, >> yes. >> Dr. Laurel Ericson Parsons, >> no. >> Mrs. Tracy Magna, >> no. >> Mr. J. Sanchez. >> Yes. >> Mr. William Burn. >> Yes. Lay it on the table. >> Mr. Donald Carpenter. >> No. >> Dr. Shine
062Pax. >> No. >> For president, Mr. Cedric Demar. >> No. >> Six. No. Three. Yes. >> Thank you. So, the motion to table did not succeed. So, we will continue uh with the item. Uh we're in the discussion phase. So, would anyone else like to speak? Yes. I want to thank everyone for coming out, whether you're online or here in person. I appreciate it. This has been the most difficult time. I have been involved in many, many different groups. I've been in leadership positions in many different groups. Today I to say I've been appalled by the actions of this board here and I'm not I'm not excluded. I'm I'm on here um would be a gross understatement. Um not only the things that were said, three of the board members were left out of this
063completely and learned of this the day after the election. I had no information on this. That being said, we we had six third graders who I believe stood up here and their mantra is to be respectful, safe, and responsible. That's what we need to be here. We need to be that. We need to be the people they are. Um, you deserve better from every one of us sitting up here. Every one of us. you do. I appreciate your input. I have read every email that came. I don't typically respond unless it's addressed just to me. So, understand that and people would know that's to be true. I strongly believe there's not one person in this room that's happy about this contract. [snorts] However, I feel the four years is a compromise and something we can
064do to reunite the board and move forward in a positive manner. That's my opinion. I I've worked to negotiate it and I will be supporting it. >> Would anyone else like to speak? >> Yes, I would. Um this is not obviously this is on um is this on >> both the both the contract proposals or >> four years only? >> Okay. >> Plus a 3% increase. That's a separate motion. Separate. >> Okay. So, um it's it's as bad as it looks. Okay. That's I think the public needs to know that. Um things look really suspicious and they are suspicious. Um this has been a backdoor effort. Um that it's not illegal as far as I can tell, but it sure doesn't look very transparent to me. Um it's it seemed it has struck me from
065the beginning of hearing about this as dirty pool. You know, it just it seemed manipulative and and cynical. Uh the our district's reputation has declined in the and and I know that there are past board members out here, some of whom were here for three decades. Well, our district is going down, you know, in terms of our reputation. That's a fact. everywhere. All the all the the main sort of um not all of them but most of the of the most important uh media evaluators that are out there are saying that the district I mean just to give you one example the high school uh in in 2023 was rated basically 1800 in or 1900th in the nation. Okay. Now we're down to 20 2,800 BA roughly in the in in in the country. People
066are mad when I share that information. You know what? I'm going to keep sharing it. I am not gonna stop talking about problems with our reputation that everyone else sees, you know, and I mean I we have to be we have to accept our we have to do an inventory of ourselves that's accurate and and is is uh is fearless and ruthless. And one of them is looking at our reputation everywhere you can look. We're going down. You know, all all the big places we're going down. You guys know it. I see it. Why would we extend a superintendent's contract for five years in that situation? I just I don't understand why. Whose side are we on? Seriously, why why would we do that? I understand the good faith and noble efforts to to reach
067a compromise of some sort. Uh it wasn't something that I was involved in, but I respect the efforts. I I know that the impulses are they're they're good impulses to try to come to some kind of unifying compromise, but um this is too much. You know, there's no reason why we can't wait and and and and and do a year and and see how things are going to go. Incentivize progress and and improvement in our academic reputation. Until I see that, there's no way I'm gonna I mean, I was elected two years ago on a on a on a on a on a slate of people, you know, three of whom are here with me today. It was called Sockin Choices for Change. Okay, this is like the change that I've seen has not been
068good, you know. Um, so we're being asked to sort of bring change extending the same doing the same thing, you know. um hitting your head up against the wall over and over again and expecting different results. That's crazy. You know, I'm not doing that. You know, change means change. That's all I've got. >> Okay. >> Anyone else? >> Yeah. Um I just want to say thank you for everyone for speaking. I've if you've been to one of these meetings before and there's been a lot of people here, you'll know that I always appreciate everybody taking part in the political process. I received emails. I did try to respond to all of them. I hope that I help. I hope that I provided clarity and information. I just want to go through a couple of things
069so that everyone understands maybe some of the finer points because it's hard to get lost in some of this. There is a lot of talk about um the board decreeing something here. I hear a lot of conversation about like why doesn't the board just do this? Why doesn't the board just do one year? Why doesn't the board just do these things? You have to understand here that this is a contract and it's a two-party agreement. So, this board doesn't just get to decree what the contract is. Okay? There's a negotiation. If you've ever been involved in a contract negotiation, you'll know that there are two sides to it. Just like if you're in a union and you're in a negotiation, the company doesn't get to tell you what your contract is. In the same way,
070the board doesn't get to tell someone what their contract is. There has to be a negotiation. The particulars of that obviously are not going to be gone on the back and forth in this meeting, but that's how it goes. The board can't just decree something. The second thing is is that there's a lot of people talking about uh not taking any action before the deadline. So, there's a deadline. I I believe uh Miss Baxter when she said it was January 3rd or whatever it is um there's a deadline and if you don't take action the contract automatically renews but and so if you are a lay person or you're not experienced in this you would assume well why isn't that a real option but um from every conversation I've had with people who do do
071this for a living that option is never exercised. So, like if if I were to ask the solicitor, "Have you ever represented a superintendent who did not have their contract renewed and they were automatically renewed for one year?" I don't know what a answer would be. >> Well, I don't represent superintendent, but um sorry. Uh but no, that's okay. Um no, it it it I've never seen it. Um and it's remember it's not a it's not an it's not a new contract. It's an extension by a year. And I I don't think I've ever seen it in part because it's a tremendously destabilizing, you know, issue just having a one-year extension. So, I' I've never seen it. >> Right. So, it's not it's not a common practice to let that go because it has implications
072for your employee. Um uh and what that means. So, it's not something that usually occurs. Usually, there's a a a decision to either renew or not renew. There's you're not usually letting this roll over into no man's land. So I just want to provide some clarity to that. So it's not common. Sorry. >> I I know it's it's really tempting to want to jump into the conversation, but we can't do that right now. >> So that's uh that's that's where we're at. And so this board has to make a decision. And um I you know I have a lot of respect for anyone who runs for office. I have a lot of respect for the new board members. Uh I hope that I can help and mentor them providing whatever and information that I have
073and guidance that I could give them and things that I've learned in the process of being here. I hope that I can be a helpful person to everyone on the board and to new people. Um I will say that it would be incredibly challenging to have your first meeting be a superintendent contract. just really really difficult for them with all very very hard to be in that position. Um I don't I understand completely the optics of the timing. Uh it would not have been my decision to do it this way but I shoulder as much of the burden of that because I did not push to take care of it sooner. And for that I am completely responsible and I accept that there are many many things that come across this board as if you
074have been in this room over the past few months. Some of them are extremely hot topics that tend to suck up all the air out of the room and things happen and so it is not perfect and I understand that and I apologize for whatever part I had in the not perfect process. Um, but I do have to vote with all of the knowledge that I have and what I believe is for the best uh for the district and that's the decision that I have to make and I hope that everyone will understand that I do consider everything that everyone has said and I am taking that in consideration and I am still trying to make the best decisions that I can. It is true that a majority of this board and Mark can yell
075at me if I say something that I shouldn't. It is true that like the majority of this board, we we ran a superintendent evaluation and the majority of the board uh said that the superintendent met her goals, right? And I have heard some talk in the community that if you sign a contract that you cannot um enforce performance goals and that is just simply untrue. Um the contract can't have performance goals in it because it's the legal right of every board every year to set new goals to the superintendent. And so every year there will be performance goals and the board at the then board will evaluate them on a year-to-year basis. So signing a contract does not remove performance evaluations from the process. Okay? So I just want everyone to be clear on that.
076There are some emails back and forth that sort of asserted otherwise. But that is the case. There is a performance review done every year and each board has the ability to set new goals and the the priorities that they have for that year uh and then evaluate how those goals were achieved. So the signing the contract does not remove that process. So I I hope that I was able to provide some clarity to this process and I thank you all for coming. That's that's what I have to say on the motion w with respect. I I um I just want to say that that for the people that are here tonight um these are some of the most educated people that I I know, you know, and they understand what a contract is. Um um
077there are doctors out there, there are lawyers out there, there multiple there are probably more master's degrees out there than there are like, you know, bubbles in this in this fizzy water. Um they understand what a contract is. um they're they're not stupid. They don't have to have that, you know, contract explained to them. With respect, >> with respect, I received some unclear conversations and I was addressing them. >> Okay. Would anyone else like to make a comment? >> Yes. Attorney Fitzgerald, would you please explain um since there's no one with a contract in front of them except us, some additional parts of the contract that are there? Thank you. >> There was a question earlier about superintendent contracts, the length um and under under law they they can be between a window of three
078to five years um that that's that's under statute. So that was addressing a question that came up um during during public comment uh to to the agreement itself. So it's a it's a 4-year contract term 2026 through 2030. Um the uh initial base compensation beginning in the 2627 um school year for Mrs. Velocity would be $25,000. Um there are um there's a merit-based component that is u really at the board's discretion should uh goals be met by the superintendent uh during the course of the uh contract. Her salary adjustments would be consistent with the act one index. Um the ACT1 index is right now in the mid3s. It's supposed to trend down into the lower 3s during the life of this contract based on um um forecasts over the next few years. Um assessment performance.
079A lot of language is is from her current contract. There there is a lot of similar language in that regard. Um the um language that has been added um from what was the five-year contract discussion earlier um last week was that there is new language surrounding uh what will occur in the fourth year of the contract. And essentially in the fourth year um there will be a an options window that will be opened up between the superintendent and the board to frankly discuss one of two things. and that would be a new contract um and again this would be in the summer of um or her separation of employment at that time. Um if the parties are successful in re in doing one of those two things either a brand new contract or resolving her
080employment because that would be the last year of her of her of the agreement. Um then that that would close out um her employment tenure with the district. If however the parties don't uh come to a meeting of the minds during that options window um there would be an additional year added to the agreement in 2030 2031 but again that that window in the summer of 2029 will will dictate that th those are really the substantive um kind of changes. >> Thank you. >> The buy Okay. Y that's fair. That's fair. Okay. So the buyout is first off the buyout is something that would have to be approved at a future board meeting. It is required. It's dictated by what the school code allows for. So if you look at the school code, they have
081a provision that says essentially if there are two or more years left on the the contract, the the the buyout is essentially a year's compensation. Okay? Now, it doesn't have to be that, but that would be the cap of what it could be. If there's less than two years on the agreement, it would be one half of compensation owed under the circumstances. Um that is language taken directly from the the school code in um response to if I'm going to have some history here. If you remember Arlene Acriman, who was the superintendent in the Philadelphia school district, she got a a a big fat settlement from from uh Philadelphia and and Harrisburg said, "We want to have some controls over how buyouts occur." And that's directly from the school code. >> I have a few
082questions. >> Yeah, go ahead, Jay. >> When exactly was this agenda item requested to be put on the agenda? The agenda item was requested um the our our our policy is that agenda items need to be requested 7 days before the meeting. The agenda item was requested 8 days before the meeting which was a week ago Monday. >> Monday the 3rd of November this was requested. Okay. So the day before the election are we allowed to know who requested this agenda item? which were the three members that put this on the agenda. Um, so I I reiterate my question. >> Um, okay. I I I'll I'll tell you who, but I'd rather focus on the contract rather than, you know, trying to >> I'm discussing the agenda item in >> trying to attack the the
083board members directly. >> Noting anybody. >> The the people that requested it were uh John Ki, Tracy Magnata, and Laurel Ericson Parsons. >> Okay. So, this is comprised mostly of outgoing individuals from the board currently. Is there any reason why we have to vote on this currently? Can we wait on on voting for this contract legally speaking? >> Well, right now there's an action item be before the board. In terms of um the legal issues, I I think it has been discussed more based on what's in the current contract as relates to that 180day notice and the implications therein. Um, so those are really the the legal dictates of of what's occurring here. >> So, so we still have time technically to vote on this. >> How much time do we have left to vote
084on this? >> I I think the I somebody did the calculations which I appreciate. Um, I think somebody said January 3rd would be 180 days. So, we have a little under two months, about eight weeks, maybe seven weeks to vote on a contract for the superintendent. 7 weeks. I've gotten one week, no, sorry, 8 days, not even to consider a vote on this contract. Eight days to consider a vote, not even read the contract itself, which I received received earlier today. that's going to last for at least four years, down from five, which is an improvement, some might say. Um, I don't think it's proper to give board members 8 days and then, I don't know, half an hour to consider a contract. Um, >> I think it's ironic that we are saying that the
085new incoming members can't vote on this agenda item because they don't have the experience or the time or the knowledge when I myself who have been on this board for two years don't have the time or the understanding of this contract myself. So what's the difference? Sincerely, what is the difference? I I find this vile. I find it opportunistic. I don't think that we should be taking part into this vote. I think we should go back and table it. Unfortunately, we can't have at least liked more time to consider this or a warning or consideration. I think this is exactly why we should inform all board members of any agenda item that needs to be put onto the agenda rather than just find three members to say I want this and then six other members
086get blindsided. The amount of time and attention and focus that we've had to give to this matter in the last week is absurd because we've had an entire community of people asking what is happening. I myself in the middle of a wedding had to take phone calls to discuss this matter, this item over the weekend. I think that we could have given ourselves more time. There was no reason to rush this. I can't think of any. And if anybody can please tell me why we did this, I would love to hear it. And that's not a question. That that is a question. I would love to know why we decided to do do this right now. Can I ask a a question of the solicitor? If if three board members um talked about this and
087asked for it to be put on the agenda and they conferred with two other board members. Is that a violation of the open open meeting or the the sunshine law? Uh probably not. Um I don't you know I I if to the extent you have three members who might submit for the request that's fine but if they talk to another member that's not an open violation or a violation of the of the of the act of the sunshine act. So no I don't see I don't see that being >> they can talk but not about a matter of business before the board. >> Well no like Bill >> talk about um the the flyers. >> Well no no no no. Like Bill, remember you could talk to Jay about a agency issue, but because you're
088not this is not a violation of you're not a committee, you're not a board. You know, I I would get I get I get sweaty palms when I have, you know, four members gets a little close, but when you get to the fifth member, then then you have a quorum. Um, so I I I don't to to your question, I don't have an issue with the Sunshine Act issue. Just for clarity, >> ironic too that I I mean one thing that we haven't really heard um is a really a fullthroated advocacy from any board member of you know passing the contract which is >> I mean that's a bit that seems odd to me um that you know but what I hear is defensiveness. Um I I don't hear um what seems to be advocacy.
089Um um nothing from the people who asked for this to be on the It's ironic too because the people who place this on the agenda, they haven't said one thing tonight, as far as I know about um the superintendent um and why or why the contract should be it the the there's really been no advocacy of that. There's been I think a couple people in the public who advocated um uh but there were lots of people who advocated against um one thing I I just also wanted to say was that um um and and this is really to echo what Jay was talking about um you know I've met the the people who were just elected to our board and um uh the idea that they would not be able to handle like um assessing
090a big decision. You don't have to take umbrage for everybody though. >> They've run >> fantastic campaigns, you know, that takes a lot of work >> and they're smart, you know, and they're experienced. They know what they're talking about. Um, they can evaluate a, you know, a major decision, especially one that's going to affect them for the next four years potentially. So, that's all. >> Great. Dr. Pox. >> Oh, >> yeah. We don't have to like take umbrage for other people, right? like they're they're they can speak for themselves. Okay. I made a >> I'd just like to make one correction. >> Wait, wait, wait a second. We need to make sure not everything that everyone says is an attack on the community. That's all I'll say. Okay. >> Dr. Pops said asked to speak
091and then you can Oh, okay. He's deferring to you. So, please go. Oh. >> Um, I just wanted to correct something Jay said. From what I was told, because as you know, you were in the same boat with me about not hearing about this until after the election. Um, I was told by another board member contacting him individually that the three leadership positions were working with with the lawyers. So, it wasn't just three people who put it on the agenda. It was six. >> So, I mean, no, wait, wait, wait. I'm sorry. Three people are needed to put it on the agenda and those names have been stated and they put it on the agenda but the contract was being discussed by three others as well. >> Shouldn't these be discussions that the entire board
092has? This is quite literally my first discussion as a board about the contract. >> Jay, um we we're we're starting to really devolve a little bit here, so we need to take turns. So uh >> I think you can speak but just we need to take turns. So after is Demco next is Dr. Poxad and then I'll see who's after that. Okay. >> Uh yeah thank you very much. I want to also thank everyone who is uh here and spoke at the podium. Uh uh I I received a few emails also and uh uh uh and I I appreciate all of the information that was uh shared, all of the opinions and uh I just want to make sure that uh the public is [snorts] uh aware that um that that all of us uh
093read your emails and all of us uh try to uh understand the points that uh that you're making and uh reconcile it with what uh uh we we know and we have seen and our experience. So uh that is definitely a part of uh uh everyone's consideration. Uh Mr. Brun uh talked about the schools and uh uh Mr. Carpenter talked about uh the goals. So I just wanted to uh talk about those two u a little bit and uh uh and uh hopefully this this is sort of like my uh uh view of u uh of the village uh uh with hope. So um uh the the goals that we have here at at this uh the school district is uh it's a public uh entity. is a government entity which uh is run by
094the tax dollars for a uh purpose that is uh uh identified by law and uh the scope is uh is clear and uh and and and and that is uh the major part of uh what the goals for uh for for the school board is and also for the superintendent as the uh as the basically CEO of this uh this organization. Uh so the top two goals are uh one to care for the uh public's money and uh the second is to provide an excellent education to our students for free. That's the that's the goal here. And there are hundreds of people who are involved in this uh in this process who are uh part of this organization. Uh we all know and talk about those who are employed by uh uh by the school
095district. But as uh you will see in the agenda later today there are uh uh many people who are uh volunteering their time for various u uh functions and uh it's a major major organization. This is the largest endeavor that we do as a community. So, uh, just so that you know the scope of it, we we spend about $56 million a year, uh, to run the school. There is literally nothing else that our community does that is as big. And, uh, this is a place that, uh, everybody comes. So uh I've said this before that uh you know that you you you you think about any other uh uh institution organization in our community it's much smaller it's much more exclusive here is where uh uh people of all races of all of all
096genders of all political ideologies uh of all backgrounds they they come here and uh by the constitution of uh this commonwealth, they are guaranteed to receive a uh uh fair and uh adequate public education. Those are the those are the mandates of the school district. Those are the mandates of the superintendent. Those are the biggest I would say two goals that uh the superintendent in this district and virtually every other district in the Commonwealth has. We have a uh school district that is financially in a really good position. uh you look around and uh at this time there were uh districts there were uh educational institutions who were uh worried about uh making their uh payroll. This is currently an issue that other school districts here in our uh neck of the wood are are
097dealing with. They have to uh take loans to be able to make payroll. We are fortunate that we are not in that situation. But uh it's not just fortune, right? It is the work that all of the people who are involved in this district from the school board to the superintendent to the business manager to our principles and admin to our teachers to all of our staff. These are the decisions that they have made over the years that have put us in this really good position. the superintendent as the CEO of this district gets a lot of credit for that. We have a school district that uh is uh one of the top districts in Lehigh Valley. So uh uh our high school has been floating in the number one, number two, number three, number
098four in Lehigh Valley according to uh the US News and World Report for the last few years. And uh the opportunities that the students in the high school age have in this uh in this school are are amazing. uh kids with all sort of needs with all sort of uh career uh and uh future plans. They are receiving great education here and they have access to great opportunities here. The staff at the high school gets a lot of credit for that. The teachers are the ones who are there who are uh daytoday instructing the kids and providing them with what they need. >> And the class that takes place in the auditorium >> um I I I I know that you you really want to jump in and ask a clarifying question, but there will
099be an opportunity after we vote to do that. Okay. All right. I I ask respectfully that that you you guys all follow our guidelines that this is the time for the audience to jump in and participate, please. Okay. Continue. Dr. Papsa. uh our middle school and our elementary school for the first time in a long time they made the list of best schools according to to US News and World Report. I have uh congratulated our uh students for that. I have congratulated our families for that. I have congratulated our teachers, our principles and our superintendent for that. The two main roles that the school is supposed to care about and do are these two, finances and education. In addition to that, again, we are fortunate to have a uh school district where we have really
100fantastic co-curricular and extracurricular opportunities for all of our kids. You go around this uh Lehi Valley and you see that you know in a lot of schools kids don't get to uh do what they really want to do. Uh here our uh students are involved in multiple sports uh multiple after school activities. All of these are the result of a uh well functioning school district that uh has as priorities the interests of the kids. These are the measures for uh evaluating how the school is doing. I say that I'm proud of Sakum Valley. I say that this is a great community with a school that is doing well and uh I am looking at it not as a uh failure. Now I don't know of any organization in this world that is perfect. I don't
101know of any organization where there is no room for improvement and we are not an exception. And uh I think uh all of us here and uh all of the uh personnel in this school are uh open to hearing everyone's uh comments, views, perspectives about how to make things better. uh the superintendent uh gets a lot of credit for for these. So uh you can't uh you can't look at all of these things. This is uh I I I read uh someone was saying that uh people are uh leaving the district. That's contrary to my observations. My understanding is that my my understanding is that my understanding is that every house that goes into market here in this district gets bought quickly. People have a difficult time finding rental places here in this district. People
102have a hard time finding houses to buy in this district. Right? So uh this uh this this idea that if someone is saying that the school is not good, I don't know. I mean that's a that's uh that's that's contrary to how I uh I I I experienced this and I'll say this if if anyone here uh or in this community or anywhere else is sort of like thinking that this is really a bad school district right uh the same way that I said credit goes to a lot of people from the superintendent to all of the staff and personnel and families failure the same thing you know goes that also goes to everybody, right? So, let's just uh let's just be a little sort of like uh more nuanced about uh uh about how
103we express uh our disappointments about uh you know uh issues that are uh here and there. Uh I'm uh I'm I'm I'm very satisfied with the way that our school has been uh has been run. Um I uh I I have said and I acknowledge that uh you know like anything else you know things could improve. I uh know that with u uh with the with the addition of uh Dr. Tatu and Miss Lmanino uh new uh perspectives will come to uh this side of uh uh the table. Uh I know that uh uh I know that they will make an impact and uh uh I I'm just asking everybody to uh not give up to uh uh stay engaged but uh uh try to uh to to to help in improving things. >> Thank
104you Dr. Pakad. Uh go ahead Mr. Santos. One last final just quick comment. Um and you know possibly a question. It is my personal belief the more that we go on in this board meeting that the whole purpose that this was put on the agenda is so that the two new board members don't vote on it. I sincerely believe that as as time goes on. Again, I think that's very improper. Um, I think we should wait. Regardless of how good we perceive the school to be, it sounds like it was great. It has turned good and it's on us to now make it better. Right. So, [sighs and gasps] I think we should allow the new board to do that. And also to the solicitor, I I I do have a question. Why do we
105have it set up so that the contract expires right around the time that a new board gets elected? Is it possible to change that at all so that we don't have this issue in the future? >> Oh, that's intentionally put we put language into this next contract. So, it's during a a relatively calm time, July 1st through August 31st, that that board um would be discussing the future of the if if it's passed if it would be discussing the future of the superintendent at that time. So, yes. Um admittedly I don't think when contracts are written four years in the in the past they that's thought of but it's it's certainly noteworthy. >> Yeah. And and what what does that language say is that we will begin discussing it 180 days before the contract expires.
106Is that what you're saying? Is that >> the language says and I can generally reference it I believe on some of I that essentially 180 days before the end of the contract uh the board would give notice as to their intent whether to renew or not. >> Okay. Well, that's the same language we have now currently. Um, >> that's an off election year as you were uh >> it's an off election year and then the time period for to discuss what to do at the end of the contract is built into a specific discussion with the board and the superintendent. >> Is it possible that we make it I don't know put into like school policy that these elections only happen on off years that are not election year? I think it's a I I
107I would refrain against having policy aligned to contracts only because then we're we we have this limitation in state laws to how long the contracts can be 3 to 5 years and superintendent frankly they can go during the middle of their contract and you hire a new one and it's it's just it would be difficult to do that. >> Okay. But it's not technically impossible to do. >> Nothing's impossible. It just becomes a at some point something's going to probably be violated whether it be policy or contract. Well, as we've noted before, the school board can violate its own policy. So, >> may I um I I I just want to clarify um what the what the contract that we're voting that we'll be voting on says. Um it says that starting on July 1st
108of 2029, which is an election year, but it's July 1st, so it's well before the election. That's when the um that's when the board start can start should start negotiations with the superintendent for either a contract renewal or not and that that needs to be completed by the end of August August 31st. So that time is well before the election and uh and it will give it will make it clear to everyone um what's going on and by the time the election rolls around it will be long decided. So that's that's what we've done to try to avoid this happening in the future, which I which I agree that is is a valuable change. >> Now I I have another question. Is there a way that we can avoid side discussions on the contract from
109occurring? Because as we noted, six board members did discuss the contract. >> No, that's not actually >> before we had a chance to discuss it. >> That is not accurate. >> No. Okay. >> Yeah, that is not accurate. Well, >> so what did happen? >> Not six people did not uh discuss the contract. Uh and uh that's >> what the contract was discussed before. >> Jay, I saw the contract when you saw the contract. >> Okay. >> So, so Jay, just for clarity, uh Mr. Fitzgerald uh a little bit earlier talked about this, but I I'll just do my best to to maybe reframe it slightly. It's it's permissible and I think that the board couldn't really function without board members being able to speak to each other one-on-one or maybe a group of three
110um about things so that people can can can speak and learn and think about what they want to do. And those those kinds of discussions are not prohibited by the Sunshine Act. The only thing that's prohibited by the Sunshine Act is as a majority of board members being together at one time either electronically or in person and deliberating together. Okay? >> That's what's prohibited. One-on-one or twoonone or three on three, even even four people are allowed to have a discussion about board matters without violating the Sunshine Act. What I'm trying to avoid is the lack of transparency or even the perception of the lack of transparency because from my perspective, three board members got this on the agenda. Three other board members negotiated and now here we are talking about it and that's what happened.
111And so I would count that as six people and then I would count myself as not being aware of any of this until today. So that's my issue and grievance that I've had less than a week to talk about this or even think about it whereas six other board members already knew about it. >> I'd like to ask for an executive session please. I I think I we have to just see if we can take an exact session in the middle of a motion. That would be a good time. Even if it's in policy, just have five people vote. >> Yeah. I mean, if if there's if there's >> five votes, it doesn't matter what the policy says. >> Yeah. We don't need a vote for it. We just need a direct like a direction.
112Do five people support going into exact session? that question. >> Yeah, >> I'm fine with doing that if you guys are. >> Yeah, I'm okay with it. >> Okay. Yeah, I think there's five people that they're fine with it. So, it doesn't matter what the policy says >> as long as Yeah. >> Okay. Recess. >> Not yet. Yeah, we're going to >> not adjourn, right? >> Okay. Um sorry to all of you for uh extending, but um we're going to take a recess to have a discussions among ourselves in private. Um, we we uh can't predict exactly, but we'll try to go as fast as we Okay. We still have one more board member that we're waiting for. Okay. Um, our recess has ended. Um, I believe that we've, uh, exhausted our comments uh, here
113among our board members. I just want to say a few words on my own behalf. Um um I've worked with our superintendent for the last uh um three years since she was appointed and before that as when she was our director of special ed. Uh in in my experience uh before I uh was on the board uh I worked for a large company um and worked with senior executives uh that were responsible for tens of thousands of people and I myself was responsible for a hundred professionals and that's not to say that I am any better qualified than anyone else to evaluate. I only say that so that you know that I do have some experience in this area. um the the qualities that I always uh aspired to and look for in and admired
114in uh leaders and the people that I would hire are, you know, someone who's smart and is willing to work hard and who's curious and motivated. And those are the those are the traits that I see in our superintendent. Um, we have set goals for her every year and she's used a lot of creativity and and hard work. She's she's here all the time. In fact, she probably should go home and spend more time with her family, but she's here for all of us. And she has done a a really good job. Everything hasn't always gone according to plan, but when things go wrong, she adjusted and we made our way forward. and and things have changed a lot. Uh Dr. Pakad mentioned a lot of the things that have changed. Even tonight on this
115agenda after we're done with this, we're going to vote uh to approve a dual enrollment program with uh Northampton Community College to give our to give a a big group of our students new opportunities to earn credit for their associates degree. That's the result of goals that we gave to her and we and that wasn't a specific item. She came up with that looking at opportunities out in the community and there's been countless other things like that that she's done. Now, is she perfect? Well, no, she isn't. She isn't the perfect superintendent. And you know why? It's because she's a human being. None of us are perfect. Every executive that I've worked with have always had things that they were trying to improve in theirelves. If if they were perfect, they would be president of
116the United States or president of the world, right? I mean, uh, you know, everyone is striving to be better at their job and, uh, you know, all of us are striving to be better better school board directors, um, because we've obviously screwed up some things. Uh but um but for for our superintendent um I I think she has done a really good job and I believe that she's growing and getting better at things that she's not that that she's not perfect at and that's why I strongly support her and that's why I'm in favor of her new contract. and I I did my best to try to bring as many board members uh on board with the contract. I don't know that I've been successful, but um we we started off with a five-year contract
117and then we've we we modified it to um we modified it to try to um attract uh to try to meet the concerns of board members. I don't know if we've been successful or not. Maybe not. But um I've did done my best to try to come to something that we could all agree on. Um and that's the reason why I'm in favor of doing this. And I hope that you will um give some difference as other board members have talked about to the perspective of being on the inside whenever a every time that uh that I talk to people who complain about their manager. Oh, my manager's, you know, terrible at this or terrible at that. And then they become a manager. They say, "Oh, this job's a lot harder than I thought." Uh,
118and that's true at every level of management. The higher up you get, the harder the job. The being a superintendent is a super hard job. You've got so many people that you are accountable to. And and among those groups are people who have think completely opposite things. like among our, you know, among our parents, the superintendent has to do her best to keep every one of you and everyone, every other parent in this district happy uh and and and take care of your children that you've entrusted to to her and to all of us. And different people want completely different things. Um I have great sympathy for the woman whose child is being bullied. That's something that we have we've we're all all every one of these board members is very concerned about that. That's
119something that we that that that we all care a lot about. We have that's something that we tasked our superintendent with. We have, you know, Rachel's promise and things like that. I mean, you know, I'll tell you, bullying is bullying is part of human nature, unfortunately, and so it's impossible to completely make it go away. But we need to do a better job of the things that we do to to to to separate bullies from their the kids that they're bullying and to not make the bullies responsible for what's happening or the ones that have to uh give up their seats or their positions in classrooms or things like that. We we need to do a better job of that. And and our superintendent is thinking and working on those kinds of things all the
120time. And so anyway, I'm I've gone on too long here. I obviously am in favor of her and uh that's my thinking. Um I'm going to call for a vote now. Uh Judy, can you read the role? >> Dr. Pax, >> yes. >> Mr. Ky, >> yes. >> Mr. Carpenter, >> yes. >> Mrs. Magna, >> yes. >> Dr. Mr. Ericson Parsons. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Demco, >> no. >> Mr. Santos, [sighs and gasps] >> I was going to recuse myself from this vote. However, I'm voting no due to the fact that one, I had no ability to negotiate in this contract. And two, I'm asked to agree to a contract for which I had no input. >> No, >> Mr. Brun. >> No. Board President, Mr. Demar. >> Yes. 36. Yes. Motion to pass. >>
121Okay. Motion is approved. Um we're going to continue on with other items. I know a lot of you came here tonight specifically for this item. So, if anyone would like to leave, you're welcome to stay, but uh we'll pause for a minute if for anyone that wants to leave. Yeah. Two minute two-minute recess for all all uh for all of our board members to for us to reconsider the rest of our agenda. our summary from November 5th. the person. uh improvement in our offerings for our kids. We have we have a vote tech for um for kids who are going to go directly to their careers. We have lots of AP classes and those kind of things for for kids who uh want to go to four-year colleges. I think this is a great addition
122for kids who want to get an associate degree and then they have to go there. >> Any others? >> Can I ask a question about it? >> Um, so there's lists here of of courses that are um basically approved dual enrollment courses. Are these all of them or or is this just additions to what is already in place? >> Yeah. Thank you, Mrs. Magna. Uh Dr. Kaskki and and Miss Broadhead have been working on this. So, if one of you want to get up and just give a they've been working diligently with NCC. >> I was just going to say we started this discussion with them um summer of 2024 >> um about what we could bring here to Sen um and then after Dr. Casky started they uh approached us about this grant opportunity.
123Um, so there are three different pathways in the grant um that students can take courses related to education, health care, and skilled trades. Um, so I not 100% looking at the list if they're all there or not. Um, Dr. Cassy's been working diligently with them on getting the opportunities um, available to our students and for them to understand what the opportunities are and he can talk more of specifics of that, but um, like I said, this is related to that grant that we started well over a year ago of talking to them. >> Great. Thanks. >> Right. And this uh the pathways grant uh this was given to the state by you know to the state to u you know a lot of uh colleges and this is uh allowing our 11th grade students this
124year as 12th graders next year and 11th graders coming in to receive the dual credit uh concurrent enrollment free of charge. So it only pertains to our 11th grade. Unfortunately it doesn't pertain to all of our students. But, you know, this is a way that uh will give some of our students an opportunity to earn concurrent enrollment, dual credit, uh, you know, free of charge. You know, we're also looking to work with NCC uh because they're very interested in, you know, getting more concurrent enrollment, dual uh credit courses taught at the high school. you know, we have a lot of things that we offer at the high school and our curriculum in comparison to their curriculum at NCC is either, you know, the same or even more demanding and more rigorous. So, we're looking forward
125to getting some of our teachers uh approved by NCC as adjunct professors so that kids sitting in our classes with our teachers teaching can get that concurrent dual credit uh on their transcript both for college and for high school. >> Thank you. Is there any limitation on how many students can enroll in these? >> There is uh I I the 11th grade the grant uh as far as I know like she was open to the people that we've been talking with are open to anybody at any time getting involved in these pathways or enrolling in these courses. >> That's great. Thank you. >> May I ask question? >> Yeah, sure. Go ahead. So just just so that I understand uh what this is uh these are classes where our students go to NCC or are
126these classes taught here by our students because I I I'm not sure if I understood that part. >> There's a there's a combination of both with the pathways. Uh there are some classes that are going to be taught by our teachers and we have to work that out in terms of uh in the future. I know that one of our teachers is teaching intro to communications in the spring. Uh but once again, this only pertains to the juniors. It's the the juniors are the ones that are going to get the dual enrollment free of charge. And even if they don't stay with their pathway or change their pathway, they still have to pay the money back or anything along those lines. >> Let me ask the question. So this is like some of them, let's
127say uh biology, it says summer 2026. So clearly that's not a class taught by one of our students. No, but this is one that they go there. >> Yes. >> Uh then there are some that are in fall or spring. The ones that are in fall and spring, are they all taught by our our teachers or are they uh some are taught by our teachers and some >> not not necessarily but we can if we have the proper certification for one of our teachers to become an adjunct that will be taught at our school. So, so my question is why why is it that this list is um only including 10 courses and not basically every course that they teach or uh a much wider range of courses that uh you know we can uh
128we can accept for that. >> Right? This is the way that they set up the grant and that the state of Pennsylvania approved the grant. These three pathways these courses would fall within them. Um everything else in terms of what I was describing before and working with them to get our teachers to be adjunct and have do is outside of this grant. >> I'm I'm I'm sorry I'm not expressing myself uh well. So my my point I understand the financial aspect of it which is that uh through the grant certain courses can be can be covered but uh clearly if there is a student who wants to take a course that is not part of this uh we can say that uh let's say the school pays for it or the parents pay for it
129but uh the important thing about this is that uh it would be a course that would be accepted as part of their transcripts here right and my point is that these two considerations are two different considerations. Why are you sort of like looking at them uh together as opposed to saying that every course at NCC would be accepted? I'm just saying it. Maybe you have some limitations because of the content and topic and the level of the class and so every course at NCC would be accepted. These courses would be paid for through the grant. other courses either the family pays or if they have financial needs you know they can apply for financial aid and let's say the school pays for that or or something like that. So these these are to me these
130are two different questions and I just don't understand why they are sort of like lumped together. One is who pays one is whether the course is a course that would be acceptable as uh part of earn both high school and college credits. So as I well first though who pays unfortunately it's only you know people who are juniors this year and people who apply and get accepted to the pathways program they are the ones that will not have to pay for these classes right here listed. uh everybody else currently who takes a course uh at a college outside um you know they have to pay uh the school district as far as my knowledge unless somebody tells me differently uh we're we are not paying for dual enrollment for any >> I'm not advocating for
131that let me just let me just sort of like say maybe a little differently let's say there is a student who goes to NCC and takes a course that is not part of this list let's say uh they go there and take u uh a course that we do not teacher, right? But uh they find it on the list of the courses that NCC offers and they're willing to pay for it, right? So the student is the student's family is willing to pay. Why would we not have the same consideration for that course in terms of the credit uh as courses on this list? I think that has to do with the current board policy in terms of uh dual enrollment when students take credits uh at colleges that are not taught by Saken Valley
132teachers >> and and so so so your point is that the schoolboard policy is not accepting that not allowing that >> correct at the at the current time that's my understanding of the policy >> because I mean there is biology which actually we do teach and uh that is included in this but then there are course I mean I don't know photography right there's a course that I'm sure we are not covering here. It's a great course if uh they find it at NCC or elsewhere. And I would I would hope that uh if this sort of like path is uh open, we would really open it up so that uh students would have opportunities beyond uh the the 10 classes that are listed here. But anyway, thank you very much. Thanks for uh for
133explaining. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Any other questions or comments? All in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed. The motion is approved. Okay. Next we have the first reading on uh a group of policies. Uh can I get a motion? >> Moved. Second. >> Um discussion. I know there's going to be discussion about this. Um >> yes. Um well again I think uh since are we talking about the policies that connect to the organization? Yeah, policies policies uh four of them 231. >> It connects to our own organization on the school board and I really can't come up with a compelling reason why uh we should not wait until the new board is seated since this is um I mean this is going to be governing their um the tools that they
134can use. Um it's hard for me to understand how an outgoing it's even, you know, how an outgoing um uh board member would want to uh even vote, you know, vote at all on this particular item. But um especially with when it's coming down to organization, I I think we should wait. It wouldn't be it's it's a lot to go through. It's going to govern how things um take shape with the new board. wait a few weeks. >> I Yeah, I would motion to table. I had talked about this during our break. Um quite frankly, I'm exhausted. It's been a long few days. Um and I would really like to discuss some things on there and I don't see any harm in waiting, but it's open to anybody else as well. >> There's a motion
135to table. So, you have to deal with that. >> I I just want to make make sure I understand. Is it is it uh tableabling? Yeah. Five and six >> or tableabling all four of them? >> All four. >> Sorry. No, five. >> Two of them are one is one is social events and the other one is the AR for the social >> five and six please. >> We can just say that what was going. >> Yeah, let me just look let me just get to So there was a motion to table five in a second. Uh Miss MCO, uh just uh I I just wanted so would you would you uh withhold your motion to table for a minute uh so that I can hear from uh Mr. Carpenter about uh uh what his
136thoughts are before before we move to the motion to table just like just just you know 30 seconds so that he can speak because otherwise if your motion is you know on the table then there's no discussion about >> is he speaking about the policies? >> Yeah policy five and six. Yeah, I won't go into it, but sure. >> Yeah, Mr. Carpenter was the one who advocated for the >> I retract the motion. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Yeah. No, I'm I'm uh I'm sympathetic to the lateness of the hour. Um I'll just respond quickly that um these changes are ones that I believe are good governance and in the interest of all people on the board. They uh help promote transparency, including some of the things that have been complained about here at this
137meeting. I do not see them as uh any kind of uh reason to uh not allow other board members to change them. Of course, the board can change its policies at any time. When I did these, I had worked on them a long time. The original uh point was that I put them in place because I believe that they would create uh a stronger and more representative reorganization meeting. That is not possible at this point because the first reading didn't happen. So it's fine if we table them now. That's okay with me. But uh there's nothing in here that is not something that I believe is for the betterment of us as an organization. So that that's all. But if we have if you know it is 9:30 so I'm fine with dealing with them
138at another meeting. So go ahead. >> Um >> yeah I'm going to motion to table. >> So she was the second Okay. That's >> okay. Shine second. >> All right. There we go. So vote on motion. >> All right. Um >> all in how you did it or do you not >> I I thought I had done that. Okay. >> This is just just for 005 and 006. That's correct. >> Okay. So, so just just for clarity, if we vote to table, then uh we will discontinue considering these first two policies and we will then continue with the uh the the fi the policy 231 and AR. So, if you vote yes, we'll discontinue and delay or or put off policies five and six. All in favor say I. I. I. >> Opposed. The motion
139is approved. Thank you. >> So, uh, we continue with discussion on policy 231 and AR231, social events and class trips. >> Um, Miss Flassie, maybe you could just give us a quick summary. >> Sure. Uh, so policy 231, the substance of the policy has not changed. Uh, what was really added was the AR for this policy that did not exist. Uh this had come from a need of really establishing consistency for all the rules that govern our school sponsored events uh our dances. Um this had been also raised due to an issue that was coming from the homecoming dance at the high school. So, our administration um and myself, we had we had spent a lot of time trying to make sure there was something substantial that was part of the policy that regardless of
140any turnover, regardless of whatever the event was, that these would be the consistent uh outline of rules and how they would be communicated out. Um so therefore you know transparency and making sure that again any turnover anything that would occur uh from a K to2 perspective would be laid out here and this would be the expectation of all administrators and it would be communicated out to our parents through handbooks and to our students at the start of any of the activities that are going to occur. >> Thank you. >> Are there any uh questions or comments? One one quick clarifying question. So this is just this isn't changing any of your rules. This is to clarify the rules. Correct. >> Yeah, it's to clarify making sure that we are consistently applying them across the board.
141Uh with new administration, we have uh Mr. Johnson who's overseeing now the athletics and the activities. I think he also sees that there is a specific need for this and to make sure that all of our administration K to2 is following with the understanding that there can be changes to it and there are going to be events that are going to be different at a high school level versus an elementary level but these are the over overarching rules and and expectations of our students and staff. >> Excellent. So so there could be slight changes with administrative support. >> Yes. And those changes, if there's anything procedural or from a ticketing standpoint, those things are all outlined, but if there are changes that need to be made because of the event um or circumstance, those would
142be communicated out at the start through the activities in the Roy administration. >> Excellent. Thank you. >> So that I apologize. Go ahead. >> Um just one question about the ticketing because it says that it must be purchased online. Is there a reason why we don't have an option at the door and do we not currently have an option at the door to >> Well, I can have Mr. Johnson actually stand up and talk about why the movement or uh why would we be moving to electronic because I know that this has also been a concern that's been raised I know it's late Mr. Johnson, thanks for hanging in there. >> Yeah, and you know, that's exactly what I was going to talk about because of Finding Nemo and and that, you know, we're >>
143all right. So, one of the options to talk about going with the online system and paying for the ticketing system is one is efficiency and accountability. Um, currently in the athletic realm of my responsibilities, it's all online ticketing at or games. So, when the Colonial League sends something out for the games and such, you purchase tickets online. Um, to do it here as well, too. I think there's an accountability piece. There's a safety piece and efficiency piece. Um especially for our secretarial staff who's counting the money, the accuracy and the time. Um the nice part about the online is it's instant. It is fast. There's no money. So So past practices of of somebody collecting a check, it's not written properly. There's a return process. There's quite a bit of inefficiency in that antiquated process.
144Um so the idea of being as streamlined as possible and as accurate as possible is something that we really focus towards. Um, and the idea of doing it online is a convenience, but it also saves the amount of time for the business office, secretaries. Um, we've even had it so when they buy it online, you can even go up to to the ticket person and do a QR code as well. Um, so that was my that that is the direction I would like to go. We did in the last moment for the Finding Nemo did in fact provide a a cash option. Um but frankly very few tickets were actually sold with cash. Um so the idea of leaning towards the completely digital process is really for efficiency and accuracy. >> Mr. Johnson, we did
145and to for the for the question there is the statement in there for an alternate ticket option that is not necessarily online but that must that approval still has to go through. Correct. So and Mr. Johnson so there is not it's not this is mandatory. it's automatically this is the default that it will >> that we will always lean into but knowing the fact that there is population of our community that will not be online and we know this from ticketing it's not we understand that so I think in those circumstances outside of athletics for theater performances or or other activities that exist that would just be something that would be the alternate ticketing purchase we just want to make sure that before that decision is made that that that group whether it be uh
146uh one of the groups in the high school um or any other activities uh get the approval and we know what's happening just for the management of what Mr. Johnson said with cash boxes and what and what have you. I'm I'm I'm I'm okay. Just before you go, the uh accountability and all of that ease of uh uh implementation, those are all good reasons. The the flip side of it, and I don't think really sort of like this day and age, there are a lot of people who don't have access to a credit card, right? Uh >> right. >> I'm I'm sure there are some uh in our community, but uh I don't think that's uh you know, a large portion of the population. The thing that kind of like uh annoys a lot of
147people is that to buy a $5 uh ticket you have to pay I don't know $1.70 uh fee and uh that is just I mean pure annoying. It's not the amount of money but it's uh it's the fact that you know it's a I don't know 30% uh uh fee that uh is uh assessed to to that. Uh is there a way to do it without the fee? >> Yeah, there are. So there are features in each of these systems and we use a few different systems here. So whether it's hometown ticketing um there's another one we use for the theater which is a different program. They have their own type of fees to them and we can adjust those accordingly. Uh but again it part of it is a service in order for them
148to maintain what they do or what that what that company provides. Also, it's also a convenience fee, the fact that you're buying, you're getting your So, for example, the theater, you can reserve your seat, right? So, that's a feature that's built into there. But, there are options within those programs to change the fees to whether you turn it on or turn it off, adjusting your price. >> Yeah. I'm I'm just going to say this. This is like the the convenience is mild compared with the whole experience, right? I mean, it's also okay. It's also convenient for a person to go there and pay $5 and go in. But I'm saying it's not like really that that bad, right? The cash option is not horrible. Uh so uh that that's one thing. The second is that
149uh you you mentioned the advantages. Most of the advantages are advantages for I'm going to say us, right? It's not the advantages for the uh for for for for the person who buys the ticket, right? I mean it makes our lives easier for accounting. It makes our lives easier for collection of the money. All of that, right? So, uh, it kind of like doesn't feel, uh, right that, uh, for our advantages, we ask them to pay more, right? I don't know whether it makes sense to you or not. >> No. Yeah, I understand what your position is, but at the same time, so I'll give you an example like for the football games right now, they'll send and say this district game is all online ticketing only. Well, that school that's traveling doesn't have to
150come in here by they can buy their tickets in advance, right? So, to some degree, in that capacity, right, for that consumer who's traveling, they can buy their ticket in advance, right? Sir, >> I I'm I'm I'm not saying that that doesn't exist, but what I'm saying is that almost every other place that you go, I you go to Yankees game, you know, you can buy the things in advance and that's all good. You get your seat, you get whatever, whatever, or you can go to the box office and buy tickets. Sometimes they're available, right? And uh and and and and get them and go in. So, what I'm saying is that that uh box office option even for like these major things, you know, exist. Uh so uh here here in uh our football
151games people can go there pay get the ticket and go in. Obviously if they are doing that they have to stand in line if they have done it already they can just show their thing and go in. >> Correct. >> That's the convenience part of it. But but I'm saying that that option doesn't go away uh that to to avoid uh paying the paying the fee. And that's I mean I'm probably very frugal and everybody knows that by now. That's that's probably why every time I have to pay that it's just like especially if it's 33% you know that's like >> well it's not 33 but it's very well Yankee said yes it's it's ridiculous what way they charge the circle >> could I could I make a proposal here because I I was in
152my head just thinking the exact same thing which is that you know if we are um moving down the path of this because it's in our interest that we don't have to deal with cash and we don't have to deal with checks and we don't have to do these all the advantages are ours right? Then it probably makes sense to consider covering the fees. So, um, since we have no information about this, would would you be able to put together some kind of like either projection or what it would have been and bring it to the like finance committee and say what the charge would be for the district to to pay those fees. >> Sure. Yeah. I mean, absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, yeah, there's definitely an answer for for what you're talking about.
153Especially a school dance is different than a sporting event which is price is already established whereas a school event we can dictate the price of that ticket. So >> I have one more question about this and I don't know whether this is a Mr. Johnson's uh question or you miss velocity but uh it said the building administrator's approval commits an administrator that oversees the organization to attend the event. So u I like it. I thought that's already what we do. So uh in other words if the school is uh uh has has approved a an an event I thought there is an administrator who is kind of like in charge of uh that event is that not the case and I mean if that's not the case I'm glad that we are uh remedying that
154by adding this to this uh to this AR but uh just wanted to get your thoughts about that. I well I think in that case that statement clarifies exactly what we were doing anyway right so the fact is that we are there but this in fact states it right so it eliminates the question that we are >> o overseas means that that person is the master of ceremony and uh if uh anything bad happens there then that person is going to be here at the board meeting the next time and say uh you know whatever there was underage drinking or somebody was uh you know So that that that is the intent I'm assuming. Right. >> Right. >> Um one question about the no-show parent contact. So it says if a student who is on
155a guest list does not show up within 30 minutes, an administrator or assigned staff member will call the parent. Um is this in reference to the guest form? So someone who is not from Sen Valley coming or who are we are we calling all of the students? >> So we get so when students come to our dances or events, we get the list of who's come, >> right? And we're checking them in when they're not checked in. So we so they paid for the ticket for example, >> right? >> Um we we compare who's checked in versus our guest list and if that student isn't there, hasn't shown up. I mean you as the parent are under the assumption your son or your daughter is at the at the dance at 7:00. Well, they're still
156not here. >> They haven't checked in. And especially if they're bringing a guest from out of, you know, from another school district, now we have two students who are unaccounted for, one of which is in our own. So the idea, the responsibility that we can pair our check-in list with our guest list to say, "Wait a minute, we have a handful of kids missing." Um, I think so to some degree a proactive approach for the student accountability. >> Gotcha. >> That's good by the way. I like it. >> Yeah. Yeah, that does sound good. >> Any other questions, comments? >> Do we think that moving to purely virtual ticketing systems will limit who goes? just do we have any information as to whether or not there have been I don't know students who want to
157go to an event but can't because they're not able to purchase tickets online. I'm sure that that's a very small issue nowadays but I don't want to prevent somebody from going to an event that they also want to go to. Like are are we allowed to have teachers buy tickets on behalf of a student with the like what is the methodology there? I don't think that's proper, but like what do we do for students who want to go to a dance that aren't able to uh for any uh for any uh what my for any instance of what you're describing, we have always allowed people parents uh to pay uh the way they need to pay or have to pay. Um, I would never prevent or nobody here would ever prevent a student from doing
158something just because they don't have a credit card or they don't have access. So, we do it different ways, but uh, you're right, it's a small percentage, but that's we allow them to do so. >> Excellent. Thank you. I I just wanted to make sure that the policy wouldn't restrict it to just, you know, the people online. Um, I'm just curious if there is a family that can't afford to pay for a dance or an event similar to that, what what action does the school do? Do we have a fund to help them? Are there reduced fairs for dances or events? >> I don't know about a fund to help them. Uh, but you know, we take into consideration if a parent or a student comes and says we just don't have the money to
159do that. Uh, you know, we allow the student to go. uh we have uh some parents that uh and students that owe money for obligations. We arrange payment plans with the individuals rather than saying, you know, as as long as they are on a payment plan, you know, that's that's fine. And so we do those things. >> Great. Thank you. >> Thank you, Dr. Casy. Any other questions, comments? All in favor say I. >> I. Opposed. Motion's approved. Okay, sorry. Get back to my place. Okay, on to personnel. We have no items for discussion. Uh we have uh Okay, let's just do them a few at a time. Here we have item number one and uh social studies teacher. Item number two, administrative assistant to the business manager. Can I have a motion for items
160one and two? Second. >> Any discussion? All in favor say I. I >> opposed. Motion's approved. >> Item number would just >> Oh, you want to make Oh, yeah. Yeah. Sorry. Go ahead. >> Like to recognize that uh whis is here. Um she's been patiently through and congratulate her on uh becoming my secretary when >> when Judy retires uh she will be taking over for um the secretary of the business office. So >> you congratulations and welcome. May May I so I Yeah. Welcome. I I I I was I thought you were a reporter. Uh to be honest the whole time I'm like so many reporters. You're a reporter, right? Maybe. Yeah. So So I'm like, "Yeah, the reporter's corner is over there." But yeah, welcome to the district. This is Don't Don't let Mr.
161Bonnenburgger uh boss you around too much. >> Don't worry, I'll train her. [laughter] Yes. Okay. Um, we voted, right? >> I don't know. Did we vote? >> Did we vote? >> Yeah, >> we did. We did. We did. >> Okay. >> That point of the night. >> On to item number three. Uh, this is the annual salary adjustment for our superintendent. Uh, again, um, we set this value at 3%. Uh, can I get a motion? So moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Just to clarify, it's 3% over her current base salary. >> Right. Right. >> I I don't think it's justified based on the school performance. >> Anyone else? >> I have a quick question. I noticed that it is blank here. When did we decide on 3%. >> We decided at the executive session
162at tonight's uh tonight's executive session, we we discussed and decided. >> Gotcha. Are are we allowed to put just blank items on the the agenda? Yeah. >> Well, it's not blank. It's an agenda item that is to be filled in. So, the agenda items there with a to be filled in number. So, yeah, that's that's permissible. >> Yeah. >> What would what what would be the final salary then for next year? >> That's that's probably a Mr. Bonnenburgger question as to what 3% over her base salary is. Is that something that you have, Mr. Bonenberger? to look up what I don't have time I have with his print. So >> you're the numbers guy. >> Well we so okay while he's talking I'll just say um you know uh I think the discussion was basically
163that this is in line with what we gave all our administrators. So that's that's the answer. I didn't take enough time. >> Yeah, that was that was that was too short there. >> Yeah. >> Come up with something else to say. >> In the meantime, anybody know a good joke? [laughter] >> I have one month, seven days. >> Going by quick. >> Can you convert that to days? So, Wendy, this is uh just just so you know, uh uh Miss Miss Wu, right? Is that big big uh shoes to fill? So, uh uh h have you have you had a chance to uh talk with her? >> Oh, yeah. Was uh uh you you'll >> be more a little bit more here. >> She's I all bacon. She'll be great. >> Judy's a legend here.
164So, Okay. So it'll be 182687. >> It will >> will be. >> So we our earlier estimate wasn't quite accurate. So this is the actual number. >> Okay. Um all in favor say I. >> I. I. >> Opposed. Nay. Nay. >> Okay. Uh that's seven and two. The motion is approved. Okay, we have um item number four um curriculum and induction stipend for Dr. Casy. Can I get a motion? >> No moved. >> Second. >> Discussion. All in favor say I. >> I. I. >> Opposed? >> No. Okay, that's eight in favor, one opposed. Uh, the motion is approved. U, we have um items number five, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11. I'll read each one of these. If if uh if you see one you would like to consider separately, let me know
165when I'm finished. No. Item number five, 2025 2026 winter athletic coaches. Item number six, 2025 2026 day-to-day substitute. Item number seven, resignation. Item number eight, medical sabbatical. Item number nine, Spanish immersion stipend. Item number 10, songwriting club. Item number 11, long-term substitute. Would anyone like to consider any of these items separately? Can I get a motion for items 5 through 11? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> I I have a question uh with regards to one of the assistant coaches. Um I and this is in particular for indoor track and field. uh compared with the rest of the assistant coaches the stipent is I think maybe like has one uh fewer zeros on the right so just wondering what the rationale is that um you know like it the >> I think
166if you if you can come to the podium so that's >> the indoor track position um is that there's two spots. There's a head coach and assistant spot. Um and then coach Vidomsky is joining as well. So this the assistant spot was uh divided between the two assistants, right? So instead of that, so otherwise it would be, you know, a $1,000 stipen. In this case, coach Vidomsky being added on the assistant spot becomes a 518. >> So and just again, humor me for this. So for uh let's say u swimming the assistant swim coach it's 4,000. So uh I'm I'm assuming that that's not split. So I understand that the divide by two part of it but that's still a lot uh larger. So can you just you know explain what the reasons are for
167uh for these uh you know discrepancies and I'm I'm sure there is a reason I just wanted you I think the structure of the f the the the coaching stipens go based I think one on the sport the amount of contests there are the requirements and the responsibilities of those sports so indoor track in this case is not have as many events I think there's probably about a half a dozen events that are that are um responsible for for that make up the season um so there's not as many uh responsibilities with regard to indoor track as there is swimming for example. Um and in this case the assistant coach there would be one spot these guys the two gentlemen decided to split that one in half. Um so they they amicably made that decision
168>> and and this is uh the duration of the season. Can you tell me how how long is the season the indoor indoor track is it like I just want to know whether because I understand your point. Yeah, I I mean I to say you know it may be 70% of what swimming is. Indoor track is um is not nearly as long and has or in other words have as many contests. >> Yeah, I I understand that the uh the the competition time. I understand that that's uh that that's one thing but uh most of the time that the coaches uh spend are uh actually basically every day 2:30 to 5 or 3:30 to 5 whatever that is. So this is like the fact that they go to a competition or not is uh you
169know relatively small compared with the total time that they uh that they spend. So uh uh ju just want to make sure that because there are 70% uh of the sort of like events that they have uh they don't sort of like get the short end of uh this uh right if if the if the duration of the season is sort of like comparable. >> I I I'm I'm just sort of like asking to make sure that uh that the process is fair. Yeah, I understood. And in this case, you know, Mr. Coach Dusk, he's not going to be there every day. There's certain days he'll be there working with certain runners while the other coach is going to be working with other. So, >> okay. Does uh anyone else have a question or comment?
170>> Yes. Number nine, the stipens for Spanish immersion, is is that when we're anticipating um our teacher arriving then November? It's still no till November. >> Yes. Yes. The release is November 20th, I believe, that she begins. So, it's until then. >> Okay. >> Yep. Thank you. >> Thank you. Anyone else? All in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed. The motion is approved. Uh, we have no items for facilities. Uh, we have one item for finance. Um, item number one, cooperative sports agreement. Can I get a motion? >> Move. >> Second. Whatever. Any discussion? Did you get that, Judy? >> No, I didn't. >> That's okay. >> Somebody's got to be louder. >> They're sharing their microphone. >> Oh, sorry. Okay. >> Okay. You're good now, though, right? >> Okay. [laughter] You're always fine.
171Um any discussion uh about the cooperative sports agreement? Um, just I mean if someone just explains what that is, I appreciate that. >> Just uh let us know. >> I'll make Ryan not come to the podium again. The cooperative sports agreements. This is the second year that we've done this. This is with um Palisades and it's essentially allowing Palisades lacrosse players to play with our our team. >> Is it just limited to lacrosse or uh >> Yes. currently? Yes. Are there opportunities for other cooperative uh uh sport agreements? >> Uh there are opportunities but at this point in time we're not moving forward because of the numbers I believe and the way that every the sport is structured. Do >> I remember [clears throat] correctly that golf at some point was one of those things
172that you know sort of like another place for this or no? >> Golf and swimming were not. It's No swimming has never cooperated, but we've had somewhere some other schools. >> Correct. >> Thank you. >> Quick question. Um, under cost, the cost per student or per athlete I should say is that that monies would go towards equipment and you know salaries and things of that nature. Correct. Correct. >> Okay. >> Well, it's basically the equipment, the cost, and uh for that student, for those students, it's a calculation. >> Excellent. Thank you. >> Yeah, we're not our goal isn't to make a profit uh on this activity. >> Okay. All in favor say I. >> I. Opposed. The motion is approved. Okay. Um, community updates. Um, Lower Saken Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Ki, >> nothing to
173report. >> Okay. Uh, Saken Valley Foundation. Um, should be, uh, >> nothing to report. >> Parsons. Nothing to Oh. Um, might want to just maybe say a quick word about the small grants. Uh, did Kathleen give you anything? Okay, never mind. Okay. Um, uh, Northampton Community College. Uh, um, did we have any new meetings, Miss Bton? >> Okay. So, nothing new there. Uh, Bethlehem area of OTCH. Uh, Miss Demco, you weren't there. Do you have anything you'd like to say? >> No. Right. >> Made a few notes. Um we have uh for uh VOTE students there's a holiday party on December 13th and uh the VOTE is doing the annual Thanksgiving food drive where they collect food uh from all of us and then deliver it to uh families in need uh throughout the three
174sending districts. >> We're continuing that. Yeah. Great. So, um, so anyway, that's the update for for the for >> if I may add, I'm sorry, I just know I posted it that they have a December bazaar up there with all the students crafts and things. Yeah. I just don't know the date. >> Right. Okay. Yeah, there's there they always have lots of great activities for >> I believe there's also then the transfer will be happening soon from Betham to the vote of the the property. That should be soon too. >> Yeah. And then uh tomorrow at our finance meeting uh the uh engineering contractor as well as I believe the executive director Mr. Mr. Lassaric will be attending our finance committee meeting to give us an update as they've gone through the design process. They've
175discovered uh places uh surprise surprise where the price has to go up. So they'll be explaining to us why the price is going up. So, if you're interested in hearing about that, uh, last time uh, uh, when we were when we received the presentation about a week ago, it had gone up about a million dollars off a base of around 14 million to up to about 15 million. I could be off a little bit there. Uh so it's you know it's not a huge overrun but it's definitely noticeable and that will require Saken Valley to uh put put in more money to cover that uh if that's what everyone decides to do. Okay. Uh Colonial Intermediate Unit. Dr. Poxad we didn't have a meeting since the last meeting but um uh there is an update
176about the uh loan situation that I mentioned last time. So, uh there is a I think $30 million um uh loan that they are thinking about taking out the uh the interest rate is uh very favorable compared with uh with with the market and they are it's a line of credit so they are not uh going to use it if they don't need it. Now, fortunately, it appears that uh a budget is uh uh almost going to happen in in Pennsylvania. So, uh uh the hope is that that would not be necessary. One of the items that uh the executive director of uh the IU shared with uh with us was that there are some school districts in in the area who have uh issued further notices to the employees including teachers. So uh they
177are just basically at the level where the uh cash flow that they have is not uh sufficient to uh meet the payroll uh obligations. Uh everybody's hoping that that would not be necessary but uh just uh so that you're aware that that is u one of the possibilities. >> Great. Thank you. Um item J, new business. We've already covered um old business >> had a new business item. I just wanted to um Okay. >> Ask the PSBA represent. >> Oh, I sorry there sorry there Mr. Carpenter and Mr. Santos. Uh PSBA representative. Go ahead. >> I won't relitigate all the webinars that I talked about last time. You can watch the meeting. I'll just note that uh newly elected and reelected board members must take required training from PSBA. >> There you go. Good reminder.
178Anything else? Do you have anything? Uh, Mr. Santos? >> Um, it it's late. Okay. >> Um, >> okay. Next is uh citizens inquiries and comments. >> A new business. >> Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. >> Yeah, just brief just really almost by by way of announcement. I just I I I I do want to um try to get onto an agenda either in the finance committee or on a regular business um in u in the near future. Um I want to talk about the volunteer firefighter tax incentive program. I think that is something that our school district may want to consider. Um uh it's it connects to Act 172 from 2016, but basically it gives tax incentives to our volunteer firefighters and um you know I when I first heard about it I I was
179I was kind of skeptical but the more I've talked to people including people connected with who are volunteer firefighters in our community um I think this would mean a lot to them and Um I think it's something that we should at least talk about at some point um in the near future. That that's all. >> I already have it slated for the December uh finance meeting. So I already told the lower munji and not lower makunji lower sen township uh uh manager that we would be talking about it and invite them to that meeting. >> We we've been we've been working with the advocates for that and and made sure we waited until the new board was seated. >> Great. It would be both. It would be both towns, right, that we' be working with.
180>> Yeah. >> Okay. Any other new business? I don't believe we have any old business. Um, now we're on to citizens inquiries and comments on any topic. Would anyone like to speak? Seeing no one, um, we don't have it officially on the agenda, but I'd like to add a short uh uh or actually I shouldn't say short. I don't know how long it's going to take, but board comments. Would anyone would anyone on the board like to uh make any comments about any topic? >> Yes, please. >> Yes. Go ahead, Miss Dempo. >> Um I just wanted to note the recent passing of Charlie Bartlett, Mr. Bartlett, to me. Um and I just like to take a little bit of time to um honor his service to our district. And this was part of his
181obituary. I just pulled out what um he had done for Sak Valley School District. A dedicated administrator, educator, schoolboard member, and coach, Charlie devoted over 50 years of service to Helertown, Lower Sen, and Saken Valley School District. His passion for teaching and commitment to his students influenced countless lives. He had a unique teaching approach, quite unique. Uh he was known for his loud, stern, and silly phrases which many of his former students still remember today. As a head wrestling coach from 1960 to 1985, he and his staff constructed nine individual state champions, one team state title, two district 11 team titles, and 11 league championships, all in AAA. Bartlett's dual meet record was 20 248 122 and 8. Charlie was AAA um PA state coach of the year in 1976. He was inducted in 1988
182to the Pennsylvania and National Wrestling Hall of Fame 2012 into the Sen Valley Athletic Hall of Fame and the District 11 Wrestling Hall of Fame. Charlie was an assistant football coach for Sen Valley and umpired high school and Legion baseball. After retirement from administration and teaching, Charlie was elected to the Sen Valley School Board and served 10 years until 2015. And I just like to relate um one thing that I distinctly remember. Charlie always um investigated everything. if something was brought up by a community member, by a school board, um he always personally went to investigate it. And in the one instance, um they were um saying, "We needed a new bus. Really, this bus really needed repair." And he goes, "Well, I'll go." He has this voice that was really deep and loud. I'll
183go check it out. I'll let you know. Well, he came back to the next board meeting and he said, "I checked it out." And um if we're going with the Flintstones, we're okay. That bus will be okay, but it really needs to be replaced or we'll be acting like the Flintstones and our feet will be down on the on the dirt. Miss Demco be before before the adjournment uh may I ask for a moment of silence for uh uh for for for Charlie and uh and then I think uh uh there is a the commemoration of Charlie will continue at least for a few more seconds. >> Yeah. Moment of silence for Charlie Bartlett. Thank you, Charlie Barllet. Rest in peace. Um, announcements. Would anyone else like to say anything? Announcements. Uh, future meetings. November
18425th, 700 p.m. here in this room. And then December 2nd, uh, that's when we'll be seating our new board members at our reorganization meeting. and we'll also have a business meeting. Um, we've reached the end of our agenda. Are there any requests? >> Um, would I um >> Oh, you have >> you wanted mention November 25th, I think. >> Yes. Oh, yeah. Thank you for reminding me. Uh, yeah. Uh, as for our, uh, November 25th meeting, there's a possibility that, uh, traditionally we don't have that meeting. We cancel it because it's just two days before Thanksgiving. if if it if we do need that meeting, we will have it. Uh but just in case, uh that makes this the last meeting for uh two of our board members who have resigned their positions. And I
185just like to say thank you to Mr. Ki. A big thanks to each one of you um for serving. And Tracy, you were elected the same time I was. It's been a long road. Uh and I appreciate the service from both of you. Thank you very much. May I also >> Yes. Go ahead. >> So uh uh I I got uh involved in the uh in the school and school board uh by two people. Uh one of them was uh Charlie Bartlett who uh uh saw me in the in the audience here. uh one day at one of the meetings and then we had a little chat and he said um uh you got you got to run for the school board and it was the farthest thing from my mind at that time. Uh
186but uh he he came to he came to my office at Lehi and uh uh we uh chatted and we uh uh walked around the uh the the lab and u uh we were talking about various things. He was he was was a Lehi guy and um the only thing that he kept talking about was uh was wrestling and Stockton's wrestling and Lehi's wrestling and um and I and I met him uh many many times after that and uh every time the matter what the topic was uh we would end up talking about wrestling uh so uh it was a it was a big part of his identity he was a wrestling coach here as uh as Viv uh uh mentioned and uh uh and so he was uh he was he was one person
187and uh second person who uh got me hooked in this is um is Tracy and uh for uh for those who sort of like have um I'm saying that to uh Megan to you you're sitting there so this is Tracy was uh Megan before Megan was Megan. So, uh she was the Ethiopom who uh was uh was there and was uh uh involved and had four kids who were going to school. And I think at the time that I uh I I met her uh uh only two of them were Nick and Alex were in the elementary school and uh I don't know Michael may have been uh either kindergarten or uh uh so uh any anywhere you went uh Tracy was there and u uh and and then uh uh she she decided that
188she's going to run for the school board except then uh it was too late. Uh the primary has had already happened and uh you know normal people say okay I'm going to do it the next time and uh Tracy was not going to wait until the next night. So she said I'm going to do a writing campaign this uh uh this this November and that was November 2015 and um uh she got I think uh that is still the case that uh more votes uh towards an election [snorts] to any office in Pennsylvania in a right campaign that has ever happened. So, uh I think she got something like uh 900 votes and uh you know obviously that was uh well short of the 1900 votes or something like that that was uh necessary to
189get get on but but the fact that uh 900 people sort of like went there on the election day and uh uh wrote this uh you know Tracy Magnata uh name in there. It was just like amazing u uh unbelievable. And um then two years later 2017 uh uh she was the ring leader and uh the the person who just just got all of us uh involved and uh so uh I I just can't imagine uh you know being here uh sitting here this board uh without you and um uh you know I know that the kids are uh almost out of year for you and uh uh you have uh you know done done your years and uh you know all of that but uh you know I I pray that you will uh
190you will remain involved u and >> a few more years yet what's >> a few more years but not totally out >> yeah and and and John thank you very much uh I I didn't know you before you uh you were elected on on this board uh but You know people people talk about ideologies and politics and so forth. I I have found you to be uh that sort of like matterof fact person in our meetings where you you ask the question and you uh say let me ask you something. Uh and uh uh and and those questions were all uh good questions and uh uh I I admire your curiosity, your dedication and um um I I wish you the best. >> Thank you. >> I wanted to say something about John. Um uh
191about John. I I I just wanted to say like when he was when he was on the ballot, I worked really hard to try to stop him. [laughter] I didn't want him to be elected. Um and um you know he he has turned out to be an incredible gentleman. Um he always shows up for meetings. Um he is incredibly courteous and um you know um I still can't find any ways that I agree with them politically. Um, but I really I like him as a person and and I also um one thing I I really admire about him is he doesn't you know he's some he's one of those community people who seem to want to get on the school board to actually for no other reason than to serve the public, you know. Um
192and that really, you know, that always really impresses me. Um, I feel like he's really um uh a good person and I and I also know that he he's a self-sacrificing uh human being, you know, and um I'm sorry to see him go. Um I, you know, I don't I don't like his, you know, [laughter] positions on things as you could see tonight. But, uh I like him as a person quite a bit, you know, and I'll miss that. Hey Bill, I I think if he had ran again, you would uh you would again work hard to make make sure he wouldn't be get >> Yes. And thank you Tracy for serving. I really appreciate it. >> Okay. Anyone else? >> Okay. Um I are I did our future meetings already. Um now I believe
193unless there's anything else uh maybe >> Yes. Yes, there's something else. ready. It's >> my last impersonation. Please forgive me up there. But he sat in this general area and he finished every board meeting. He would sit back and say, it was typically the Madame President at the time, "Mr. President, I call that this meeting be adjourned." We've reached the end of our agenda. So our meeting