Good evening everyone and um welcome to our uh school board general business meeting. And um before we get started, I just always like to uh reiterate that we respect each other here, our perspectives, whether it's the board
members here, our administration or our colleagues here, our teachers or our students and ones who may be viewing us uh via Zoom or online uh whether we have a personal agreement or not and even when we come up for our public comment
periods to make sure that we respect each other here on the board. And with that, it is now 6:16. So I call to order the May 26, 2026 general business meeting of the Harrisburg City School District Board of School Directors. If
we can please rise for the pledge of allegiance. I believe we have a special group that's going to lead us, right? Dr. Henry, our superintend. So, first off, thank you ladies for coming out tonight um to lead us in the pledge. So, if you can, can you just
tell us really quickly, just recap your season, how everything went this year? >> For most of us, some of us it was our first time ever playing volleyball. Others maybe like most of the alo
too. Um just as young, we had a really good season and the game was a fun. We made a a lot of new friends and we just got closer. >> Great. Great. Great. Such a great story. All right. Now,
here's my question. Now, I am a girl dad and my daughter is interested in volleyball. So, what should I be doing to get her really excited about volleyball now? >> All right. Someone tell I'm I'm part of play.
um to get excited about volleyball. I can say that it's really a fun experience. You should really try your best and a lot of the people in the team are very motivative and they um help you with a lot of things that you need help with and you shouldn't really feel shy
or self- ashamed when you're playing volleyball because everyone on the team is very supportive and very understanding of your situation. So, if you're like a shy person, you don't like open up to people. I feel like you shouldn't be that way. And when you get on a team, it's like having a second family and that everyone's really close
together. >> Amazing. Amazing. Well, I appreciate everything you all been able to share. And by the way, I love your jerseys. >> Thank you so much. >> Really nice. I'm out of fun. Well, anyway, any question from the board to
the to the team? Go ahead, coach. Star star teacher, go ahead. >> Hello. I'm short. Sorry. Um, I just wanted to say thank you for inviting us here um today. I wanted to make sure I'm on my tippy toes, y'all. Um, thank you.
Oh, I just wanted to point out and just say thank you for um even starting the junior high program. Bringing that back to the district was such a huge thing for for our students. Um, at this level, majority of our players were seventh and
eighth grade. As she mentioned, this is their first time playing a sport. Um, they all came in together. They're all from different schools in the district. Um you can be in seventh grade, eighth grade, or 9th grade and participate in junior high sports. And this is such a great feeder program for what we have coming for the high school. So, thank
you all um for that. And we we had a really good season. We don't focus on wins and losses like she mentioned. The what we focus on is what did you do better? What did you learn um at practice? Uh what did you do in the game? And we came back. Uh Coach A is my assistant coach. She is great with
finding drills that will help us help them get better with what they may have failed at or didn't do right in the game. So, we didn't focus on wins and losses, but we did have a good time and a lot of fun and they were excited to be here. They're shy, but don't let that fool you. >> But, thank you for having us.
>> Thank you for coming. Yes. Anything else from the board? >> Congratulations, uh, coach and and girls. Um, and we're really proud of you. And I do have to ask your foot. Did that happen during a game? Okay, good. Okay, so your daughter's safe. >> They can't do They're not allowed to do
too much during the season. That was after the season. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Oh, yes. >> There we go. >> Everybody ready? Here we go. One, two, and three.
Thank you. One more. >> Big smile. >> All right. Step out. >> Thank you. Well, I didn't I didn't get to say my thank you, but thank you.
I was Yeah. Well, they're they're fine. I just It's It's actually was just encouraging to me cuz tonight is my daughter's first uh championship for flag football and she doesn't never played a sport and I couldn't be there. I was like, "Well, I'mma be at the board, but I'mma still
give you a shout out." So, to hear that this is their first year, I'm encouraged, you know, thank you guys for what you're doing, and I'll be at one of the games coming soon. So, yes. So, thank you girls again.
>> All right. >> All right. So, we're um now I'm going to move to u a moment of silence in remembrance of our Harrisburg school district uh Mr. Vanie Davis. So, I'll have um Miss Keys
if you can share your sentiments. >> Thank you so much uh for this moment of silence in memory of Mr. Vincent Vinnie Davis. His daughter, Miss Kyla Davis, is here with us this evening as well as her brother Jeremy. Would you please stand
and be recognized? Please stand as I share this information about your dad. Mr. Davis was a proud graduate of Harrisburg High School's class of 1985. During his high school years, he was a proud and accomplished
member of Harrisburg's Mighty Cougar Marching Band. participating in marching band, symphonic band, and jazz ensemble. He also auditioned and earned placement in the all district, all county, and
allstate bands, a rare and distinguished triple honor for any graduate of Harrisburg High School. He continued his education at the illustrious H.B.CU, CU Central State University in Wilburforce, Ohio, where he double majored in
business management and music education. While on campus, Vinnie, Mr. Davis, served in the tuba section as a leader and in the invincible marching marauders. We just want to show some appreciation
and love for Mr. Vinnie Davis and all that he has meant to our marching band program in the Harrisburg School District. Let us have a moment of silence. Thank you. And let's continue to remember the musical and marching band
legacy of Mr. Vinnie Davis. Thank you so much for being here. And thank you all for acknowledging this moment of silence in his memory and honor. >> Thank you, Miss Keys. Okay. Yeah. So, we'll now move to our
announcement for the uh schoolboard retreat. So, the school board met um and held a retreat on Saturday, May 23rd, 2026 at from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. for the purpose of the school board or board governance
training provided by the PA school board association and training on the superintendent evaluation provided by the district solicitor. And the school board also met in the executive session on May 26, 2026 at 5:00 pm to discuss student discipline of
the act 93 agreement and personnel matters. And we will now u move to our roll call. So madam secretary, can I please can you please uh call the role for this evening? >> Yes. Miss Copeland, >> present.
>> Miss Anderson, present. >> Mr. Carter. Miss Hughes, >> present. >> Miss Johnson, >> present. >> Miss Radcliffe, >> present. >> Miss Robinson, >> here.
>> Mr. Roy >> here. >> Mr. Thompson Leader >> present. >> And Dr. Susky >> present. And we'll have a quorum this evening. >> Thank you, Madam Secretary. Uh we'll now
move to our approval and our minutes for the agenda. So is there a motion to approve the minutes of the May 12th, 2026 committee of the whole meeting? >> So moved. Robinson, >> is there a second? >> Second and Johnson. >> U Madam Secretary, can I have a roll
call vote, please? Miss Anderson? >> Yes. Mr. Carter? I'm sorry. Miss Copeland? >> Yes. Miss Hughes? >> Yes. Miss Johnson? >> Yes. Miss Radcliffe, >> yes. >> Miss Robinson,
>> yes. >> Mr. Roy, >> yes. >> Mr. Thompson Leader, >> yes. >> Eight yes, zero. No, zero abstain. Thank you, Madam Secretary. Hearing majority of yeses. So, that motion will
carry for approval. And before we begin our approval for the agenda, uh Dr. Henry. >> Yes. to our board secretary. We need to remove one item, 10.1. Uh we're going to move that to our next meeting date in uh June.
Thank you. All right. So, as we move to our approval for the agenda, um removing the item 10.1. So may I have a motion to approve the agenda for the May 26, 2026 school board general business meeting as presented in
board docs with the item 10.1 being removed. >> So moved. Robinson, >> is there a second? >> Second. Anderson. >> U Madam Secretary, can I have a roll call vote, please? >> Miss Anderson? >> Yes. Miss Copelan?
>> Yes. >> Miss Hughes? >> Yes. Miss Johnson? >> Yes. >> Miss Radcliffe? Yes, >> Miss Robinson. >> Yes, >> Mr. Roy. >> Yes, >> Mr. Thompson Leader. >> Yes.
>> Eight. Yes. Zero. No. Zero abstain. >> Thank you, Madam Secretary. Hearing majority of yeses. So, that motion will carry for approval. Uh we'll now move to our presentations and recognitions for this evening. So, Dr. Henry, do we have any presentations or recognitions this evening?
>> Yes, we do have recognition by Miss Keys. Good evening uh to our Harrisburg School Board of Directors, Dr. Henry, Dr. Suski, our cabinet, and to our uh staff and community that are here this evening. It is my honor to share just a
few highlights of the great things that have been happening in our district over the past month. It has been a extremely busy month. So if you don't hear it or see it here, please check our Facebook page for more information and for more events coming up in June.
All right, here we go. The Harrisburg School District wishes our retirees the best on their retirement. Please join us in extending congratulations and best wishes to these remarkable individuals. We thank them for their years of
service, unwavering commitment and passion for education. Can you join me in extending warm round of applause and congratulations to our retirees and that short list if the next slide will come up. Uh, that is the full list
of our retirees. And you see there, Sherry Moyer, three years. Deborah Brown, 10 years. Kayla Orange, 12 years. William Hagen, 13 years. Sharon Carr, 17 years. Stacy Benton, 18 years. Sherry Catchani, 19 years, and Cheryl Crumbl 20
years. Nancy Pedza 20 years. Jill Rule 21 years. Hector Santana 24 years. Cammy Young 25 years. Jane McCarter, 26 years. Lisa Collins, 27 years. John Demco, 27
years, and Ali Schaefer, 30 years. And finally, Miss Pamela Reo with 33 years of service to the Harrisburg School District. Great. And in that same vein, uh, in recognition of retiring educators and
their significant contributions, Miss Sonia Greer Hankerson and the ethnic minority caucus of the Harrisburg Education Association, also known as HA, recently hosted a retirement celebration in honor of HA members. The evening was
filled with heartfelt gratitude and reflections on what it means to leave a legacy of learning. And there you see some of the um retirees that were recognized that night. Miss Jill Rule, Miss Stacy Benton, Miss Kayla Orange, Miss Deborah Brown, Miss Cammy Young,
Miss Lisa Collins, and Miss Jane McCarter. Let's give them a war round of applause. Congratulations, and Swiss. I'd also like to share that during that celebration uh just in the spirit of education uh ha and the ethnic uh
minority caucus awarded two scholarships to those lovely young ladies there Harrisburg High School students uh who were the recipients of those scholarship funds. So we want to thank them for investing in the education and futures of our students.
We want to say thank you to our Cougar Nation for attending Harrisburg School District's 4th annual Cougar Community Day. It was a great day of family fun, food, community, and friendships and connections and lasting memories. We
even had Dr. Henry and a few of our staff out uh manning the carnival games, making cotton candy, ma uh one of the fathers of our employees, uh Miss Tiffany Lang, her dad grilled over 500 hot dogs uh for our families and
community. And there you see our family engagement team uh who uh coordinated that event under the direction of Miss Tiffany Lang. Can we give it up for them in that awesome event? and we'll scroll through and there you see a few photos of some of the folks
and vendors that came out that day. Our HR team was rep uh represented. Our CFO and business office was represented. Uh enrollment center was represented. The school district was represented in full force as well as community organizations.
And we can keep it going. Okay. Okay. And moving right along here in the Harrisburg School District, students experience the joy and power of learning in unique and exciting ways during the school year. and in our afterchool programs as part of our our
SIG afterchool program and that's under our EL department if if you didn't know that our English language learning department uh at Steel Elementary School and Camp Carton Academy students engaged in hands-on science experience exploring
the life cycle of a chicken while observing the incubation of fertilized eggs and learning about um necessary conditions for development. including temperature control, humidity, egg rotation, and ultimately witnessing the
hatching of chicks. I'm sure we can all reflect back and remember when we witnessed such wonderful things. As a result, students made real world connections to life science concepts. We want to send special thanks out to Miss Caitlyn Muth, Miss Megan Alas at Steel
Elementary, and Miss Jillian Johnson, and Miss Susan Johnson at Camp Curtain Academy for their continued dedication to providing meaningful enrichment opportunities for our students. And I would say when that post went up, immediately it started getting tons of
views and likes, and folks were reminiscing about when they had the opportunity to experience this wonderful life cycle of chickens. Administrators, faculty, and staff and families recently gathered at Cougar Academy to celebrate Senior Signing Day
with students of the class of 2026. Cougar Academy students will join the United States Military and the workforce. They'll also attend Harrisburg Area Community College, Lincoln University, Cheney University, the University of Pikeville, and many
other colleges and trade schools, and barbering schools. Several students are already pursuing college credits as part of Harrisburg School District's dual enrollment program in partnership with colleges, universities, and Hamilton Health Cent's medical assistant training
program. Can we give it up for these amazing students of the class of 2026? And we do. Before we go to uh Arian, we want to go to Yes. So, you're going to hear more about this wonderful young man. Uh I'm not sure, Miss Palmer, if he
was able to join us today. He's not able to join us today. Mr. Nornhole, before we go to the video, then let me go ahead and highlight uh Aryan J. Logan recently received the illustrious Tom Busky Award in recognition of his
dedication and commitment to overcome obstacles, sustain employment for two years as a teacher assistant in the Harrisburg School District, and maintain good academic achievement. Can we give a
warm round of applause to Arian J. Logan? We're so excited for this young man and what his future holds. And you can't tell me that Harrisburg School District isn't doing great things. We are doing
marvelous and things for our students and our school community. I would like to say that uh there will be many more things posted on social media. Uh next one month we will highlight in a very special way the academic achievements of our students. uh the National Honor
Society induction, uh the senior awards which will be coming up this Thursday, and so much more. Uh we also have some additional highlights from our administration that we'll bring to you next month in our recognitions report. So, thank you for allowing me to share this great news of what's happening in
our district. Now, take a look at the screens. >> Hello, I'm Lieutenant Commander Matthew Parr, senior enablement science instructor for Harrisburg High School's NJOTC. I'm here with uh Thomas Cor, the director of the VA for Dolphin County, and uh some of our amazing uh cadetses
who have taken time off uh to show respect and uh remembrance uh for veterans who are buried at the old Harrisburg Cemetery. I want to thank uh Tom for extending this invitation to us. It's an absolute honor uh to be out and
making sure that everybody knows uh that people still remember uh all the veterans buried here. That's one of our students, an NJRT cadet. While that next video is preparing to play. I'd like to share that Mr. Ryan
Jones and I had the opportunity to gather at the historic William Howard Day Cemetery yesterday in honor of our fallen heroes. Uh and uh that was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate that moment. I was featured as the keynote speaker uh for the day and Mr. Jones
came to receive a donation that was made to Marshall Math Science Academy by the our day cemetery and that occurred on yesterday from Fouse Elementary School where the Harrisburg School District partnered with Gamut Theater Melissa Nicholson who's the executive director and the
resident theater manager Marcus McGee. Uh Miss Nicholson tell us how important is it to combine arts education and these wonderful fables? Oh my goodness, doing theater for arts education is so enriching because the students have so many different things that they learn,
right? They um have to memorize lines. They have to work like a team to solve a problem which is how are we going to stage this thing. Um they uh have to be confident in what they're saying. Uh so all these things come together when we work on these stories. So, we're not
only incorporating reading and literacy and uh memorization, but also building that confidence and uh Mr. McGee, you have an amazing sense of confidence. Tell where did that come from? >> It actually came from theater education. Believe it or not, I started doing
theater when I was in high school. So, even a later start than the food school today, but it really gave me an outlet to express my express myself creatively. Um, and it gave me an outlet where all of my creativity actually made me stand out. And that was the key. That was the
key. >> That's really key. So, Melissa, as we highlight this partnership with the school district, share with our families and our community just how important it is to combine arts and education with reading, literacy, math, and science. It can be done and it's very relevant. >> Absolutely. We even incorporate math,
science. There's so many things that come in when you're doing theater. Uh, and it is it is incredibly important because it shows them that they're not just studying these things in a silo. They can bring them all together into a collaborative experience where all the
kids work together as a team. >> Awesome. Awesome. Well, there we have it. Harrisburg School District. I'm Kirsten Keys. We're highlighting Asop's Fables, a wonderful production in partnership with the Harrisburg School District and Gamut Theater. To learn more, where can our school community get more information
>> at for our theater? It is gamutthetheater.org. You can just Google gamut theater. >> And this is the last one that we're going to share. >> All right. Happy spring. Happy early summer. I want to say thank you for
tuning in to the concert here at Lincoln Elementary School. We have a wonderful show for you today. It's been so exciting to connect with the students and to find their gifts and today we get to show it off. We've been working on it for the entire year and now is the time.
So, I'm excited. So many great things happening here in Harrisburg and I'm just a slice of the pie. Thanks for tuning in. You know what? Don't you feel bad when you get home? >> Thank you so much for allowing us to
share some of the highlights of what's happening in and throughout the Harrisburg School District. All right. Well, thank you for Miss Keys for sharing the great um recognitions for this evening. And I did just want to share because I got some updates. I know
we're going to be moving on, but um I know tomorrow at Lincoln I really I shared with the board members, but I know everybody's not aware that they'll be doing the Lincoln school will be doing their third grade uh geography B. uh Thursday, it's going to be at 2:30 at
Lincoln School. And I know that is people may not know about it, but hopefully we get that. I did share it uh with the board members, but I will be able to share that information. But that was something that a lot of our children do, you know, have that competition and
I wanted to share that out publicly before we jumped into our at 5:00 p.m. So >> yeah, there's also Yeah, they're they're having a district-wide geography B as well um June 4th at 5:00 pm. So that was
something as well. But I think we need to, you know, make sure we also, you know, share that information. It's important. All right. And with that, we'll move to our public comments for this evening. So, Madam Secretary, we're ready to begin the public comment
period. All agenda items only. >> Thank you, Madam President. We have two public comments this evening. The first one is an agenda item. Um, from Miss Banks, if you could state your name and address for the record. And just a quick reminder, you are allotted three minutes. Thank you.
Sorry, I'm quite tall. Okay, that works. Bana Embry Banks, 392 Wyatt Road, Harrisburg, PA. Good evening, board members, Dr. Henry, and members of our community. My name is
Brianna Embry Banks and I am the teacher of the SBI School of Business and Industry program at John Harris and I have the privilege of working with some of the most extraordinary young people in our city. I want to start by telling you what SBI is because I'm not sure
everyone in the room has heard it described by someone who lives it every day. SBI is not just a class. It is a program that doesn't even start just 7:45 and ends at 2:45. For many of our students, it is the first place in their lives where someone has told them
clearly in consistency that they are capable of greatness, that they are the future doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs, and leaders. And then they are held to a high standard every single day. I've watched students walk into my classroom who did
not believe in themselves and walk out several years later with college acceptances, scholarship offers, and a sense of who they are that nobody can take from them. That is what SBI does and that is what this community has built. I want to be honest with you
tonight because SBI deserves honesty. Our program has incredible honors and it has a legacy that spans more than 30 years. But I would not be serving my students if I stood here and told you that nothing needs to change. The world that our students are entering looks different than it did when SBI was
designed. The curriculum needs updating. Our enrollment needs to grow. and the program deserves to offer our students the kind of credentials and college credit opportunities that other programs in this region already are delivering. My students hold themselves to a high
standard. They deserve a program that is held to the same high standard and right now we still have some work to get there. So I want to speak directly to the concern that I know some people in the community have shared. SBI is not being eliminated. I am still here. My
students are still here. Every student currently enrolled in SBI will continue to complete what they have started and I'll be right with them. What the district has proposed is a plan to expand a plan that is something I've hoped for. It invests in making SBI
stronger as well as adding a new pathway, the CTE entrepreneurship program that gives even more John Harris students access to business education, industry credentials, and rear career prep real career preparation. These are not competing programs. They are two
different kinds of excellence side by side in the same building. I have seen the plan and I believe in it and I'm asking all of you to as well. The students of the SBI, past, present, and future, deserve a program that is worthy of their ambition and I'm proud to be a part of it and we are not going
anywhere. Thank you. Miss Stein, you're up next. And if you could just state your name and address for the record. And a quick reminder, you are allotted three minutes. Hi, I'm Emily Stein. I'm a school psychologist at Camp Curtain Academy. My
address is 45 Woodmire Lane. Good evening everyone. Um, my name is Emily Stein. I am a school psychologist Camp Curtain Academy. Um, I'm here tonight to speak and to provide each of you uh are being provided with a packet
with stat concerns. These include some feedback specifically about building consolidation involving Camp Curtain Academy. Some of these concerns were shared at a town hall meeting with Dr. Henry and Dr. Craig in October as well as more recent also more
recent in there meaning the district did respond and added three more administrators to our building and increased the presence of security. Those efforts are recognized. However, the core concerns raised in
October still have not changed. Overcrowding, school climate, and student behavior. In your packet, you will find some data for the building. I will be very clear. I am the one who pulled this data. It was not an administrator.
I have access just like everybody else does. I'm a school psychologist. I love data. If you'd like me to pull a report for you, let me know. In 2023 24 school year, prior to consolidation, there were 169 incidences of quarreling
shoving in our building. This year that number is 417. That is more than double. This is not a small increase. This is a fundamental shift in the daily reality of our building.
It's also important to understand this is not just about the number of students. Camp Curtain has served 800 students in the past. My first year in the district, we had fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grade in that building.
It was a neighborhood middle school, but the structure was fundamentally different. The class sizes are now double what they were when I began 8 years ago. Students were organized into smaller teams. Each grade level had two
dedicated teaching teams. Class sizes were half of what they are today. We also need to acknowledge something critically important. Middle school consolidation has already been attempted in the dis this district, not once but twice.
Folks, our sixth grade students are aware of the neighborhoods they come from. But what we're facing now is even more complex because these efforts before did not have to account for social media and
constant access to cell phones. Although we have yonder pouches, cell phones we can't control outside of school. Today, conflict doesn't start at school. Students provoke each other online. Violence is recorded, shared, and
glorified. Students say things behind screens that they wouldn't say to someone's face. >> Thank you, Miss Stein. Yes. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> That concludes the public section of the agenda. >> All right. And thank you uh Miss Banks
and Miss Dimes for the public comments and sharing the information. Um we'll now move to the unfinished business for this evening. So again, these um items were um for the office of acance. These items were listed um and were properly vetted two
weeks ago at the committee of the whole meeting and moved to the consent agenda for approval. Uh does the board wish to remove anything from the consent agenda to be voted on separately? All right. So hearing none. Do I have a motion to approve the items listed under the consent agenda for the office of
academics? >> So move Thompson later. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you. The motion has been properly moved and seconded. Is there any discussion on the motion? Right. So hearing no discussion on the
motion. Madam Secretary, can I have a roll call vote, please? >> Miss Anderson. Yes, >> Miss Copelan. >> Yes, >> Miss Hughes. >> Yes, Miss Johnson. >> Yes, >> Miss Radcliffe. >> Yes, >> Miss Robinson.
>> Yes, >> Mr. Roy. >> Yes, >> Mr. Thompson Leader. >> Yes. >> Eight yes, zero no, zero abstain. >> Thank you, Madam Secretary. Hearing majority of the yeses. So, that motion will carry for approval. Uh we'll now
move to the unfinished business items for the office of human resources. And again, these items were listed at the office of human resource were properly vetted two weeks ago at the committee of the whole meeting and moved to the consent agenda for.
Does the board wish to remove anything from the consent agenda to be voted on separately? All right. So hearing none, do I have a motion to approve the items listed under the consent agenda of the office of human resources? >> So moved to use.
>> Is there a second? >> Second, Anderson. >> Thank you. The motion has been properly moved and seconded. Is there any discussion on the motion >> item? >> All right. So hearing or seeing no further discussion on the motion items, Madam Secretary, can I have a roll call
vote, please? Miss Anderson, yes. Mr. Cardiff, >> yes. >> Miss Copelan, >> yes. >> Miss Hughes, yes. Miss Johnson, >> yes. >> Miss Radcliffe,
>> yes. >> Miss Robinson, >> yes. >> Mr. Roy, >> yes. >> Mr. Thompson Leader. >> Yes. >> Nine. Yes. Zero. No. Zero abstain. Thank you, Madam Secretary. So, hear majority
of yeses. That motion will carry for approval. And before we move, uh, Dr. Herman, we just want to recognize >> Yes, Miss Lane. >> Best part of the night besides the volleyball team. Right. So, um, first of all, I would like to introduce Mr. Ryan
Jones as the new principal at Camp Curtain. And um as I go into the biography, I do have to say this was a trip down memory lane and it reminds me of how old I am because I actually helped to do his new hire paperwork back
in 2003. >> When I was the HR manager. So, thank you for reminding me of how many years have gone by. But also um enjoyable was just seeing all the places that Mr. Jones has worked
since dedicating his career to the school district. He has been in a multitude of buildings. I'm just going to say it that way because he is a secondary English teacher by trade. He has worked at the William Penn building as a literacy coach. Um he actually
worked both sides of the building when it was ACT and CTA. And I remember that well. I'd go between the doorways and and visit both sides. Um, he also has been at, of course, John Harris. He has
been at Camp Curtain, Roland, and of of course Marshall. They're not in any particular order, but these are the way I'm sorry, Ryan. I if I messed up any chronological timeline you had, I apologize. So, um, but Mr. Jones, he started as an administrator in 2014 here
in the school district. He became the principal at Marshall Math in 2017 and now he's going on to his next adventure at Camp Curtain. So, congratulations. >> You know, one of our new condition is
when we we have new admin, we try to get them some swag. And so I'm trying to figure out this is it's a summer time. We got him one year. I mean I know this is spring in Pennsylvania and you need jacket forever but we are so happy to have you go to camp curtain
if you don't >> dance. We all need we all need a jacket as well. Uh, sure. Sure. Um, so, um, I'm Ryan Jones and for a
long time I've been the principal of the Martial Math Science Academy and, um, I don't know when we started kind of talking about it uh, a little bit um, uh, Dr. Henry and I, but I could see um
I could see Camp Curtain and I could see a need there. And I have served this district for since 2003. And um I get asked a lot like why like why would you leave Mass Science and go
to Camp Curtain? And um I I'll tell you guys the same thing. And I told uh the students, I told the staff, um I see greatness there. I do. I called you after I went to the first uh leadership meeting. I said, I
feel like I won the lottery. I see a staff that is um is dedicated. I see a staff that um has hung on and been there um like through a really tough year. And
uh I have a saying I had a saying when I was a a coach. You can't teach heart. You can't teach heart. And that staff, that building, that community, it's got heart. And I look forward to leading it.
Thank you. >> Yeah. All right. And thank you for that. And now we'll u move to our unfinished business for the office of operations. So again, these items were listed under
the office of operations were uh properly vetted two weeks ago at the committee of the whole meeting and moved to the consent agenda for approval. So does the board wish to remove anything from the consent agenda to be voted on separately? All right. So, hearing or seeing none,
do I have a motion to approve the items listed under the um the consent agenda for the office of um operations? >> So, move Thompson Leader. >> Is there a second? >> Second, Johnson. >> Thank you. The motion has been properly
moved and seconded. Is there any discussion on the motion items? All right. So, hearing or seeing no further discussion on the motion item. Madam Secretary, can I have a roll call vote, please? Miss. Anderson?
>> Yes. Mr. Carter? >> No. >> Miss Copelan? >> Yes. Miss Hughes? >> Yes. >> Miss Johnson? >> Yes. >> Miss Radcliffe? >> Yes. >> Miss Robinson?
>> Yes. >> Mr. Roy? >> Yes. Mr. Thompson leader. >> Yes. >> Eight yes, one no, zero abstain. >> Thank you. Hear majority of yeses. So that motion will carry for approval.
And we are now ready to move to the unfinished business items for the office of business services. Again, these items were listed at the office of business service were properly vetted two weeks ago at the committee of the whole meeting and moved to the consent agenda for approval. Does the board wish to
remove anything from this from the consent agenda to be voted on separately? All right. So hearing none, do I have a motion to approve the items listed under the consent agenda for the office of business services?
>> So moved. Anderson. >> Is there a second? >> Second. Thommpson leader. Thank you. The motion has been properly moved and seconded. Is there any discussion on the motion, >> Madame President? >> Um, Dr. Sesy. Yes. >> Thank you. Item 8.5. Um, the
recommendation to put the budget on public inspection. I need to just update the board a little bit on the meeting two weeks ago when Dr. Stokes had presented the budget. At that time, we had talked about the fact that PFM was
still working on updating the projections using the proposed 2627 budget figures. In a meeting this morning, they said that they are still in the process of doing so and hope to have those projections ready for you no
later than June the 9th. Charter enrollment is still projected to increase, probably higher than what Dr. Stokes is uh suggesting in her budget according to PFM. Also, the state subsidy is still unknown as as we
currently know. So, the question is what level of risk is the board willing to take if the adequacy supplement is removed? What tax increase would be needed to balance? We were looking at a 3% and as we know and discussed in a
previous meeting that the exit report last year when we left receiverhip contemplated a 4.81% increase annually which is still below this year's act one adjusted index of 5.4%.
So respectfully as the chief recovery officer looking at the projections that PFM has provided uh knowing that they are being updated I am respectfully asking if we could consider amending the
2028 to show a 4.81% 81% tax increase as opposed to the 3% knowing full well that by the time the board adopts the final budget on June 30th that we could be looking at a tax rate lower than that once we have the projections in hand and
can make an informed decision uh based on the fact that we do have those two big associated risks with the lack of full understanding of our state subsidies at this point and our charter enrollment. Thank you. Um, thank you Dr. Suski and um, and just
to add to that um, and I don't know who would have be able to answer the question first and thank you for bringing that to our attention as well, but I did review it, but I was not clear that we were um, moving forward. So, are we still able to
amend the recovery? Cuz for my understanding, PFM has not yet did any presentation or any proposal to us currently. Correct. >> We they have not done an updated uh projections presentation. And what they
told us this morning is June 9th would be the earliest that they could do that. Now, we can still vote tonight to put this uh budget on public display because we need to be within the parameters of the 30 days before final adoption. So,
we really need to put that on there. But, I'm just requesting that we would amend the PTE 2028 to reflect 4.81% as opposed to 3%. and knowing full well that the final budget that you vote on
would would then be informed by the updated projections which gives you time. >> Um, can I ask a question here? Yeah, hold on one second Miss Anderson. >> Um, thank you, President Copelan. So,
Dr. Suski, just to clarify, and thank you for pointing this out. um what is the harm or the impact if we're to sort of do it in the inverse of what you're proposing? So adopting the budget as proposed with the 3% and then based on
the numbers and projections if we decide to increase to the 4.81% or another number when we vote on it um on June 30th, what's what is the harm or impact in doing it in that? >> That that's an excellent question. Uh typically what happens is there's usually a change that goes lower from
the time of the board adopting this budget, the proposed final to the actual vote on the final. So it's typically something where you would see a higher increase become a lower increase once more known things come about. But you could be going in the inverse direction
if you go with three and then let's just say conceivably that PFM comes back and they're saying no, we ran the updated projections and we're still showing that you need a 4.81 or worse yet we're showing that you need the 5.4 which is the index. Now you're giving the
community the sense that it's going to be a lower amount and then 30 days from now you would have to go higher. Usually you start out high and in a perfect scenario you're going to be able to go lower by the time that June 30th vote occurs. Thank you. I think my only concern with
that is if there's a headline tomorrow that we're planning to increase it to 4.81%. Um and then that's sort of like stuck in the minds of folks and then if we do decrease it. So, um, yeah, just thinking about
confusion of what the ultimate decision is. Um, but I think that's a point well taken. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Anderson. Uh, Miss Robinson. >> Yes. My question is we're with PFM's um, projections. PF we're
um, we don't have to go by PFM's projections. Is that correct? This is it becomes confusing because we have PFM doing their projections and we have our own um CFO
giving projections. So now with what Dr. Susky has presented to us, this is what we're looking to um present to PTE put out to the public and present for 30 days. And now on the day that we're
supposed to to do this, now it's well PFM hasn't gotten back to us. Well, we're on a time crunch right now and we have to have this posted for 30 days. If PFM wants to do a recommendation after the fact, what harm would it be if we
were to amend the budget later on to and that's if we decide to go with PFM's recommendation because we need to have time to go through the have have them do a presentation, have us look at what their projections are and compare them to what we've already um received from
Dr. from some I'm sorry, Dr. Stokes. So what harm is it in approving this now or and having this set for 30 days and then with when PFM finally gets to us to to give us their projections because one other thing this
was not a surprise. We knew that the budget was was going to have to be on the agenda. We knew that the we had to go through the numbers um so it wasn't a shocker. So right now, even if they can't present it present it to us by by the 9th, it's still past the
time that we need to have that posted for 30 days. So even if we went ahead and did this, can we go ahead and if we decide to amend it, just amend the budget? because I think doing it this way is going to cause a lot of confusion
if we are at 3% and now we're going to amend that budget to possibly 4% based on a presentation that we haven't received yet. >> Madame President, may I respond to Miss Robinson? >> Yes. Go ahead, Dr. Fisky.
>> I I totally understand Miss Robinson's point. The dilemma is that the district had not provided PFM with any figures for the 2627 proposed budget until after the presentation that occurred 2 weeks ago.
So they really haven't had ample opportunity to be able to work with those numbers to update the projections. And you are correct in terms of you can say the harm the there really is no harm in moving forward as you stated the harm
would be that if their projections come back and they're showing that to balance annually for the next 5 years you need a tax increase that exceeds 3%. Now you've told the public we're going with a 3%
and what if they come back and say you need the 4.81 81 or you need the index of 5.4. And so that's why in a conservative nature, you're better off starting high and then you can always go lower within the 30 days. But it's
ultimately the board's call to make. >> Thank you, Dr. Suski. Miss Hughes. >> Thank you. Uh uh Dr. Stokes, in your last um work up of the budget, I think you assumed 3% tax agree. Okay, that's what I I thought. So um I had looked at
the incoming budget as an opportunity to understand risk and um I don't want to I want to isolate variables and to do that. So uh for me to look at um Dr. Stokes's assumptions at a 3% increase of taxes and then
CPFM's uh assumptions which are a lot more conservative at a 3% tax increase and see what it looks like. Um that's what I need to make a decision to see if 3%'s even viable. Um and so to uh throw in another t it makes it's it's it's
apples to oranges then and sure it's another picture uh we could look at of a of a possible budget but um my understanding is PFM usually heirs on the side of extreme kind of conservative assumptions that's fine um but I think this would be more useful for decision-m
to have a 3% picture come in and have us compare the two assumptions. Um I'm also wondering why they can't just present provide us with two different scenarios. I mean it's the same model probably one cell that's changed the percentage. >> It's it's it's not though.
>> Okay. Because the growth rate the growth rate has to be calculated for each of those items. So it's really a lot more involved than just like flipping a switch in the >> not one cell. Okay. Forgive me. Not one cell though. But I it's it's probably an existing model where there's changing some assumptions. I So that would take
too long then. Is that the idea? Okay. Yeah. All right. Thank you. >> Thank you Miss Hughes. Um, Miss Anderson. >> Thank you, President Copelan. Um, similar to Miss Hugh's comment, I think for me, the decision that we're making tonight, yes, is like signaling this is
what our budget could potentially look like. But again, this is almost like a it's a final draft version of the budget in a sense. And I think for me, I would like to have all of the data inputs before making a decision. and so would
rather amend the budget accordingly if we need to based on updated information that we received from PFM. Um I also would be interested um and I don't know if it's too late to include this in the budget but I had
sent uh um an email to Dr. Henry and had received some information from Dr. Stokes about the prek program that the district is doing as well as looking at AIDS at Camp Curtain. Um so I would be
curious if there was a way or like a scenario that could be presented um to the board with the updated numbers that includes some type of programming for those items um in the upcoming budget.
And I think Dr. are so such. >> Um, okay. Um, I think you had mentioned that there might already be aids at Camp Curtain or there's like a plan. There's potentially a plan to include additional resources. Could you maybe speak to that a little bit?
>> Yes. Uh, probably Miss Palmer is the best to talk about it, but right now we have an RFP issued for um not necessarily aids, but additional behavioral support. So, uh, BCBA and an RBT, a registered behavior technician, um, board certified behavioral analyst
to help provide some more systematic approach to that. We also have already increased, uh, safety monitors in relation to, uh, Camp Curtain as well, Miss Palmer, do you want to elaborate a bit? No, >> I think you got it. Um, those are exactly the positions that we're looking
to add. It'll be a big help. We already have one BCBA at Camp Curtain, so we're looking to add additional. and then they will supervise the RBTs in the building. >> Thank you. Is is there a way to include
some and just like for folks who may be listening to this meeting this I think we had maybe received some of the budget information a little bit later in the year than we had previously and so I think that's why some of these questions and budget priority um points are being
brought up now. Um, but is there a way when we get the numbers from PFM to do some type of analysis to see if this is even feasible to add aid at Camp Curtain and or to do some type of preK expansion in this upcoming year given the current
budget numbers or is it like we shouldn't we can't even go there with the current budget. >> So, we can go anywhere that the board desires with the current budget. The issue is I of course have not seen the numbers from PFM. I don't know what they are. Um, I can tell you that my charter
school enrollment is based on the enrollment we actually had on April 30th. So, very very live data um when I did the proposed final. So, I can't really comment because until I can analyze PFM's numbers,
I can't tell you what they would consider viable or not. So, that's my concern when we look at the timeline. Okay, thank you. Um, well, I don't know if you had a comment. I've just I'm curious about process and sort of like
next steps, but go ahead. >> So, thank you, Miss Anderson, and I just wanted to um defer to our solicitor um I asked for Dr. Stokes help on this issue. Uh, President Copelan did whisper to me
and wanted to know whether what what we should do on this agenda item. Um, the purpose of this evening's vote is to invoke a statutoily required timeline to get our budget approved. We have to get
a budget approved prior to June 30th. uh or the board will ultimately be derelct in its duty to perform one of its essential functions as a board. So this starts the time clock for review of
the budget. Now what I've heard is amending what happens down the road. uh the opportunity is really not necessarily to amend the budget, but when we get to the final budget adoption, you're going to
pick a number. Uh and it may be based upon PFM's assumptions, Dr. Stokes's assumptions, or assumptions in between. We don't know that right now, and that's really up to you. I think the issue I think that Dr.
Suski was addressing was whether it's better to come out with an initial number that's higher and lower it or come out with a lower number and then at the end of the process say never mind it's going to be higher uh to the
community. Either way you face confusion and concern on the part of the community. >> Could I just Oh, sorry. >> Thank you. Um Miss Anderson, >> thank you. Um so definitely agree that
there could be confusion. I think though the difference is if we start with a 3% and then we receive more data we can go back to the community and say based on the additional data received the additional information that is why we
are making X decision versus throwing out a number now without all of the data makes it more complicated and and confusing. So and I definitely hear Dr. Sussy's point about the 4.81% 81% um and
bringing things up to the the index based on PTE's recommendation. But um those are just my thoughts. Having more data would be better. >> Thank you. Um Miss Anderson, Miss Robinson, >> I think we're we're we're starting to
get away from just doing our our job. Right now, we have two different entities that are giving us information. Each one is telling us, well, I I have the better I have the better information. Right now,
we have a budget that needs to be presented for 30 days. We also have the ability to amend that budget after the fact. Why are we going to amend this budget right now before the 30 days on
information that hasn't been presented to us? We don't know what PFM is going to do. And I think it becomes confusing to this board and to the public when we have two we have and we have Dr. Stokes who is our CFO and we also have PFM.
They can't agree on what the budget should be or what the numbers are which then causes confusion for us as a board and we can't make an informed decision with information that we don't have. So it becomes frustrating right now when we're trying to do something at the end
of this at the end of the year. Again, this was not a surprise. This this has been going on for months. We knew that this was coming. And I think to do this at the 11th hour right now, it it makes it it doesn't
instill confidence in from the community in us as a board when we can't even make a decision. This was just supposed to be the discussion part, not about making amendments to something that we spent months on. >> Right. So that's I'm sorry that's just
where my frustration that's where my frustration lies >> and that's understood. I think we just was coming to make because of the comment was made. So we wanted to reassure why being still the comment was made we were still in agree we need to follow through with our duties as board
members to move and vote on the budget and that's why I asked earlier are we able to later come back and amend it. Dusky asked for a motion. >> Yeah, that was what she asked, right? But the board has to move forward. >> That opened that. >> I gotcha. Okay. All right. And you said
you want to add a little bit more. >> I'm going to add a little bit more. >> Thank you. >> First of all, in terms of an amendment beyond June 30th, we can't amend the budget. So, we need to make our decision prior to June 30th. The other issue is is that um I don't believe in either
instance that anybody's alleging that Dr. Stokes's information is incorrect or even PFM's information is incorrect. Both parties are working on a different set of assumptions that we may as a board choose to abide by versus not
abide by. And I think both parties have reasonable assumptions. I would agree that the PFM assumptions are significantly more conservative in terms of issues based upon the limits that were uh raised when we went into uh our
monitoring plan following um uh the u uh receiverhip that we went out. So uh nobody's numbers are wrong. The issues are whether the assumptions in either plan are most reasonable for the
district. And uh uh I would venture to say that Dr. Stokes numbers are based upon actual numbers that she sees live on a regular basis. and PFM is going
based upon the monitoring plan which was admittedly quite restrictive based upon uh what was uh raised in receiverhip and I know that from what happened before Dr. uh Stokes was advocating different
assumptions when we exited uh receiverhip, but we are where we are right now. So, a decision needs to be made as to whether or not we quote unquote want to amend the recommendation
that is on the table right now to address the PFM recommendation or keep the recommendation as it is right now. start the time clock ticking in any event so that we can address this and
hopefully before final uh adoption. The board is presented with information and then the board is going to ultimately uh be faced with the unenviable task of weighing between those two assumptions and making what decision they believe is
in the best interest of the district. But I just wanted to make it clear, we we're talking about many different amendments here. We can't amend the B budget after June 30th. We got to get it approved. The question is whether this evening we're going to accept the
recommendation as presented by your administration and your CFO as presented and then await uh the receipt of the PFM recommendations on or about June 9th or whenever they're forthcoming and then address it as part of your final budget
review. or we go backwards and say okay this is what the monitoring plan said 4.81% we'll look at the numbers with PFM and if we are not comfortable with them we'll reduce it to a lower number to conform with the administrator's
recommendation either way works. My big concern and your big concern is we need to get this proposed final budget approved this evening or we're going to have some significant issues down the road that will not make everybody happy here, including your CFO.
>> Yeah, thank you, Mr. Sultanic. Um, Miss Anderson. >> Thank you, President Copelan. Um, could I also propose that we discuss a timeline? So, even if we were to say even if we were to vote on the budget as is or we were to amend it tonight since
that's something that we're voting on, um we still need additional information from PFM. So, I would love to propose a timeline of receiving that information if it's received by the district on the 9th. Um Dr. Stokes, are you able to do an analysis and turn things around by
June 16th? uh and and present maybe like email information to the board the final budget and that gives the board two weeks to be able to review that final budget. Is that would that be feasible or is a week not enough time? >> So I can work as hard as I need to do. I
think the biggest thing is understanding the assumptions and having access to the data which sometimes I don't necessarily have in order to be able to do a comparison um or be able to provide any insight to the board. So that's just
kind of some of the things that you know until I communicate and see exactly what PFM's going to provide it's hard for me to fully respond. Um I think the biggest thing is you know we talked about assumptions back in you know January and we said here's kind of
what we are comfortable with. We know that PFM doesn't necessarily always align with those assumptions and so the biggest thing is going to be is what is the risk tolerance or or how much do you want to have faith in the Commonwealth
following through with their commitment to underfunded schools. >> Thank you. One more question. >> Miss Robinson. >> Yes. Just have a a quick question. So, um, Dr. Suski, you said that PFM would
have information on the 9th. Are you are you saying just having information to to Dr. Stokes or presenting to the board on the 9th? >> What was discussed this morning was that the 9th would be the earliest that they would be able to come to a public
meeting and present. Um, if the board wishes to have that information on a different date, we can look at perhaps ex uh scheduling a special executive session for that purpose. Uh, there just could be no deliberations at that time. It would just be receiving that
information from PFM and the board's ability to ask questions at that time. Well, how does that work if we're um if we go ahead and um approve this the draft budget for for now to get the the to start the time to start the timer on
there and we get PFM's presentation on the 9th. Now, if we wait until the 30th to have the meeting about um approving the budget, if then we don't agree,
we're in trouble. >> Yes. >> So, are we looking at having another special meeting? Because I I understand we want to have the information, but what about presenting it to the public? We were technically supposed to adopt the budget on the 23rd and then we added
the meeting on the 30th because we were hoping that by that time we would have a state budget and so we were waiting till the the possible 11th hour uh to do that. >> Okay. So, are we still looking at approving the budget on the 23rd?
>> No. Um they were scheduling a special meeting on the 30th for the purpose of adopting the budget so that we could buy one more week of time and hoping that the state would have its budget finalized and that has been advertised. >> Well, in having the budget finalized on the 30th and the 30th being the day
where we have to actually approve this budget, how does that actually help us with because we're right now we're looking at getting the Dr. Stokes um um her budget and then we have PFM giving
us other numbers on the 9th and then having a meeting on the 30th because we're waiting on the state to possibly have a balanced budget on the 30th but that would give us other numbers which would wouldn't give us enough time to redo the budget to I mean it just it
right now we're we're we're digging our own hole right now. >> So let me let me intervene. I think what I'm hearing is a couple of things. Uh first this PFM data I do feel we need to have that in the public since we are using that to kind of to really dictate next step on what step the board want to
take. So we need to schedule a time that we can do that meeting um and have PFM be able to present that. But uh we have to do that early so you all have enough time to digest that information as well as information that Dr. Stokes already provided. So I think that need to be our
next step in deciding when do we want to have them pro uh present that information to the uh public. Yes. >> If if I could make a suggestion what I heard Dr. Susky say that the earliest
that PFM can present the data and that's the earliest which means that they might not be ready on the 9th which will cause an additional issue. My suggestion is, is there any way to go to PFM to have
them release the information prior to a presentation so that it would give Dr. Stokes an opportunity to review it, ask what assumptions are necessary, and ask specifically as part of that process
that the assumptions be articulated as clearly as possible so that it could expedite the review. So if there's any way to get it prior to the 9th, I think it could at least assist a little bit in
this process because um Ms. Robinson points out a very practical issue. If we wait to then cogitate over I love that word uh over the budget uh and wait to the 30th
and we find that we don't get consensus on the part of the board or for some reason we can't get it done then we have a significant issue. >> So again I'm going to go back to even what uh board member Anderson shared was a timeline of if we get the information
on the 9th and see if Dr. Sto can uh review that information to present something back to the board by the 16th. >> Are we looking I'm sorry having a public meeting about this? >> Well, could we So, it sounds like can PFM present on the 9th? We have three
board meetings in June, right? We have the 9th, the 23rd, and the 30th. We have to vote on the budget on the 30th, right? So that theoretically means that we could have information presented to us on either the 9th or the 23rd. Correct. Is that an assumption? So
correct. Can PFM do a presentation, a public presentation on June 9th, Tuesday, June 9th, or they will not be prepared to do a presentation that day. In the meeting this morning, they are aiming to be ready to present to you on June 9th.
>> Okay. So if they are able to present on June 9th, we can ask them questions then in the public and then if there are additional assumptions or amendments, changes that need to be made, we could always that we need to direct Dr. Stoopes to do. It sounds like she might
be able to turn that around, let's say, in a week to share with the board maybe via email so that we have time to review. At that point, could we potentially discuss adding the budget as a discussion item
on the 23rd if we need to have another discussion about it? >> Yes. Yes. >> And then if we need to have another discussion, we do that on the 23rd and then we vote on it on the 30th. Yes. >> Does that sound right? Okay. >> All right. I just want to make sure the board knows that I am still making
changes today. And so any numbers that PFM would have received from me whatever 3 weeks ago at this point are not the same numbers I'm working with today. So we think we came to an agreement with ASME. We have open enrollment that's
finished. We're continuing to gather more information. So I will try my best to make sure that you know, hey, there's a half million dollar difference in this area. there's a million-dollar difference in this area, but you know, my job is to make sure I keep stuff as
up to the minute as possible, which will not necessarily be reflective in the information that PFM will be presenting on the 9th. >> Well, thank you for that discussion. So, with that hearing no further
discussion, Madame Secretary, can I have a roll call vote, please? Yes, Miss Anderson. >> Yes, Mr. Carter. >> No, >> Miss Copelan. >> Yes,
>> Miss Hughes. >> Yes, >> Miss Johnson. >> Yes, >> Miss Radcliffe. >> Yes, >> Miss Robinson. >> Yes, >> Mr. Roy. >> Yes,
>> Mr. Thompson Leader. >> Yes. >> Seven. Yes, one no. I'm sorry, eight yes, one no. Zero abstain. >> Thank you, Madam Secretary. So, hearing majority of yeses. So, that motion will
carry for approval. And again, to for the record, we're hoping that PFN can bring us back data by June 9th to have a meeting by June 23rd to make a decision by June 30th.
All right. So with that we will move now to are we on our old business? >> Yes. >> All right. For the old business. So again, do I have a motion to approve
the district comprehensive plan, inducion plan, professional development plan, and gifted education plan as an immediate action item? >> So moved. Robinson. >> Is there a second? >> Second. Johnson. The motion has been properly moved and seconded. Is there
any discussion on the motion items? So hearing our further hearing none. So Madam Secretary, can I have a roll call vote, please? Mr. Carter. M Mr. Carter. Mr. Carter.
>> Yes. Very close. Okay. >> Is your answer yes or you're just saying yes? >> My answer is yes. >> Thank you. Yes. Miss Copelan? >> Yes. >> Miss Hughes? Yes. Miss Johnson. >> Yes.
>> Miss Radcliffe. >> Yes. >> Miss Robinson. >> Yes. >> Mr. Roy. >> Yes. >> Mr. Thompson Leader. >> Yes.
>> Do you want me to just keep going? Okay. Yes. Um, Miss Anderson is in the restroom, so no response from her. So eight yes, zero no, zero abstain. >> Thank you, Madam Secretary. Hearing
majority of the yeses. So that motion will carry for approval. Um we're now ready to move to the new business items for this evening. And I guess we'll have to make a record to correct the um the section because we're moving 10.1,
right? Yes. So you'll have to do your correction. All right. So Dr. Henry. All right. The administration is recommending approval of the attached May 26, 2026 personnel agenda as immediate action item. >> Thank you, Dr. Do have a motion to approve the attachment for the personnel agenda as an immediate action item. So
move, Tomson Leader, is there a second? >> Second, Hughes. >> Thank you. The motion has been properly moved and seconded. Is there any discussion on the motion? >> All right. Hearing no or seeing no further discussion on the motion, Madam Secretary, can I roll call, please? >> Miss Anderson. >> Yes. Mr. Carter,
>> yes. >> Miss Copelan, >> yes. >> Miss Hughes, >> yes. Miss Johnson, >> yes. >> Miss Radcliffe, >> yes. >> Miss Robinson, >> yes. >> Mr. Roy, >> yes. >> Mr. Thompson, Leader,
>> yes. >> Nine. Yes. Zero no, zero abstain. >> Thank you, Madam Secretary. Hearing majority of yeses. So that motion will carry for approval. Uh Dr. Henry, next item. The administration has recommended approval of the attached updated HAS as me creation and elimination of position
per policy 301 as immediate action item. >> Thank you Dr. Hermy. Do I have a motion to approve the creations last elimination of the positions for ATA and ask me as an immediate action item? >> So move Thompson later. Is there a second? >> Second Johnson. >> Thank you. The motion has been properly
moved and seconded. Is there any discussion on the motion item? Um I think mine is on the next one just to Okay. So hearing no further discussion on motion item. Madam Secretary, can I have a roll call vote, please?
>> Miss Anderson, >> yes. >> Mr. Carter, >> yes. >> Miss Copelan, >> yes. >> Miss Hughes, >> yes. >> Miss Johnson, >> yes. Miss Radcliffe, >> yes.
>> Miss Robinson, >> yes. >> Mr. Roy, >> yes. >> Mr. Thompson Leader, >> yes. >> Nine yes. Zero no. Zero abstain. >> Thank you, Madam Secretary. Hear a majority of yeses. So that motion will carry for approval. Uh Dr. Henry, next
item. The administration has recommended approving of the following job description as an immediate action item. >> Thank you, Dr. Enri. Do I have a motion to approve the job description as an immediate action item? >> So, move Johnson.
>> Is there a second? >> Second, Anderson. >> Thank you. The motion has been properly moved and seconded. Is there any discussion on the motion? And I I had a question u on the motion item because it has a prek
secretary and a safety monitor. So what is the position? Are these two jobs into one? >> I can answer this. >> Okay. This is for the Scott Early Learning Center which we will have for next year. based on our staffing
analysis. We are looking for somebody who not only would be able to complete the secretarial duties, but could also help with um things like greeting visitors, making sure that um they're helping with maybe bus duty, just those
items. >> So, so is that the job? So, what is the job title? >> It is secretary. So, it's a it's a prek secretary and a safety monitor. >> Correct. And it it is to service very specifically the prek program. It's a small program.
>> So, we wanted to make sure we were providing them with um a full-time support member for those four classrooms. And that's the thing. It's a very small group of people and a small population of students. >> Okay. So, this is for once we do the re
re Okay. For Scott school. So currently do is there no monitor >> there? >> Safety monitor. >> Um this is this is a new position. Okay. >> Yeah. And we don't have personnel really. We don't have teachers or anything right there.
>> I know. But is it what's being done over there now? It's a prek, isn't it? >> But it's not through the district. >> It's not district prek. >> Okay. So this will be once our we move all of our prek student. I just want to be clear. >> No, it's okay. It's it's all right. Hey, that's what >> Yeah, cuz somebody out there probably
wants to know. No, I'm just kidding. All right, so hearing no further discussion on the motion, Madam Secretary, can I have a roll call vote, please? Miss Anderson, >> yes. >> Mr. Carter, >> yes. >> Miss Copelan, >> yes. Miss Hughes,
>> yes. >> Miss Johnson, >> yes. >> Miss Radcliffe, >> yes. >> Miss Robinson, >> yes. >> Mr. Roy. >> Yes. >> Mr. Thompson leader. >> Yes. >> Nine yes, zero no, zero abstain.
>> Thank you, Madam Secretary. Hearing majority of yeses. So that motion will carry for approval. Uh Dr. Henry, next item. >> The administration has recommended approval of the waiver of exposure hearing agreement for the following student as immediate action item. >> Thank you. We do have a motion to approve the waiver of exaltion hearing
agreement for student 2025-2026-23 as an immediate action item. >> So moved to use. >> Is there a second? >> Second. Thompson leader. >> Thank you. The motion has been properly moved and seconded. Is there any discussion on the motion? All right. So hearing no further
discussion on the motion. Madam Secretary, can I have a roll call vote, please? >> Miss Anderson? Yes. >> Mr. Carter? Yes, >> Miss Copelan. >> Yes, >> Miss Hughes. Yes, >> Miss Johnson. >> Yes,
>> Miss Radcliffe. >> Yes, >> Miss Robinson. >> Yes, >> Mr. Roy. >> Yes, >> Mr. Thompson Leader. >> Yes. >> Nine. Yes. Zero. No, zero abstain. >> Thank you, Madam Secretary. Hear a majority of yeses. So, that motion will
carry for approval. Dr. Henry. Next item. The administration has recommended approval to submit to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Bureau of Career and Technical Education a new program application for SIP 52.0701 entrepreneur study as a three-year CTE
program as immediate action item. >> Thank you, Dr. Army. Do I have a motion to approve the John Harris CTE entrepreneurship 26-2027 program as an immediate action item to move Thompson Leader? Is there a second? >> Second, Johnson.
>> Thank you. The motion has been properly moved and seconded. Is there any discussion on the motion? Miss Anderson? >> Um, yes. I have a question. Dr. Henry, I know we've talked about this in the past um to some extent, but could you please
remind me the larger plan for CTE programming at John Harris? What what does that look like and how does this connect with that? Miss folk >> certainly. So um the larger plan is it spreads out about three more three years. Initially we're starting off with
the entrepreneurship program. Um and then in 2728 we want to add in our technology our cyber security. We're looking at that. Um and then the following year we're looking at the EMT and then we are looking to expand into
our trades the following year. So, um, yeah, we we we plan to make this pretty big and and offer our students some some really neat opportunities that a lot of them don't have now. Thank you. Um, just a quick follow-up question,
expanding the trades portion of it, what um what are you hoping to expand and what is sort of the thought process behind that being like 3 years out for when you're going going to expand it versus doing that expansion now?
Um, I'm actually going to tap on John's shoulder for this, but because of the the type of program that we want and the opportunities that we want to offer the students, um, the space that we need for them that needs to be done so that they can have a proper um, trades program
within the school. We will be looking for partnerships. Um, those things aren't real easily done as the entrepreneurship to start small and to keep adding. Um, so that's one of the reasons why is the the the the space that we need to offer our students these
programs. All right. Pretty much. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, I would I would agree with that. Um I I do think though that you know it's possible that it could be done a little bit sooner, but that's something
that we'll just have to monitor as we go through um you know the first couple programs. >> Thank you. And just to clarify, was that the wall that we had discussed where it was like the um we're like moving a we're taking a wall down, we're expanding space.
Could you just talk about like when you talk about >> Sure. >> improving the space for the classes, what does that look like? >> Yeah, I believe there's three classrooms in that hallway. Um and then there's the um there's two rooms or a fourth fourth
classroom. Um, so we're just shifting the the the entrepreneurship to a different classroom that's open at this point and as we get through uh the additional programs that we want to add, we'll then uh come back to you for for that wall and have a further discussion there.
>> Thank you. And then how does that work with like enrollment numbers and space in general at John Harris? Well, I mean, first enrollment, we hoping that by providing these opportunity that we can continue to increase enrollment. Um, right now, we
don't know what being we're going to have until we kind of get the program up and running. >> Okay. Thank you. And and then one other thing, we also are um even though that's our three-year, four-year plan, um we still seek out partnerships. Um partnerships
seek out us looking for opportunities to um to uh partner with us in the trades. Now, so um as John said that we may be able to offer some things even sooner with through some of our partnerships, but we do want to start off um with the entrepreneurship, start off small. This
is the application phase, all of those things, getting our boards in um in order. So, getting all the things in order, certifications, all those good things. Um starting off small with something that we already have and we can build upon.
>> Thank you, Miss Anderson. And I just >> Oh, >> no. You go. No, no, no, no, no. >> I can wait for you. I can wait for you to get. >> Okay. So, I just wanted to get clarification because I know um I want to say just our last recent uh
school board, this was brought up with somewhat of a combination with SBI. So, this is a total separate program from SBI. Correct. >> Absolutely. Yep. We'll be running the programs together. Um but they are
distinct. Um the SBI program is more of your honors mentorship. Um it is selective obviously. Um the CTE program will be open to an open enrollment. Um they will have an honors track but there's not an honors prerequisite for
it. >> Okay. And and that's what a little bit I guess of the conversation was more geared towards because now as the expansion you talked about Dr. hearing in the past is you wanted to expand it to other students that are in the what
10th, 11th and 12th grade. So what does that look like with the current students? Like I know we're you like what does that or can you just walk with me to explain like how are these students getting enrolled? Like do we already have like what does the
application process look like? So, for the CTE program, there there is no application process, but what we're in the middle of doing right now is training our counselors um to work with our um incoming freshmen and and their opportunities. So, all freshmen will
take um this year personal finance. Yes. So the personal finance courses that is the entryway into um to uh the CTE program or they may decide to do SBI and apply for that because the SBI program pretty much starts in the 10th grade. Um
so but all ninth graders will have to take the the personal finance. Um but the counselors will be wellversed in both programs and be able to guide the the the students in one direction or the other. >> Okay. Yeah. I guess that's kind of what I want to Yeah. A little bit of
breakdown of like how are we going to separate the two and creating a, you know, somewhat of a similar pro program to extend it out to other students, >> right? >> And then how I just want to see, you know, I guess the outcome of it or do we
have to somewhat of a and this is just my own vision, right? Do we have to tear the wall or can we use the classrooms that we already >> if you're adding this into their, you know, their um >> the room we're talking about, the room
already was one big room. We someone added this wall. So, I mean, but we don't need to get caught up on the wall. That's down the road. Um way down the road out. >> Yeah, the wall is not the big concern right now. Figure out how we can where we can put that particular class.
>> Right. So, how are you identifying already like the students? >> We haven't currently >> every every students that go on to John Harris have to take personal finance. So, every kid is going to get that class regardless. And now that they have that class and we have the ninth grade academy, they'll get to learn about CT
program. They get to learn more about SBI. So, we able to kind of provide that information to our students in ninth grade. So, at the end of nth grade, they can make a decision. Do you want to take the CT track? Do you want to just do regular classes? Or do you want to do SBI? kids have options, >> right? And then what about students who
might attend a different school like say ones that are online uh ones that may go to what scite techch that want to shift? Like what is that is that all being factored in? Okay. >> All right. So, um Miss Robinson. Oh, I
think Mr. Carter. I'm sorry, Mr. Carter. I'm sorry. Go ahead, Brian. >> No, no, no, no. Go ahead, Danny. I can wait. Um, this is a good question. So, you're saying every ninth grader has to start with the personal finance class. Yes. Okay. But, but you also said that
the personal finance class is the prerequisite for either going into SBI or to CTE. >> Not necessar. I'm not saying it's a prerequisite, but the personal finance class is required by PTE. Like, that's something you have to take. >> Okay. That's why I It just seemed like
it was that you had to take that class in order to go there. But I'm like, what if No, what if the student doesn't want to go there? No, that's a required course by PTE. Yes. And um the students um will also be taking uh we were talking about the freshman academy. Um they'll be taking a freshman seminar which you all will be
getting um information on that uh pretty soon. And again that's uh where they'll be learning a lot more about the opportunities ahead of them during the you know whether they whether it's SBI or or or the CTE what whatever they'll be learning about careers and things like that during this freshman seminar.
So they'll get information there as well. >> Okay. So now the students who take well since you said since every freshman has to take that person that finance class if they don't go into CTE or SBI what's the next step if that if >> they just take regular classes
>> just take their regular classes. >> But what if they wanted if with doing that personal finance class they wanted to do something in that but not go into SBI there would be no other track for them to take besides the CTE track. because they going to just take their
regular classes. They don't have to take any business classes >> and the only way to do the business classes would be go to go towards the SBI >> SBI or CT >> or CTA. So there's two tracks SBI or CT or business courses or business. Um
>> I am so confused. If SBI Wait a minute. If the CTE that's the there's going to be three classes over the over the course of three years that they're going to be added. Okay. What does having the finance class have
to do with CTE? >> It's a >> Yeah, it's just a required course. It doesn't have anything to do with it. It's a course that kids have to take, not whether they're going into business or anything. They the state says that every student within the grade bands of
9 through 12 must take this uh finance class. >> I I got that part. But then it was if they don't want to do if they just enjoy say the finance class if they wanted to go to the next thing they would have to go SBI and then you said CTE but CTE
doesn't have anything to do with the finance class >> the entrepreneur that's why that for entrepreneurship. >> Thank you. Okay that's the >> that's the part you didn't get. Okay. Thank you. >> So we take you essentials and then it's like entrepreneurship one
entrepreneurship. Thank you. Okay. There you go. >> The attachment that actually outlines that. >> Yeah. >> You You want me to >> open the to the agenda that actually illustrates this visually? >> You got it. Okay.
>> Okay. And Mr. Carter, thank you, Miss Robinson. Mr. Carter. So, uh my question pretty much so once that this is approved, do we already have the uh instructors in those positions uh for those uh business courses that we're offering? And also, are they already familiar with the curriculum that's
being offered to the children? >> So, the the SBI one obviously we do, Miss Embry Branks, Embry Banks. Um but the CTE teacher, we will probably be looking at um who will be teaching um that that course.
So, it'll it likely will be someone that we already have. One of the business teachers that we already have. >> Okay. Thank you. Appreciate. >> We do have to Yeah. Okay. >> No, no, no, no. I didn't mean to cut you all. Go ahead.
>> No, I'm just saying I mean they're familiar with that it's coming. We're waiting on, you know, hopefully to get approved tonight. So, every everyone's pretty excited about it. So, we'll probably have to post the position um because we may have um some interest from a couple of the the business
teachers. >> All right. >> Oh, thank you. So, I I guess I don't really have a question per se, but more of a comment because I know a lot of the community members were talking about even um when we prior created the uh
William Penn task force, a lot of um community members wanted to um push towards CTE program and this is what the students recommended. So happy to see you know we're in that somewhat of a direction to that CT of rebirthing that
and moving forward. So just wanted to share that openly because I know it's a big talk about us trying to change and steer towards a different direction and I know that was the outcome of the community. So to see it on the agenda is
saying we're, you know, we're in we're on this the pathway, but some work. So thank you for that. And with that, um, Madame Secretary, can I have a roll call vote, please? Miss Anderson, >> yes. Mr. Carter,
>> yes. >> Miss Copeland, >> yes. >> Miss Hughes, >> yes. >> Miss Johnson, >> yes. >> Miss Radcliffe, >> yes. Miss Robinson, >> yes. >> Mr. Roy, >> yes.
>> Mr. Thompson Leader, >> yes. >> Nine yes, zero no zero abstain. >> Thank you, Madam Secret. Hearing majority of yeses, that motion will carry for approval. Dr. Henry, next item. >> The administration has recommended that Dr. Sa Ponchov be designated as the CT
program coordinator for the career technical education program offer at the district as part of the administrative duty as admin as a meter action item. Thank you. Um, do I have a motion to approve the John Hair CTE entrepreneurship
move 27 design as an immediate action item? >> So move Thompson leader in second. >> Is there a second? >> Second, Robinson, >> we all ready to go. The motions has been properly moved and seconded. Is there any discussion on the motion? I don't think you should go nowhere, Dr.
Henry. No, I'm just kidding. because I have a question though and maybe you guys can help me out because currently I don't know is this an additional duty added on to and I don't know how to ask this for this administrator because it's saying
she would be over the um CT oh this is the application what is her actual >> well Dr. A is the supervisor of electives and humanities. So this falls under her job description >> currently. Okay, that's what I want to make sure. Okay, so there's not nothing additional already.
>> It is not, but for the program, we have to name a coordinator for the for the application. I mean, >> okay, great. All right. So, was there any further discussion on the motion? Uh, Mr. Carter? >> No, I meant the law of my hand. Pretty much you asked the same question that I was getting ready to ask and they
already uh provided the clarity. So, that's All right. Thank you. So, hearing no further discussion on the motion, Madam Secretary, can I have a roll call vote, please? Miss Anderson? Yes. Mr. Carter? >> Yes.
>> Miss Copelan? >> Yes. Miss Hughes? Yes. Miss Johnson? >> Yes. >> Miss Radcliffe? >> Yes. >> Miss Robinson? >> Yes. >> Mr. Roy? Yes,
>> Mr. Thompson leader. >> Yes. >> Nine. Yes. Zero no zero abstain. >> Thank you, Madam Secretary. Hearing majority of yeses. So that motion will carry for approval. And we're now ready to move to our policy recommendation and updates. So again, these following policies were presented for the first
reading on our May 12th, 2026 and are now recommended for adoption. So, may I have a motion to approve the policies as listed on the agenda? >> So, move to use. >> Is there a second? >> Second, Anderson. >> Thank you. The motion has been properly
moved and seconded. Is there any discussion on the motion items? All right. So, hearing none, Madam Secretary, can I have a roll call vote, please? >> Miss Anderson? >> Yes. Miss Mr. Carter? >> Yes. Miss Copelan, >> yes. >> Miss Hughes,
>> yes. >> Miss Johnson, >> yes. >> Miss Radcliffe, >> yes. >> Miss Robinson, >> yes. >> Mr. Roy, >> yes. >> Mr. Thompson, Leader, >> yes. >> Nine yes, zero no zero abstain.
>> Thank you, Madam Secretary. Hear majority of yeses. So that motion will carry for the approval for the policy updates. U we're now ready for the board committee representative reports this evening. We're starting um with the capital area IU update from Miss Jamie Johnson.
>> Thank you. Um yes um our meeting is Thursday. Um however since the last um report uh we did conduct um uh evaluation of the executive director uh Dr. Andrea uh Sou uh Seiya, sorry,
Andrea Seiya. And um overall she had a very good report from all of the uh board members um from all over the region. And so um she's um her leadership is um definitely appreciated.
Um very good organizational skills. um she was um rated overall very good and uh we are lucky and CIU uh is very lucky to have her as an executive director. Um that's all. Thank you.
>> Thank you Miss Johnson for that report and u we'll move to the Dolphin County Technical School joint operation committee. Miss Hughes, >> thank you very much. Uh we had a meeting on May 13th. Um, okay. So, they've they
updated us on the application status uh for um positions. I think they have 336 spots. So, they're receiving applications and undergoing the grading process. Um, we did find out that parents are able to inquire where to improve if someone doesn't make it in the program. Uh, so you're able to um
reach out to the principal and get connected to someone who can talk about opportunities for improvement. Um the school is going through a reorg uh starting on July 1st and it will produce savings of somewhere around 200,000 total. Um so that will be that will um
result in some savings for schools. So that's some good news coming up too. Um also a feasibility study was started. Uh they're looking at options to expand uh into the sending schools. So the sending schools being like schools like ours where we're sending students. Um that's a possibility. of course, you know, we
have a program that we just voted on. Um so that you know there may be opportunities there um or and also to increase students uh served. Uh so there obviously there's a lot more demand for um poor technology and trade. So they're looking at that uh through a feasibility
study. Um they're looking at uh let's see increasing uh industry alignment as well. Um, as in in terms of events, uh, they also had a career signing day on May 28th or it's coming up, sorry, on May 28th. Um, field day is coming up on
May 29th. That'll be fun. They're going to um graduation's on the 2nd of June at 6 p.m. at the forum downtown. And at on the 10th, they we have our next JC meeting. Um, also some FBALA uh future business leaders of America uh field
trips in June and July, FFA uh field trips coming up also in June and they have a summer CARES trip as or excuse me BC Cares summer trip as well um in July. Um so uh for more detailed information about the um events uh and the calendar
you can you know access that on their website and that is all I have. Thank you. >> Thank you for that report and uh thanks for the newsletter as well. all the attached. So, I just want to give a shout out to one of our students of the month for the month of May. It was Crystal at Chabaria for building
construction technology. So, and thanks for that report back cuz I'm always like, what about the students, our parents who weren't able to get into the school. So, that's good to know that they still have that other opportunity to go back and um get the feedback to help their students get in. All right,
so we're moving right along to the Pennsylvania School Board Association, Miss Danielle Robinson. >> Thank you. And just to go back to DC Tech, uh Crystal was Crystal I can never forget. >> Chavaria, I'm Spanish.
>> She has been um student of the month many times. So um she she really makes us proud. So, uh, major shout out to her, not just for this month, but she has been multiple months student of the month. Um, okay. So, let's go get down
to business. Uh, on May 4th, uh, Dr. Henry and, uh, our board president, Miss Copelan, and I participated in advocacy day at the capital. um that day.
I don't think well I think every year we're always asking um our legislators to press to give us money. Um this year it really wasn't the case. What we we advocated for one was
the mandate relief. Um there are a lot of things that are in Pennsylvania law that prevent us from actually doing what we need to do as a district. So, we're asking for some of those mandates to to either be lifted or just eliminated. Um, some let's just I'm just let's say throw
it out there. Um, just the way we can do things in the district. Let's just say there were they were starting something where they were going to do um mandated um the cell phone bags. Well, you really can't
mandate that across the state because a lot of school districts already have their own policies as far as cell phones, the pouches or just to eliminate them. But that's just an example. But there are a ton of mandates that the state has that prevents the districts from actually doing what we need to do
for our kids. So that was one of the asks, which was to eliminate some of those mandates. Another one was for the um state infrastructure support. um our believe our plan con wasn't funded. So we need to have that money in our
budgets in order to actually do what we need to do for our buildings in the school district. So since it wasn't funded, we didn't actually have an ask for how much we wanted funded just to have it funded so that we can actually do things in our district. Um, and the
other thing was just a budget impass relief. And we were we're speaking earlier about um waiting until the 30th to pass our budget, but a lot of times a lot of districts, we can't do anything unless the state passes their budget. And sometime I think over the last few
years, it's always been passed June 30th. So, and some districts actually have to borrow money in order to meet their expenses and then make up for it when the budget finally passes. And sometimes it's not enough for them to
actually to do that. So, we just ask for um just to be mindful of what our districts actually have to do in order to to stay running. It's not a um we don't want them arguing about
nickels and dimes when we're dealing with millions of dollars in expenses in our districts. So, it wasn't so much of a ask of give me money. It was do what's already in the budget, do it in a timely fashion, and release some of
these mandates that stop us from actually succeeding. you keep wanting us to pull ourselves up by the bootstraps, but you actually tie our laces together, so we really can't do anything. So, that was pretty much the um
the advocacy day, but there were a lot of um as far as the the challenges that a lot of districts are are having, which we're having too. Um roughly 67% have have issues with their their charter school tuition, special education,
healthc care increases, school facilities, and inadequate state funding. Um and it says 96% of districts reported at least some impact due to state budget impasses. They have to get it together. And that
was just the ask. It wasn't give me money. this was let us do what we need to do for our districts and don't handcuff us when we're actually trying to act to do things. And a lot of the things that were going on up at the capital, there were a lot of advocacy
groups up there and one I thought was really good was it's called Thrive for Hope. Words are hard. Thrive for Hope, which which is an adult young adult support group. um which meets on um
Thursdays. If you just type in Thrive for Hope, there's a QR code where you can actually sign in and just meet up through Zoom with other people your your age. They're also um and this is what got me was that last month we had the gamers come in and that thrive for
thrive for hope words. Um they actually have a gaming um it's a a Twitch so you can actually log on there. You can game with other ones. You can just speak about things. It's just a um a peer-to-peer
um community. So and let's see one more. There was a it's called T A YA. transition age youth and young adults subcommittee and this
is for it's a gathering of young adults to share ideas to improve youth mental health supports in our communities and to make recommendations to the PA mental health planning council and right now they're advocating for for voices of
youth and young adults um to two statewide stakeholders and um just using a lot of uh advocacy efforts. So you can look that up at t a ya subcommittee@gmail.com.
And I think that was pretty much Oh, and the ones we met with were we met uh with Senator Kim's office. We missed uh Representative Madson's office, so we didn't get to meet with him, but uh and I met also with uh Representative um
Nate Davidson. That was a really I think we we had a really good conversation about advocacy and he's really willing to help the district and if we wanted him to he would he would be willing to come right down the street to um to
speak with our board and meet with our leadership here to see what we can do to help him help us get what we want. So, and I think the last thing was as far as PSBA the I will be attending the last no
I'm sorry it's not the last one the liaison quarterly meeting which will be July 23rd but I won't be able to tell you guys about it because we don't have a meeting in July. So that is my report for PSBA. >> All right. Well, thank you, Mr.
Robinson, for that wealth of good good information here. We will move now to the act 141 advisory committee. So, either Mr. Doug Thompson leader or Miss Autumn Answer Anderson or Mr. Alternative Brian Carter.
Uh this month we got to have an another excellent meeting in the academics area. This time with Sabina Grant Spencer about early childhood education which is an area I am extremely proud of our school district. This is a position that
most other school districts don't have because the state does not mandate nor does it fund kindergarten much less preschool and all of the other um programs all the way down to birth. So that we do it and have somebody that coordinates with our community
organizations from the smallest all the way up to the largest daycare centers and early and preschool programs is awesome. And it was a wonderful presentation to see the work that they're doing, how it's aligning with what we're looking to do in the school
so that when we get the kids, we address the drop cuz when they come prepared, we want to keep building on that. So, it was a very um engaging presentation. Everybody there was asking questions and
she provided a lot of information um about what they're doing and what they're going to continue to expand to do plus how they addressed the um sudden closure of a very large um daycare preschool operation. So it's very
informative. Again, these are meetings open to the public. Um I'm always thrilled when we're learning about internal operations, especially in the academic space. Um, we learned about the challenges that we're having and
those challenges go beyond just a lack of staff. It's a lack of ability to hire staff. And so again, it was a very meaningful conversation. I don't know if uh Autumn you would like to add anything beyond that.
>> Just wanted to add I wonder did did the board have we shared the full PowerPoint? I think she did she share a PowerPoint with us? I wonder um if we we could potentially share that with the full board. Um just because I think this was a really good example of an
evidencebased program that is succeeding in the district and I know that a lot of the board members really appreciate data um and it is something that I personally would like to advocate for in the budget whether this year or next year. So um
yeah, thank you. We'll get a hold of that presentation for you all. >> Awesome. Thank you. Because I'm a big fan on um early childhood education and I think that is something even at advocacy day uh we talked about and I
believe the governor they're fighting now to put a budget line item on there for early childhood education which is very important for the children coming to the district and being prepared. So, thanks for that and I would love to see that PowerPoint.
And with that, we'll move to hack. Um, Mr. Brian Carter, did you get anything from hack? >> Uh, no. Our uh meeting is scheduled for tomorrow. But however, with the conflict with the president's schedule, our meeting was pushed back to the 28th. So
hopefully by our June meeting in uh our meeting in June, I should have an update for you guys. >> Thank you, Mr. Carter, for that. And um last but not least, we'll move to our Dolphin County Tax Collection Committee for Dr. Marcia Stokes.
>> Thank you, President Copelan. Yes, we did meet on the 20th of May. Um we finally had a quorum. So, we're able to approve two uh our annual financial reports. In addition, we had Keystone do a presentation looking at 2026
collection data, which is up from 2025. So, another strong year so far. In addition, Keystone presented on cyber security, data sec security, and AI, and what they're doing to protect all of the sensitive information that they obtain through all the different collections of
taxes. Uh we also uh uh talked about uh the deductions that are going to be coming to fund the tax collection committee budget. Uh Keystone uh updated the numbers. So proportionally we are aligned with which each uh burrow, city,
school district and such contributes towards that budget. Our next meeting is November 18th at 6:30 at the middle tax middle Paxton Township building. All right, thank you Dr. um Stokes for
that report and we'll move now to our super superintendent report for this evening. >> Yes, I have a few announcement to our community. First, we will be having a special work session on June 8th from 6:00 to 8 here at 10:10 North 7th Street in regard to school closure. Um that
will be advertised. Um so the community can come out and have a voice on that. Um we also will have our next committee of the whole meeting here at 10:10 North 7th Street on June 9th. On Thursday, May 28th, Downey Spring Choir and Band
concert and a STEM showcase award will be taking place from 5 to 6:30. Also on Thursday, this Thursday, our Harrisburg High School senior award recognition scholarship ceremony will take place at the John Harris campus at 5:30 in the
auditorium. on June 4th, Thursday. Um, again mentioned what our board president was speaking about. The geograph geography B will be taking place at Lincoln. Um, this is for our Harrisburg school district students from Lincoln, Merros,
and Ben Franklin. Um, the B will be held in the auditorium at Lincoln starting at 5:00. And my last announcement is our graduation will be taking place on June 13th at Seance Field with a rain date makeup date of June 14th.
>> They already did that. Yeah. >> All right. Well, thank you for your report and where's we get ready for graduation. I love graduation. It's exciting. see the children go getting old but young. So with that,
we'll move to our final section of the public comments for Do we have any public comment? >> We do not. >> Awesome. U Miss Robinson, do you have something? Not so much a public comment, but I
wanted to get this out there before we adjourned our meeting. Um earlier in the meeting we had a tribute and a moment of silence for um Mr. Vinnie Davis. And I although that part talked about him as a person, what he did, how he was
educated, and how much he loved music, I don't think we it it didn't really express what he's done for our district and for our community. And years ago, um Vinnie and I got together and we we did
the um what was his idea. I kind of tagged along with him and created the um H.B.CU band committee. And this is a committee we got together with the March of Cougar Band Boosters to bring H.B.CU
to Harrisburg. Um, our band is more of a show band and HBU H.B.CU style of marching. Um, as opposed to a core style and having kids see that next
level of what they can do and what they can be. Having it on their field um, was exciting and it shows them the next level. So those were that was a lot of we did the battle of the bands um
three different years and the amount of effort that it it took to bring three or four HBCU to Harrisburg to perform on one day show off show our kids where they can go. It it was a lot of work but
it was so worth it. And he contacted these um the the directors of the schools. It it was just a lot of work and he has done so much. Um we've done three Battle of the Bands drum line competitions where we brought high
schools from New York and Delaware to compete against our drum line. Um going down to Morgan State's band day where they bring marching bands from all over um high school bands from all over where
they get to train that day with um what they're the bears. I think they're the Bears, Morgan State Bears with their marching band. Um is it he's done and made connections with other schools and
um and helped these kids make introductions to with with other schools, whether they went to an H.B.CU for band or they just got into college. He's made those connections. So I don't want to just just because yes he he's an
alumni from here but he was born and raised and educated here left out went to college came back here and brought those those his skills back here at home and still kept teaching um the students
kept teaching helping in the community um just bringing a lot of things together and Just one quick story. When we first started this, it was we just wanted to bring kids down to Morgan State just so they can see the the
campus. It was an outside thing. No school district, anything. And a lot of things fell through and a lot of parents didn't show up. So, we wind up having I think eight kids that just wanted to go and had no way. We I called Vinnie.
Load up your car. I'll load up mine. And we drove them to Morgan State just for the day. And it was he didn't have to do it. He didn't get paid for it. It was just something in his heart to do for the kids. So, I just wanted to get that out there cuz I think I'm going
to miss my friend. I'm going to miss the arguing cuz he could give it as much as I can. Um, and just wanted to put that out there that he was a part of Harrisburg, he was a part of the school district, he was a part of this band and
he left his mark and he will not be forgotten. >> So, well, thank you um for sharing that, Mr. Robinson. And um also, I know his family's not here, but um we'll keep it alive and you know, make sure we keep in
touch. I think that was the first when I first came on the board, he was like, "We're going to have a battle." And I'm like, "Sure, sir. We're going to do it." And it happened. So, I was able to see that, you know, manifest. So, we'll keep that alive. And with that, we will now
um adjourn the meeting for this evening. So, is there a motion to adjourn the meeting? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Second, Johnson. >> All in fa Well, me second. All in favor signify by saying I. I.