001Duty attendance. >> Mr. William Brun >> here. >> Mr. Donald Carpen >> here. >> Mr. John Fy >> here. >> Vivian Demco >> here. >> Dr. Laurel Ericson Parsons >> here. >> Mrs. Tracy Magna >> here. >> Dr. Shamine Paxside. >> I'm present. >> J. Santos. >> Present. >> Court. President. Mr. Cedric Detmar. >> Here. >> Present. >> Thank you. Can I get a motion to approve the agenda? So moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion? All in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed. The motion's approved. We had an exe executive session this evening to uh work on the superintendent evaluation and discuss personnel matters. Can I get a motion to approve the minutes from August 26, 2025? >> So moved. Second. >> Any discussion? All in favor say I. I. Opposed. Motion's approved. Thank
002you. Uh we have no recognition or presentation tonight. Uh our superintendent uh last minute issue is not able to be here. Uh so we'll go to courtesy of the Florida visitors agenda items only. Would anyone like to speak? >> Seeing no one, can I get a motion to approve the presentation of the bills? >> So moved. >> Any discussion? All in favor say I. I >> I >> opposed. Motion's approved. There's no treasures report tonight. Uh on to education. Uh we have the uh minutes from the uh academic and personnel committee meeting on September 3rd in the packet. Uh does anyone have any comments on that? >> Yeah. Uh for the benefit of the of the public really. Um we talked about it. We had a I I thought a good and and wide ranging
003discussion of whether there need to be uh any adjustments to the restriction restrictions on uh cell phone use. Uh it's in the district. It's it's a complicated topic. Um, I think we all understand that the like the word ban is sort of like um it's not that helpful because there's so many different gradations of how you can restrict and and also where we are right now as a district what we're already doing. Um I think what what we finally you know we also wanted to find out more about what uh staff thought about this like how they felt about it now um whether they see the need for more um you know and then after you I mean the probably the biggest thing that kind of you know stood out to me is just that
004this is an area that is evolving you know and uh and is very very complex there, you know, like uh it resists um kind of easy generalizations. Uh but it's also interesting and it may be something that we want to um go forward with. So that's I don't know Cedric if that to you captures what >> Yeah, I I think that um that that is a good summarization of what we talked about. Anyone else? Okay, thanks Bill. Um, we have two items. Um, item number one, expulsion waiver agreement and item number two, St. Luke's um,ou. Can I get a motion to approve those two items? >> So moved. Second. >> Any discussion? >> Is uh, is this waiver one that was previously discussed and exec? >> Yes, it is. >> Okay. Um all in favor
005say I. >> I. >> Opposed. >> Motion's approved. >> On to personnel. Uh we have no items for discussion. Um we have uh six items on the agenda. Um would anyone like any of these items uh considered separately? I'll read through the items and then ask for a motion. Item number one, 2025 2026 day-to-day substitutes. Item number two, bus drivers. Item number three, full-time floating custodian. Item number four, homebound instructors. Item number five, affiliation agreement. Item number six, resignation. Can I get a motion for items one through six? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Discussion, questions. All in favor say I. I >> opposed. The motion's approved. On to facilities. Uh we have uh no items for discussion. We have one item. Uh the 2025 2026 bus routes and drivers. Can I get a motion
006for item one? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion or questions? Um all in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion's approved. Uh on to finance. Uh we have no items for discussion. Um our finance meeting uh committee meeting is tomorrow. Um we have five items uh in finance. Uh would anyone like any of these items considered separately? Um, I'm going to read the items and then ask for a motion for all five. Item number one, 2025 2026 high school theater production. Item number two, 2025 2026 grade 3 through 5 theater production. Item number three, CIU 20 special education contract. Item number four, Sen Valley Foundation Ed for Educational Innovation. Item number five, Harlem Wizards. Can I get a motion for items one through five? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Uh, any
007discussion? >> I have a couple of questions if that's okay. >> Great. >> Um, the first question is for the high school production and the 3 to five production. So I see price amounts listed there. I don't see what the productions are or the dates or the contracts in here. So, I was wondering if you could get a little bit of information about exactly what those amounts are for or if we have that information. I know the elementary school they sent out that it's going to be finding me though. Um, but I haven't seen anything for the heisting. >> I think they were waiting on the high school unless Ryan, you want to get up until it was announced. Uh, that's why it wasn't part of the agenda. Um, putting it on. >> Good evening.
008So to answer that um yes one is finding Nemo we are waiting on the dates the contracts had just been approved as far as getting them in from from the show service um but at the discretion of the theater director to be able to make that announcement about what the show is is why the naming the show is not necessarily on your agenda today. Um but they have gone over to to Dave's office to Menburgger's office to for payment for the contracts themselves for the shows to go. Um the one show we're waiting on because we're going to be changing the date later into the school year. So, we still have time before we make the uh purchase for that one show. >> Okay. So, the are the contracts coming back to us then to
009sign. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Um and then I wanted to read something related to the stock Foundation for Educational Innovation. I had the pleasure with meeting them recently um and found out a little bit more about what they do and what these grants are. And so they um told me a little bit about the one for what's so cool about manufacturing that I think would be really nice for everyone to know and to give recognition to the company because it's not on our agenda um that donated that money. So, the Sen Valley Foundation for Educational Innovation would like to thank Pen Pump and Equipment Company for their generous donation of $3,000 specifically earmarked for the what's so cool about manufacturing competitive team at the middle school. Under the direction of Meredith
010Lesnie and Bo Shikler, each year the Pen Pump Gives program opens nominations to their employee for worthy causes. Scott Bower, a supervisor of quality control at Pen Pump, nominated Sen Valley School District this year. We were excited to meet and thank Scott on August 29th when he came to present the $3,000 check. For those of you who are new to the What's So about manufacturing contest, it started in 2013 with the purpose to change students perspectives about manufacturing careers. Teams of students and teacher coaches investigate and create video profiles of manufacturing companies in their communities and the videos are judged regionally. Winners at their regions go on to compete at the state level and last year our Sen Valley what's so cool about manufacturing team made it to states. The generous grant provide uh pro
011provided by pen pump and equipment will help the team in their goal to qualify for states again this year. So I think that helps explain a little bit what that grant is um and how exciting is that we have that again and hopefully the team goes to states again this year. >> Great. Thank you. Any other comments, questions? or we are having a middle school production as well at some point. Correct. I'm only seeing elementary and high school here. >> Any any uh word on that? Anyone? >> Middle school musical time with at least 60 days. We still have time decision. I don't. >> Okay, great. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Anything else? All in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion's approved. Okay. Uh on to community updates. Uh Mr. Conte,
012anything from the chamber. >> Okay. Uh for the uh Saken Valley Foundation for Educational Innovation, uh I want to thank uh uh Miss Magnata for her service for these quite a few years. she is stepping away. Um, and so I would like to ask for nominations uh from anyone who would like to uh take that role. >> I would like to nominate uh Dr. Ericen Parsons. >> Any other uh anyone else? Okay. Um all in favor of Dr. Ericson Parsons. >> She doesn't get to accept or decline herself. >> Yes. Yeah. >> Yes. She has to do it. >> Good thinking. Don't do it. >> Uh, all all in favor say I. >> I. Opposed. Oh, thank you for taking that position there. U, >> thank you. And I want to thank Tracy for all
013her hard work um, over the past eight years. Um, as well as I know the foundation thanks her as. >> Great. Um, on to the Northampton Community College. Uh, Miss Baxter. [Laughter] not anything new, but I'll just go over a couple things. Um, our fall enrollment has remained strong and we have about still an overall enrollment up 5% from last fall and uh classes have started, but if anybody wants to start midfall classes, they start on September 29th and then they have accelerated classes starting on October 18th. Uh we've received a $20,000 empowerment grant from the Provident Bank Foundation and I guess this is a brand new grant for us and it's going to be used to uh launch tools of the trade program which will provide emergency funding for students who need assistance for
014equipment, supplies, tools, etc. And NCC athletes has continued to earn the 10th Champions of Character Award. I guess we behave very well with our responsibility, integrity and all that all that kind of stuff. And lastly, we just uh completed a contract negotiation with the support staff and that just went through. Our next meeting is midocctober, so we won't you won't hear from me until the end of October. >> Great. >> If anybody has any questions, just let me know. >> Thank you. >> Okay. on to the uh Bethlehem area vote. Uh Mr. Demco, do you have anything you want to chime in there? >> Sorry, >> nothing sticks out that I recall. It's pretty generic other than eventually we'll get that house built >> after 20 years. >> That that's a long long awaited event.
015Uh I I I just want to add that u with the uhou that we agreed to um a few minutes ago, uh the BOTCH will hopefully have all of the paperwork finished in December and they'll be able to actually get started on the uh construction of the uh remodeling of the existing school and well in the remodeling of the new building in South Bethlehem to uh prepare for uh our students in a couple years. Uh, Colonial Intermediate Unit, Dr. Pakadan. >> No. >> Okay. Uh, PSBA, Mrs. Carpenter and Santos. >> Uh, yeah, just two updates for us to remember or think about. Um, although we just kind of went through this process. Uh, PSBA is offering a uh like a market analysis salary rates for your administrator service. So, just something to remember in the
016future that they'll do the analysis for you. I'm sure they charge a small nominal fee. Uh, and the other thing is that they do have uh you can do your superintendent evaluation through their system. They have like a generic both a generic and a customizable system. So, I mentioned it last year, but it's something to think about before we set next year's goals. >> Okay. Anything Mr. Santos. >> Um, yeah, very briefly, we are voting tonight for the PSBA officers. Uh, we have the sheet in front of us for all of the different uh, positions that are open and the candidates in those positions. Uh and there is this week a series of different webinars also available through the PSBA including the building bridges webinar uh start strong program and the alliance partner webinar series
017which all look of interest. Highly recommend those and that's it. Bless you. >> Okay, great. Thank you Mr. Santos. Um we uh have ballots for uh various positions. Uh um the uh president, vice president, and insurance trustees. Um can I get let's see. Oh, did we just take a vote? >> No, we have we're just going to approve a a motion that the ballots that are submitted to the secretary will be the representation of what the board's position is. >> Okay. Um can I get that motion? So moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Oh, um I'm sorry. Uh all in favor say I. >> I >> opposed. Motion's approved. Uh any new or old business? Uh Dr. Poxa, did you have something that you wanted to add on uh the uh one of the prior
018items? I thought I heard you say something. Okay, great. Uh any any any new business? >> Yes. >> Okay. Um, I just wondered if I got this news on the sign. Welcome back to Litha Diggs. Does anybody know what that's about? >> Um, sorry. Welcome back to what >> Digs. She was a former student. Um, >> I just wondered. >> I think she was speaking at the high school today. >> There was a there was a Facebook post, I think, on it. >> Yeah. >> Oh, good. We're gonna hear from him, >> right? >> Yeah. Yeah. So, Tothia Digs, former a graduate of here and a former uh student at the University of Florida came back to speak to the kids today um in cooperation with Lehigh Valley Health Network to speak to our students
019um in the auditorium today. So, we had about about 200 plus students and staff to come and listen to to Tthia about her experiences as as a student here at Sen Valley as well as being a a college athlete and then her transition into becoming a professional track athlete who was signed with Adidas. uh she came in to talk about mental health. She came in and talked about perseverance, life balance, and such. Um she did get the opportunity to come see some old teachers and coaches um and had a photo op with the kids and such. So, it was a pretty successful um assembly today with our with our students, former coaches and teachers uh for a former Silicon Valley student. >> Thank you. Yeah, Titha is uh um probably our most successful uh um
020athlete from our district for quite some time. Any other new business? >> Yeah, I wanted to ask and I know it was brought up last time um but I'm I'm assuming it's new. I'm assuming that it doesn't matter. Um about the committee of the whole, I'd really like to hold a discussion on that. I'm not sure how we progress with that. Um, do you have any advice for us? She wants to discuss rearranging her committee meeting so that we do a committee of the whole instead. >> Oh, okay. Um, >> how would we handle that >> in terms of discussing it or >> Well, I know it probably wouldn't be tonight, but will we put >> I mean, I think what you might want to do is just have on maybe next the next uh
021agenda just a discussion item on restructuring the monthly meetings and then we can have a kind of more robust discussion on the topic. >> Does that require policy changes? >> I'm not so sure that your board meetings are specifically listed in the zeros policy in terms of how it's structured on a monthly basis. It may some districts do say we meet twice a month and we do this and >> um so we'd have to look at that but I think I think at least initially there'd be a bigger discussion as to the structure and then if we have to go back to policy we could do that. >> Okay. So, we'll uh look at having that on the next agenda. >> And I I just want to say I would support that that being an
022agenda item. >> Okay. So, >> any other new business? Any old though? I sorry, we don't have any old business. Um citizens inquiries and comments. Would anyone in the audience uh from the public like to speak? My name is Sarah Hal, 1761 Ardan Lane, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Um, I wrote this letter to the school board and to our superintendent. Um, which is really to and I didn't see the full meeting, uh, but which which states, "Do you know why we are the only school district to supply K through 12th grade with iPads and no laptops or keyboards? Um, my two daughters have never learned to type and I have heard from high school parents whose students use voice to text on their iPads to write papers. I called five other local school districts to see how
023they operate. Southern Lehi, uh, the middle school gives the iPad with keyboards and high schools laptops. Parkland Middle School and high school get laptops. East Penn Middle School and high school get laptops. Palisades Middle School and High School get laptops. Salisbury middle school and high school get laptops. Um I've asked our administration as parents should we buy our own equipment? Um in attending the open house even the teachers at the open house last night said it was very difficult for the students as they required to point and peck at their iPad to write papers or to do any of their assignments because this is the only thing and if schoolboard hasn't seen this is a iPad. This is my daughter's iPad. On the home screen is cartoons to watch. This is where they do all
024of their assignments and what they're using every day. Um, so I think too my So what my ask is if this could get added to I'm not sure what committee uh committee meeting this should go to whether this should be academics um or almost funding because to me this is almost a misappropriation of funding because we spent I I'm sure I don't know the tech per student what we're spending but it I would question what we're spending and who made these decisions. Um when they asked the admin about it uh they said this decision was made before they were uh there but this is over five years that where you were in this role. Um and also that uh students that um have to do a lot of writing would get keyboards and I would
025challenge that almost every student in our school district should be doing writing. >> Thank you. Any would anyone else like to speak? Okay. Um, we have uh future meetings on September 23rd at 7 p.m. uh here in this room and again on October 14th at 7 p.m. here in this room. We've reached the end of our agenda, so our meeting. >> Would you mind announcing that there's >> Would you like to make comment? >> No, just there's no facilities meeting. >> Oh, yeah. Thank you for pointing that out. Yeah. Um, tomorrow there's no facilities committee meeting. Uh the uh the finance meeting will start at 5:00 pm.