DTSD Webinars: No.
DTSD Webinars: I'd like to call the May Eighth, 2,023 meeting of the dairy town of School District Board of Directors to order. and announced that this meeting is being live, streamed and audio recorded.
DTSD Webinars: This meeting is being conducted both in person and virtually.
DTSD Webinars: I'd like to request for board members to please state your name when speaking.
DTSD Webinars: This is a G roll call. Please
DTSD Webinars: thank you.
DTSD Webinars: Please rise if you're able, and join me for the pledge of allegiance.
DTSD Webinars: I have a motion to approve it. May a 2,023 board of directors agenda.
DTSD Webinars: Is there any discussion?
DTSD Webinars: This is a standard voice vote all in favor, say aye, and he opposed no
DTSD Webinars: motion carries. Thank you. Moving on to agenda. Item 2 informational and proposals.
DTSD Webinars: Presentation of the 2,023, 2,024 budget, Mrs. Purcell.
DTSD Webinars: Good evening, everyone. So for tonight. We'll be
on the board agenda for approval is the proposed final budget
DTSD Webinars: just to go over the calendar. So what this means for tonight? The proposed final coming out of Finance Committee at the end of April we had talked about the
DTSD Webinars: tax increase and what we are going to bring forward as far as our proposed final budget. So that's what we're going to talk about tonight. The rest of this we will go through. We have a finance committee meeting. May twenty-second, where we will really try and identify what our final budget will look like
DTSD Webinars: the final budget will be voted on June twelfth. It must be submitted to Pd. By June thirtieth. I know we had talked about a little bit at finance about the possibility of. Could we go as far as June 20 sixth, for the or the
DTSD Webinars: the last meeting in June
DTSD Webinars: to pass our final budget. We cannot, because we're with the county, and they print our bills. They need our tax information by June sixteenth. So this lines up perfectly. We will board. Approve our final budget. June twelfth. We've got plenty of time to to work all of this out. We'll board, approved June twelfth, and submit to the county by June sixteenth.
DTSD Webinars: So some things we've been talking about in finance what's in what is included in our proposed final budget Act one index for this year is 4.1. This proposed final budget does include a 2.7% tax increase, and we'll go through some more of this in depth a little bit later on
Milton. Her she trust.
DTSD Webinars: the last 2 years due to Covid, we were allowed, and had been taking larger withdrawals 2 years ago we took a 7 this current year. We're taking a 5. We are going back to a 4 withdrawal from the Trust, and that's really to because of economics, and the trust balance is dropping. That's to preserve that trust balance. We can look at it again next year. If we want to talk to our fault and advisors about the possibility, maybe, of going to a 4 and a half. If we, if we think that we need a
DTSD Webinars: little bit of extra revenue in the budget. But for the 2324 school year we will have a 4% tax, increase.
DTSD Webinars: as you know, during the Covid years the Giant Center did stop paying the Icda pilot payment. That's about 750,000, roughly to the district we did. They did make good on that this past year we did in December of 22. Get the first
DTSD Webinars: pilot payment that we've gotten in 2 years.
DTSD Webinars: and so we are billing that in again for next year. So remember the pilot payment we get 2. One is from Penn State, no Med center. That's about 250,000, and then about 7 50 from
DTSD Webinars: the Giant Center for a total line item revenue of a 1 million dollars.
DTSD Webinars: This will be in 2324 the last year for the arp esser. The that third round of our vessel was a 2 year. We took 2 point. It's the same thing from last year. The 2.2, roughly, is in this current school year Budget. We will have that final amount next year. 2.2. We are using that
DTSD Webinars: to pay for salaries in our budget. So that's an item that as we go forward we're going to need to make sure that we're we're thinking about for next year, because that 2 million dollars will come away
DTSD Webinars: and drop our revenues in the 2425 school year.
DTSD Webinars: The biggest in expense increases right now. It's kind of the same as last year. Our salaries across the board. It's a 4%, and they're contractually driven. We've got the 3.
DTSD Webinars: We've got the teacher professional Staff union. We have the Support Staff Union, and we have our at 93 administrative group so I collectively as a whole. It's approximately a 4% tax increase in those contracts.
DTSD Webinars: Benefits Overall is a 3.6. There's a couple of of pieces in that medical trends last year in this that we saw was 12. We're currently at a 7.7.
DTSD Webinars: We're still working with our our consultants. AI, a group who they look at all this information, and they're trying to make sure
DTSD Webinars: and gather as much as we have. They can, so we will have a final number by the May 20 s Board Meeting Haven't. Seen a little uptick in in in
DTSD Webinars: in in some medical lately, so that might change that. So hopefully we'll stay around that 7% number
pcers did come down. Actually, this is the first year
DTSD Webinars: that peasers our current percentage of that we pay as an employer on salaries and
DTSD Webinars: to paid to employees. It's 35.2 6 in this current year, and it's actually dropping to 34. So they they did make a little rebounds. Now they do have increases built in now going forward again.
DTSD Webinars: charged full tuition. It's a piece that we've been talking a lot about in finance, and really watching the trend over this past year at with Covid. That number had had jumped up to around a
DTSD Webinars: 110 students. Approximately we're currently in the mid eighties. So actually we probably don't need to increase the line. Item budget for that. We're seeing about 1.5 million dollars
DTSD Webinars: that we pay to charter school as tuition for students that have chosen that as an option.
So the history of act one index. This is just
DTSD Webinars: the act. One index is the limit that the State
DTSD Webinars: sets for school districts that they may not raise taxes above
DTSD Webinars: the base index. You can see, Dtsd.
DTSD Webinars: the basic index that goes across to this year's base index for 2324 rather is 4.1,
DTSD Webinars: so that means the district could go as high as 4.1 without asking for any special referendums to go above that schools can ask typically for peasers. They're able to you our special education. Rather, they're able to potentially get a little bit more than the act, one index.
DTSD Webinars: We are not doing that again. We are at 2.7, and this is just for the proposed final. The way we talked at finance. We're going to keep looking at it. Come back to finance again and and look at our options at the end of May.
DTSD Webinars: So we need to start talking about financial planning for capital projects, and we we've started these discussions in depth throughout Finance committee meetings, and this was from a presentation from our some, our financial folks with Raymond James, and that they some information that they've shared, and I had shared this in a board workshop with everyone.
So we are fortunate. We are one of
DTSD Webinars: 10 school decks districts in the State. There's 500, but one out of 10
DTSD Webinars: that have a aaa rating. That's the highest you can have. So we are very fortunate. We're in a really good financial position here in this district, and that's a really important piece. As we go forward with financing what that does by having the aaa. It means we can put. We can borrow money
DTSD Webinars: and pay a lower interest rate, which will cause, you know, which will get us significant financial savings over the life of the debt
as we're looking at any kind of
DTSD Webinars: financing needs for a significant capital project. That's a big thing to keep in mind. We currently have about 18 million dollars of principle.
DTSD Webinars: and it it's we do have rapid repayment. So it's. It's a good debt structure.
DTSD Webinars: The borrowing capacity that we can go to is 120 milliondollars, and these numbers are fluids each year, and as as finances change, that changes. But what that 120 milliondollars means, that's the cap on the amount of money we could potentially borrow again. We do not want to go that so the things that we're doing now to put
DTSD Webinars: things in place that will help us save some money, put monies aside and be able to keep our debt structure down a little bit. So that's that's part of what we'll keep talking about.
DTSD Webinars: Act one prior to act one. Now we just talked about what the State. So when Pde. Comes out every year and gives us that act, one index number, what that really means is prior to act. One
DTSD Webinars: schools could just raise. So if a school wanted to do a building or a a significant renovation, they could say any given year. So if our index for next year is 4.1, a district could say, Well, I need 20%, or I mean, that's that's significant. But they could go as high as you know 10, or you could just pick that number, so
DTSD Webinars: the
DTSD Webinars: to control that pde. Put act one in place a little bit, and put some parameters in place. So Pde tells you how high you can go for your tax increase.
DTSD Webinars: So that's so. That's why it's important. Now, as we start talking about this building project.
DTSD Webinars: we need to start setting ourselves up now to put money aside basically to start saving as if you would. If you were going to build your own home, or knew you had a significant project, you'd start slowly, putting money aside very planfully, very mindfully.
DTSD Webinars: doing things and putting the money aside, so that when it came time to do the project, you had a nice stash of funds that are going to enable you to basically borrow less going forward. And that's the significant piece of this. So that's why we we start talking about this. That's really what we're trying to talk about. How do we position ourselves
DTSD Webinars: now for the future, When some of these. when we start, have to pay for some of these things that we want to do.
DTSD Webinars: and the big thing about when we do put
DTSD Webinars: ask for, you know, put it a a Bo bond issuance out there. Those proceeds we don't do them willy nilly's. Basically They can't be used for any other expenses, salaries, or anything else.
DTSD Webinars: It's specifically borrowing for capital. Projects. You know our building project.
DTSD Webinars: So now this is this is specific to Dairy township. So in the current year we had a 3.4 tax increase. So you can see that on the 2223 column the columns to the to the right, then the
DTSD Webinars: our options basically for 2324, and These are the conversations that we've been having in finance that will continue to have, and then where we'll land June twelfth.
you can see, so we'll come back to the 1.9
DTSD Webinars: as a very important number right now, for the proposed file has 2.7 again. The base index, which are not going to is 4.1,
DTSD Webinars: and that's the that's the range of tax increases that we're looking at
DTSD Webinars: what's on the bottom. Our Median assessed value, and this is still the the value from 2223 actually just got an email today that the number for next year is 163,200. So it really didn't change that much.
DTSD Webinars: so that doesn't skew this these numbers at the bottom, but the numbers at the bottom. Basically if we're looking at a 2.7% tax increase on the Median assessed value home of 162,000
DTSD Webinars: The cost the increase cost to the taxpayers $85.
DTSD Webinars: So that's just a kind of as you you think about your home or the home value. Not your home value. But what your taxable value is.
that's where these numbers come into play.
DTSD Webinars: I do want to talk a little bit about the 1.9, so there was the slide slide or 2 ago about some of the financial impact of borrowing, and what we need to start thinking about as part of that work that was done in in setting this up. We looked at. What do we need to do now, over a period of 4 years
DTSD Webinars: to get us ready to be able to afford in this example. It was a 100 milliondollar project. So zooming a 100 milliondollar project. What do we need to do as a district to start saving money to set it aside, so that the impact 4 years from now is manageable.
DTSD Webinars: and that number right now is 1.9. Again. That was a preliminary number based on 100 milliondollars. If we start with a 1.9% tax increase. Set it aside, and you'll see that later that that's very planned.
DTSD Webinars: I set aside for cap reserve for that project specific to that project, and then each year what will happen. as we, you know, revisit our finances, you you! You'll see that we have the
DTSD Webinars: to vote for an architect tonight. So as we really get knee deep in that design development phase and really start tearing this cost apart. We're going to know better. Then it won't be a 100 milliondollars estimate. We're going to be able to pinpoint what that number is, and what do we need to plan for? And as we do that, then we can scale back and say, Well, maybe we don't need a 1.9. Maybe we need a 1, 7 or or something.
DTSD Webinars: But knowing that
DTSD Webinars: in order to afford a significant project.
DTSD Webinars: we have to have some sort of a tax impact with it. So this tag this year we'll we'll stick with the 1.9, and then revisit again as we go through next year
DTSD Webinars: just looking at our revenues. This is very high level, but just to get an idea, and why it's it's it's
DTSD Webinars: why we have to think about things. Unfortunately, I know there's a lot of conversation about the real text real estate tax structure at the at the State level. But you can see our our local
DTSD Webinars: revenue, and primarily most of that we'll see in the next slide 73% of Our revenues come from local sources. Local sources are primarily the real estate taxes, but it's all. It's our amusement tax. It's
DTSD Webinars: any kind of like, even like a missions, to to to sporting events. Anything that we
DTSD Webinars: take in here as a district that's that's local revenue.
DTSD Webinars: State revenues the next biggest source of that 20, and then a Federal and other are the other 2 pieces Federal. Typically, our Federal number is really low. You can see if that's 3 point, one, and remember 2.2 is actually that our faster which will go away. We're not a district that typically gets a lot of the the title monies
just because of the
DTSD Webinars: relative wealth of the district.
DTSD Webinars: The other revenue 1.9, most of that is the trust, and we'll see that in the next slide
DTSD Webinars: again just to then, just to break that down, so we take that high level. So you've got your local State Federal. and then you you below that up, and and really
DTSD Webinars: take a deeper. Look at what the pieces of that
DTSD Webinars: revenue puzzle are. Most of it. You can see right there 55% of it is our real estate tax revenue. So that's that's the piece of it that we have control over a lot of the other income. We do not have control over.
DTSD Webinars: You can see the other pieces. Other tax revenue that's primarily 5.7 million dollars actually is is earned income tax. Again.
DTSD Webinars: there was a lot of thought. Post Covid, as to how would the economy re re rebound? How would people, you know.
DTSD Webinars: residents, this community? All schools are looking at the same thing. How would their local economy rebound and then rebound has been
okay.
DTSD Webinars: more significant than expected.
DTSD Webinars: Again, this is, and I won't. I will go lines through line. You. You can have this to take a look at. These are this is where we're budgeting right now and again the biggest piece, the current real estate taxes and then earned income tax.
DTSD Webinars: and i'm gonna go back and look at that. What I really want to understand and make sure our 2,122. You see 5.9. We're not trending there right now, so that that earned income tax might actually be even higher. But I want to make sure before we make any changes to that in in our final budget.
DTSD Webinars: One thing I want to talk about in state revenues. So the
DTSD Webinars: Governor Shapiro, has put it out his first budget 507 billiondollars for it at funding, which is is phenomenal. It is very significant.
DTSD Webinars: We're looking at.
DTSD Webinars: If Governor Shapiro's budget were to pass today with no changes, this district would get almost 21% of a tax increase which was is about a 1 million dollars close to it.
DTSD Webinars: The problem with the Governor and the way the State does the budget is we won't have a state budget till July. This is what happened last year we we took the tax increase, not the tax increase. Excuse me. The State subsidy increase that we
DTSD Webinars: board approved as part of our final budget ended up coming in significant, significantly higher than when they passed. In July. We are mandated, even though the State budget is supposed to be done by June. They can
DTSD Webinars: bypass some of their rules. We are not allowed. We have a drop dead filing date of June thirtieth, so we are passing our budget. June twelfth, probably prior to knowing what our state
DTSD Webinars: our state increase really is going to be. So, for right now we're looking at a 10, you know, at 10. So if it's 21%, it's highest.
DTSD Webinars: We can guess at 10% and maybe come in next year and get more funding than we expected. Similar to what we're going to see this year.
DTSD Webinars: We'll keep watching, you know. I talked to my colleagues in our past the organization nobody is expecting. I've heard this far as to live then I've heard well maybe expect into the fall now back to well, it probably won't. Go that long, but it it this could be one of those budget years that we just don't know when it's going to get resolved. Now there is a lot of support, though, for a significant increase. So I do feel comfortable with
DTSD Webinars: putting a decent increase in. There is a lot of support at the State level for significant increase in state funding.
DTSD Webinars: There's a
DTSD Webinars: 2 pieces to the formula. There's a level up piece of this, though they there is thought that they might take some of the basic and money, though, and move it to level up, which that means. Some of the poor
DTSD Webinars: schools are getting a
DTSD Webinars: bigger bulk of that money, so we could see less if more money is shifted in the formula. and that's the bigger. That's the biggest piece of that again for Federal. We'll keep watching that are not watching. We know the Rfs are 2.2 million will go away. We're going to need to think about that in the current year, and then we'll. We'll work with financial
DTSD Webinars: our advisors on the Trust, and see what that looks like a year from now.
DTSD Webinars: So that was the revenues. Then we go on to our expenses.
DTSD Webinars: The difficulty comes with expenses is so much of it is already a given
DTSD Webinars: Our salaries. You see our 44% between salary and benefits. Right? There is 74% of our budget. So there's nothing we can do it's Those are already determined by contract. The salaries are set by contract, and the benefits are
DTSD Webinars: it? It's your like. It's your you know your social security taxes. It's the peasers that we pay. It's our insurance that we just talked about the 7, so we really don't have any discretionary spending when it comes to salary benefits again that's right there. 74 off the back you know of our of our budget is salary benefits
DTSD Webinars: the next. The next biggest piece of that probably is. Then we get into purchase services. Those are all the contracts, the the services, the the
DTSD Webinars: auditing, the you know legal. These those kind of services, purchase property services, then, are more of your rental and things that you're buying for your
DTSD Webinars: yeah, the property, and that also includes other purchase services, includes transportation. So a lot of these are big dollars that are already
DTSD Webinars: committed that we don't have discretionary spending that place that we have discretionary spending, probably in the supply line. I that's 5. So you you know, when you look at it, you just start to see that there's not a whole lot of a room that we have in our budget to really say.
DTSD Webinars: where are we gonna look to to lower costs, or what can we do? So while we have all the budget meetings with all of our administrators, and we are mindful of those. Where do we look for costs and and to control the spend?
DTSD Webinars: A lot of these things are are just big ticket items.
DTSD Webinars: See the line didn't really get there. But the gray block that that bigger and that's our fun transfers. That includes debt service. That's the capital fund transfer. So those again. Those are numbers that we cannot. What the capital fund transfer we do but the debt service piece of it for
see another. It's just over 4 million dollars.
DTSD Webinars: So looking at our our expenses. or to a departmental
DTSD Webinars: line item, you see the salary and benefits again.
DTSD Webinars: Special education.
DTSD Webinars: It's a big driver. Sorry. Excuse me.
DTSD Webinars: tuition. So tuition doesn't include Doesn't. Just include the 1.5 million to charter schools. That also includes like Dolphin county tech school. Any other. Excuse me.
DTSD Webinars: let's try that again.
DTSD Webinars: So that's that's the other things that are into tuition.
DTSD Webinars: Our maintenance, You will see.
DTSD Webinars: I apologize.
Alright.
DTSD Webinars: Maintenance is 2.9, and I shared with finance, and i'll share it again tonight. That is an area we are still working with our buildings and grounds, director buildings and grounds to really get the handle. Take another look.
DTSD Webinars: a big driver that increases utilities, as everybody knows, Ugi and Electric have skyrocketed. Now I did see
DTSD Webinars: in Lancaster papers that Ppn. L. Is projecting a 17% decrease, and I just saw that over the weekend. So we want to just really look at those numbers. So that's
DTSD Webinars: that is another significant area that I want to make sure that we're budgeting appropriately for
DTSD Webinars: so that will come back to finance with a better look at that area
DTSD Webinars: again. You can see technology that includes all the technology needs. Now it's increase. You see, 1.8 to 1.5.
DTSD Webinars: Last year
DTSD Webinars: we we made internally an accounting move just to say all the software. So we strip all the software costs out of everybody else's budget and put them in technology. Really, technology should be the one
DTSD Webinars: blessing, basically the purchase of any kind of software that they end up having to administer and make sure they can support
DTSD Webinars: that way. We know in one spot where all of our software needs are. So that's the big increase there. So which is Why, you might think that curriculum and building expenses actually dropped. But that's because some of that software cost moved
the line that's highlighted the Cap Reserve elementary project. So as we've been talking about this
DTSD Webinars: potential, you know the the need for a building project.
DTSD Webinars: 1.9 is $750,000. So in this budget it includes not only the 1 million dollars. Now, typically, we do a 1 million dollar transfer to Cap Reserve every year just, and that is just to set aside and cap reserve to do the ongoing maintenance and the smaller projects.
DTSD Webinars: This additional 7 50 would also move to Cap reserve, but we would set that aside specifically for knowing to start. Really make sure that's in place for that building fund. And that's how we start.
DTSD Webinars: Basically start our savings account to to to build on for this build.
DTSD Webinars: So for the proposed final budget, that's where we're starting our revenues and expenses.
DTSD Webinars: basically leaving us with expenses greater than revenues, for of about $438,000,
if you think about it, if we actually took the full
DTSD Webinars: if we get the full state funding, we would actually pretty much be in a balanced budget situation.
DTSD Webinars: We'll keep looking at everything I I want to see I I
DTSD Webinars: Each month we get an update on the the giant, the Icda and the
DTSD Webinars: we're back to 2,019 levels so that it could that potentially go up. Possibly we will keep an eye on what's going on at the State
DTSD Webinars: still working with the county to try and update our tax base. I want I want a good number from that. I have not gotten an updated tax role yet. and then we'll keep working with where we're at here today and see if we can
DTSD Webinars: change some of those projections for next year on the expense side.
DTSD Webinars: continue to finalize the salaries, make sure we have everything in so working, not only with our the benefit medical insurance we're also we're working with our property and liability. Insurance.
DTSD Webinars: Seen. Some increases across the board on the property side of things, so I've been told, need to 10, but I should have numbers within well before finance. I'll have a better idea of those numbers as well.
and then we'll keep making adjustments
DTSD Webinars: Any questions. Thank you, Miss Purcell. Anybody have any questions or comments?
DTSD Webinars: I have a question. This is Lindsey Cock.
DTSD Webinars: So, since the majority of our expenses that you showed on the pie chart are not flexible, like the salary and benefits the money that's committed, I think, was like over 75 in an effort to potentially try to bring down that 2.7 number
DTSD Webinars: with the cap, the 1.9 for the new build in Cap reserve. There seem to be the 2 unknowns of one. The actual amount of the project I know, like the number we threw around with the 100 millionand the second unknown being the support we're going to get at the State level. Is there any consideration
DTSD Webinars: as you work for the final budget and the have the finance meeting in at the end of May that we maybe scale back that 1.9 to start.
DTSD Webinars: I think the best thing this year to do is to continue with that 1.9 at least. You're setting the stage for the build, and then you can scale it back, even if we you don't go to the 2 7, and you you scale that back to a 2, 5. I would still keep the 1, 9.
DTSD Webinars: It's it's it's our starting. It's basically our building block for this build, and we we really need to to do that because we could always pull it back going forward if we don't if we think we might get more from the State, and we budget because it could bring it down to a two-five, or, you know, somewhere
DTSD Webinars: in in the twos.
DTSD Webinars: Let it let it go through our general fund and
DTSD Webinars: use the general fund balance or use hopefully if we get more state revenues, and then that would help balance that side of the budget. But you you're still preserving and setting the stage for that build.
DTSD Webinars: Mrs. Priscill, if I could just clarify and add on to that because you mentioned in your proposal that the 1.9 would be generating funds that are set aside that $750,000 to ultimately go towards the building project. And
DTSD Webinars: obviously, when we're talking about a large scale project like this, a couple of years worth of 750,000. Isn't gonna make a huge debt or dent in like the overall total financing amount.
DTSD Webinars: But what you didn't
DTSD Webinars: include or or reference is the way that that compounds and builds the capacity. So currently. We have 3.8 million dollars in annual debt service, looking at a projected 100 milliondollars. We know that given current market conditions, our budget
DTSD Webinars: that we can take on about another 50 to 55 milliondollars in debt without increasing our debt service amount.
With this project
DTSD Webinars: that anticipated amount will exceed a 100 millionand so our debt service would go upwards of 7 million dollars payment per year. So when we're increasing by 1.9%
DTSD Webinars: for that purpose. Yes, it's generating funds in that next budget to go towards those costs, but it's also building the capacity to be able to afford that debt service payment down the road. Correct? Yes, thank you.
DTSD Webinars: This is Eric Schmidt
DTSD Webinars: couple questions.
DTSD Webinars: so
DTSD Webinars: my concern is
DTSD Webinars: right now. You know our expenses exceed our revenue. If we do get
DTSD Webinars: more state funding hopefully, it will be a wash. However.
DTSD Webinars: next year, you know, salaries go up benefits. Go up. You're talking 4%, for you know salaries, and so possibly 7% for benefits plus we get.
DTSD Webinars: You know we lose the extra money of
DTSD Webinars: 2 million, I mean. Now you're looking at a budget, and we're we could be under at
DTSD Webinars: 5 million under Budget right it. It wouldn't be that much. But you're right. We would be like more under budget than the 400 right? So we we can't afford ourselves is kind of
DTSD Webinars: where we're going.
DTSD Webinars: so I guess my point to that is.
DTSD Webinars: if we continue to, you know, to to ramp up each year.
DTSD Webinars: so will the tax burden, plus we're looking at
DTSD Webinars: this new build. I mean, there's a lot going on here. I don't know if we need to get a handle on.
DTSD Webinars: you know just our budget in general. I I think it's something we need to talk about.
DTSD Webinars: and and that's probably goes back to some of the conversation from last year, too.
DTSD Webinars: This was the first year post Covid, the reset year, so there was a lot of things in the budget that we're getting back to normal this. These were Pre Covid kind of expense levels.
DTSD Webinars: Do those conversations can need to continue to happen absolutely? There's there's an and that's the challenge, and I want to.
DTSD Webinars: But these kind of dollars that we're looking at. I've got to go. You know we we need to really Look at those big areas. I'm not going to get out of the supply line. We're we're not going to. Is is there room in that utility line, though you know the 2.9 million in B and G. That
DTSD Webinars: it is over. It is over. Budget. Those are the things that we really need to focus on those those large ticket items that we
DTSD Webinars: are sort of not discretion. I mean, they're not discretionary, because we have to. You know we have to pay the utilities, no matter what we do. But can the can. The numbers look a little bit different? Possibly
DTSD Webinars: we are a again. I've been working with our insurance company, Aia and the consultants to really look at our our stop loss re insurance. Can we bring that down a little bit? Even so it. They
DTSD Webinars: They're coming back with the proposal on that. So any where. I can see that we've got, You know, 50,000 a 100,000. You know that we can make some savings. Those are the things we're gonna we're looking at now, and we will continue to look at as we go forward.
DTSD Webinars: Hmm. I have a quick question. This is not a chronic, so I
DTSD Webinars: mit ctl, and I fully respect your stewardship of line. Item, and I appreciate that you're going through line items like that for savings. But you did. You mentioned the importance of the 1.9 in terms of to build up a little bit to get us ready for a potential bill 150.
DTSD Webinars: But then you said, I want to make sure I don't want to make sure. I understand you said, but the total 2.7. Maybe that piece could come down a little bit, but you want the 1.9 preserved for the capital fund is that I want to make sure I didn't misinterpret you.
Yeah, I would. I would say that that's where we started again and back to Ms. Drew's point.
DTSD Webinars: It is. It is part of the bigger picture that we want to get that tax base built up a little bit so that we can handle that debt service when when it bumps up to the possibly 7 million dollars. And then of that 2.7,
DTSD Webinars: maybe 2.5. How? How low would you be? Comfortable
DTSD Webinars: entertaining
DTSD Webinars: of that 2.7 dropping down? I think we keep looking at things over the next 2 weeks we come back to finance and see if there, if there are areas that we can change it. I wouldn't want to say a number now until we really keep going on those numbers right fair enough, and then I know you can't look into
DTSD Webinars: a crystal ball. But in your own little personal crystal ball that we know you have, you know, right now, just just in looking at the building potential building expense.
DTSD Webinars: everyone keeps saying for anybody who's in building or renovating anything. Oh, right now, everything is so high. Supply Chain management is still a problem. Things are really high.
DTSD Webinars: We don't know if it's going to stay that way on that trajectory or for the level offer, go down still in the post, Covid.
DTSD Webinars: Do you anticipate Supplies might get better, so that prolonging
DTSD Webinars: 6 months a year. 18 months does get more bang for our buck
DTSD Webinars: in terms of of of a bill, it will it? We're gonna have that, anyway, only because just the design development phase will take a year. 18 months. We're we're already looking a couple of years out, and then that's when we really start, You know, working with our architect to the timing of everything is, it is critical time of year, even
when prices aren't, escalating
DTSD Webinars: fall versus the spring, you know. Go to bid you. You could see significant results just in in
DTSD Webinars: the bid timeline.
DTSD Webinars: We did through all of the conversations that we've had over the last several weeks with with. You know the this through the architect process.
DTSD Webinars: We have heard from from both sides that really prices are slowing, so we always have the normal inflationary 3% escalation, sure. But that trajectory that you mentioned has slowed so, and that's what the expectation is, and the supply chain has loosened up to, so that
DTSD Webinars: and and again we're so far away. It doesn't impact us.
DTSD Webinars: But those are at least good good news indicators for for looking forward.
DTSD Webinars: Thank you. I appreciate that this is relative to the projected
DTSD Webinars: building cost and kind of how we've structured projections for debt service on that
DTSD Webinars: in our architect interviews, and I think in some of the conversation we'll have this evening about the architect process. There was a cost per square foot, and looking at the size building there. When you
DTSD Webinars: do that calculation, it doesn't get you to a 100 million, or those numbers
DTSD Webinars: not inclusive of all of it.
DTSD Webinars: The other things that was Well, I
DTSD Webinars: you have to remember it's it's there's 2 pieces here, there's there's the new build piece and the renovation of the Ecc. So we we really don't have a good handle. That was
DTSD Webinars: a preliminary estimate that we could be in in that ballpark. Do, do we end up there? We'll know better, I think a year, you know, within a, as we get more into the process. It was just. It was a starting space. So if that's where I. You know, I think, that conversation leads next year. As to
DTSD Webinars: do. We need a 1.9, or you know. How do we get ourselves to whatever that number is to be able to take on that debt service.
and that'll give us really more of that combined overall cost for square foot.
DTSD Webinars: One other comment I had to Dr. Cronin Common about like looking at the different percentages. I don't know if you have this accessible to share with the board, but when we discussed it in Finance Committee
DTSD Webinars: you had given us
different options about what
DTSD Webinars: each level of tax increase would provide, and we had 2.7 is ultimately what the committee recommended for this conversation, and proposed budget approval.
DTSD Webinars: But I didn't know if you have that to share, because I think that that was kind of important looking at, like the 2.5 per like. So we did 2.5, and brought that down a little bit. It's actually only like an $80,000 difference in the net position. So it's not moving
DTSD Webinars: the needle very much in any of the other. You know points that have been brought up. The only real time we see that difference is when we drop down to just doing the 1.9, but then it's not covering anything else or things
DTSD Webinars: there was. There is a slide in the presentation that will be available then. That shows the options. I don't know that I left the 2 5, but one, not you. You get the picture 1, 9 to 2, 7,
DTSD Webinars: but you're right. It's only $80,000 between a point 2, and it's about 400 and some 1,000 from 1.9 to 2, 7.
DTSD Webinars: Anybody else have any questions?
Just want to double check my understanding of one thing, the
DTSD Webinars: you act one index to 4. Point one that that's the index that's been the part of education puts out based on inflation and other analysis that they do.
DTSD Webinars: that that they think reflects the increased cost of operating, doing business. How we want to describe it.
DTSD Webinars: and you school districts are authorized to go up to a tax increase
DTSD Webinars: to that level without having to is to the referendum correct, correct. On the one side it's pretty much. It's the saw. It's State average wage. It's a it's a calculation. The State does based on state average wage, and then the unemployment cost index, which is basically the cost of salaries and benefits to the employers. So it's a it's a calculation primarily on
DTSD Webinars: economics. And and
DTSD Webinars: so we weren't, looking at the possibility of a new build. 1.9 to 2.7 is point 8. So if we weren't, looking at that, we would.
DTSD Webinars: he's seeking the tax increase of less than 1%, which is a full 3% below 3.7% below what
DTSD Webinars: what? The government, what the Department might have authorized us to do so. It doesn't
DTSD Webinars: Talk about putting money away to try to. you know.
DTSD Webinars: Put up a new building. It sounds like we're doing pretty good. I don't know. This sounds like we're
DTSD Webinars: better off than we could. We could expect to be under the circumstances.
DTSD Webinars: Just my thought. Does anybody else have any comments or questions.
DTSD Webinars: Well, thank you very much. This is Purcell
DTSD Webinars: moving on to item 2 B President communications. I'd like to announce the board met in executive session prior to this meeting
DTSD Webinars: to discuss matters of personnel consultation with attorney or other professional advisors. contracts and informational items.
Agenda. Item: 2 c. Recognition of citizens.
DTSD Webinars: This is an opportunity for residents and taxpayers to address the Board on matters related to the agenda. Citizens wishing to speak should come to the microphone or raise their virtual hand.
DTSD Webinars: Those present in the room may register by completing a form located near the sign-in sheet, and providing your full name and address. If attending virtually you must have registered individually
with your first
DTSD Webinars: and last name and address.
DTSD Webinars: to be recognized. Once recognized or unmuted, it is only necessary that you identify yourself for by providing your full name.
DTSD Webinars: This is the reminder that public comment is not a forum for personal attacks, and taking it antagonistic behavior or harassment.
Please be advised that you are accountable for any legal ramifications and liability that results from statements that misrepresent the truth
DTSD Webinars: to fame, individuals, or disclose personal information. That is not a public concern
DTSD Webinars: to provide other residents with an opportunity to speak. Each speaker during the public comment. Portion is limited to 5 min of speaking time
DTSD Webinars: once recognized and limited to one opportunity to address the Board during each of the public comment periods. If necessary, the Board may set a maximum time for the public comment portion of any meeting.
DTSD Webinars: I'll ask the Board treasure and Mrs. Segreg to please keep time.
DTSD Webinars: It will start in the room today. Are there any residents or taxpayers who would like to comment at this time?
DTSD Webinars: Hi! My name's dave weaver i'm here to talk about the construction projects which I thought was 51 million. But now tonight i'm here in 100 million
DTSD Webinars: That's over a 130 milliondollars. That this township will put on taxpayers in the span of about 3 years, with the community center, etc., and i'd like the board to consider
DTSD Webinars: the fact that they have a wonderful building here
DTSD Webinars: that my understanding is, it's approximately 60 to 75% empty.
Now, i'm not an engineer and architect, and I have no idea
DTSD Webinars: the feasibility of the building.
but I think it should be explored
DTSD Webinars: because it's. It's a wonderful building.
DTSD Webinars: and it's in our location with the campus.
DTSD Webinars: and I would like some information back from your architect or engineer, or your consultant
DTSD Webinars: about why or why not?
DTSD Webinars: It's not feasible to at least explore use of this building for part or some
DTSD Webinars: of the needs that you're gonna. You're talking about building a new building. And I just started to comment earlier this evening about
DTSD Webinars: you can borrow 50 million 50 milliondollars without affecting dead service.
DTSD Webinars: and that is that that cannot be true. You may not affect your payment.
DTSD Webinars: but you certainly are affecting debt service
by borrowing 50 million.
DTSD Webinars: So thanks. thank you, Mr. Weaver.
DTSD Webinars: Anyone else in a room that would like to make a public comment.
DTSD Webinars: Hi! I'm patience, Blake. I didn't come here to talk about this. I came here to talk about bullying, but
DTSD Webinars: his comment actually just made me think I was sitting here, thinking to myself how nostalgic I am about this building, and I walk around this building. I think about how beautiful it is. And I was sitting here, thinking to myself, how amazing would it be
DTSD Webinars: if they could turn this into an elementary school again, like when I went to school here, and it was a school in a library and a gorgeous building that's been in this town forever. So I just want to second this idea, because making this an elementary school again is a great idea, in my opinion.
DTSD Webinars: and I feel like renovating a building at like I don't know costs, but I feel like renovating a big old building with great bones would be smarter than like.
DTSD Webinars: you know, building something fresh. But that's just my I just a second what he said. Basically.
Thanks. Thank you, Miss Blake.
DTSD Webinars: Anyone else in a room who would like to comment. Now.
DTSD Webinars: Hi, Eric Callahan, thank you for the presentation. I just had some trouble seeing the slides.
DTSD Webinars: From what I think I heard, it was 18 million. That is in reserve. Is that a correct number? How much
DTSD Webinars: this dairy township have been reserved. I was curious if that was on a slide I just like I said I couldn't see it, but and I there's a lot of numbers that were thrown around. I am curious how that money is allocated, and what the return on investment is now that, of course, interest rates are higher.
DTSD Webinars: and in terms of
DTSD Webinars: tax increases
DTSD Webinars: with the mindset that that would be used for Cap. X. In the future.
DTSD Webinars: How can we ensure that that money is going to be used for that purpose as opposed to just being a general slush fund. For what political
DTSD Webinars: priorities come down the pike in future years? Could it be? Set it aside somehow, that it is exclusively used for
DTSD Webinars: for a building project.
That's okay.
Thank you, Mr. Callahan.
DTSD Webinars: for anyone else in the room who would like to make a public comment.
DTSD Webinars: There'll be a second comment period later in the meeting for both agenda items and non agenda items. Mr. Il anyone online. There is one. A virtual hand raised. Rebecca Wallace. You have been given permission to speak. Please state your name for the record.
Rebecca Wallace: Hi, Rebecca Wallace, and I apologize. I'm taking you back to like the very
Rebecca Wallace: initial part of the budget, the 2.1 that was, or 2.1 million, based on. As for funds for salaries.
Rebecca Wallace: where will that funding come from in the future? Or are there plans for that? Again, with the teacher shortages, you know
Rebecca Wallace: That's where I focused. I know everybody's looking at the building stuff, but that was my
Rebecca Wallace: big concern is, Where will we get those funds for the teachers
Rebecca Wallace: in future years.
DTSD Webinars: Okay, thank you.
DTSD Webinars: Kevin Ferguson. You have been given permission to speak. Please state your name for the record.
Kevin Ferguson: Captain Ferguson. Quail Hollow Road.
Kevin Ferguson: Thank you for a lot. Thank you for clarifying with the second comment on the comments session would be for non agenda items, because I, too, would like to comment about the bowling issue
Kevin Ferguson: real quickly what I just heard in the presentation about the budget during the expenses. Specifically I was in that. I was looking at the special education funding, and this seems to be the third year in a row that that funding is decreasing.
Kevin Ferguson: and it seems to be the only expense. Item that it, as is it to decrease again this year
Kevin Ferguson: since 2122.
Kevin Ferguson: The actual was 2.4 the budgeted for 2324 is down to 1.8.
Kevin Ferguson: No, this isn't a question and answer session but
Kevin Ferguson: that's the question I have it doesn't seem like to me that the funding should be decreasing in special education.
Kevin Ferguson: Thank you for the talk.
DTSD Webinars: Thank you, Mr. Ferguson.
DTSD Webinars: Anyone else in the room.
Okay, thank you.
DTSD Webinars: We'll move on to agenda. Item
DTSD Webinars: 2. D.
Miss Carpel, do you have a correspondence report?
DTSD Webinars: I do thank you For the month of April the district received 11 community correspondent submissions. The comments and questions for this month include a technical question about student emails, a comment about the use of elementary playgrounds, feedback about the special education plan a comment on the new Elementary School Project.
DTSD Webinars: A Message about Students at Dolphin County Tech School. A question about Laurel life, a request for Transcripts. 2 requests for information about Esl programs, a common about the High School baseball program and a comment about a board member, and that's all I got.
DTSD Webinars: Okay, Thank you, Miss Cartel. moving on to agenda. Item
DTSD Webinars: 2. E Standing committee meeting reports. The Curriculum Council and Policy Committee's met today. Dr. Corona. Do you have a curriculum report I do in today's meeting. We had 2 presentations. The first presentation was by Ms. O'brien, along with 5 students, 2
DTSD Webinars: mit
DTSD Webinars: impressions on the importance of the district, and and thankfulness to district for supporting such travel. Obviously the students and families all paid for for Ford on their own. But we, as a board had to approve the trip.
DTSD Webinars: Some of the highlights that they pointed out were that they attended. They They visited it a major museum in each of the 3 cities. They also took a cooking class in Paris.
DTSD Webinars: and of the 18 students they were ranging in age from freshmen to seniors, and when asked. They all. Several of them said that this would be an impetus for them to want to study abroad when they were in college to further increase their their global awareness.
DTSD Webinars: The other presentation was by actually there's 3 presentations. The other presentation was by Mrs. Schmidt in the the principal of the High School, along with the student. Ava, Shepherd.
DTSD Webinars: and Aba proposed a change to the definition of achieving distinguished honor roll which in the past
DTSD Webinars: you had to be enrolled in at least 2 honors or ap courses to even make the distinguished honor roll
DTSD Webinars: level. And she was. She gave an example to student who would get all a's 4.2 average, but because they didn't have any honors or ap courses, could not make that distinguished honorable level. So the proposal that hit that is new, and if passed, Will approved, will
DTSD Webinars: again next year would be that for the honor Roll
DTSD Webinars: any course, load as long as you have previously you had to have an a minus average. Now, as long as you have a 3, which is a be average or higher, you'll be, You would be considered honorable student
DTSD Webinars: and
DTSD Webinars: mit ctl, and for distinguished on a roll, they would be dropping the prerequisite for having to be enrolled in 2 or more honors or ap courses, with an a minus average to only have a 3.6, 7, or the equivalent of an Ap minus average one.
DTSD Webinars: and this was felt to acknowledge all students achieving well in their desired course, load or their appropriate course load.
DTSD Webinars: The third presentation was by Dr. Schumann Tsi targeted school improvement and
DTSD Webinars: consistent with the every. Every student succeeds act.
DTSD Webinars: making sure that students that that each school were were able to show that there was a a minimum standard of success by groups of 20 or more students
DTSD Webinars: mit ctl and the one gap that was sub-har for Hershey was within the special needs group in which our proficiency was was low, 150,
DTSD Webinars: and our attendance and career guidance was minimally low, so 71 was our attendance, and the guideline would be 72.5, so very, very minimally. We we missed that benchmark. But this was reflective of the 2,021 Covid years, when there were a lot of issues with students and student attendance or being able to attend.
DTSD Webinars: We had a 75% in terms of career guidance, and the Benchmark was 75.8, 7. So once again, very, very slightly under that. The so our goal is to enact a plan. To correct that, and our plan is a non title. I plan with a goal of increasing math and English
DTSD Webinars: proficiency by 40% and career and attendance by 15. And there are specific outlines for how to achieve that. And it's felt that we will be able to achieve achieve that indeed for the next, for the next go round of about assessments.
DTSD Webinars: and then we had some old business which was to approve some text to be brought for the full board. We approved that a textbook called dear Evan Hansen, which is similar to the the movie, and now play on Broadway.
DTSD Webinars: That would be for the Course heroes journey, which is an elective primarily for juniors and seniors.
DTSD Webinars: The second textbook that we approved for full full full board approval at the next meeting is called born a crime by Trevor Noah, and that is, for the multiple multi-cultural literature course for eleventh graders.
DTSD Webinars: The third book was an ap Spanish workbook to augment the ap Spanish curriculum in preparation for students to to do well on the Ap test. And finally the final textbook was called Character Strong, which is specifically for the freshman seminar. New new freshman seminar course, which is to help
DTSD Webinars: freshmen when they, when they enter the high school to help build organizational leadership and other important skills and and functioning.
DTSD Webinars: The next curriculum meeting will be on June twelfth
folks who are in curriculum. Did I get everything? Yeah.
DTSD Webinars: Okay, Thank you.
DTSD Webinars: Thank you, Dr. Cronin. Anyone have any questions for Dr. Cronin. You got a busy meeting.
DTSD Webinars: Okay, Mr. Bennett, do you have a policy report
DTSD Webinars: and a lot of them dealt with top of the
DTSD Webinars: home school, home education students being involved in
DTSD Webinars: other activities, such as you know, go Tech and
DTSD Webinars: some extracurricular activities. And we also talked about
DTSD Webinars: data, security and some other issues that have changed, and
DTSD Webinars: on a positive we did some things that help make people want to volunteer here at the school make a little easier to get them approved and clearance. So get them So parents know that people would have a little bit easier to time. And then we had a little left over business from last meeting, which kind of addressed some issues with the Middle School gym uniforms to try and get it so soon as our penalized for
DTSD Webinars: not
DTSD Webinars: having the uniform of the day for gym class, and then we just quickly revisited the goals of
DTSD Webinars: for 2023, 2024, which are pretty much gonna be the same as usual, for the Policy Committee is what i'm being told
DTSD Webinars: which is a review and review policies moving forward and adopt any new advised or new policies. So if I missed anything.
thank you, Mr. Bannon. Any questions.
DTSD Webinars: Thank you.
DTSD Webinars: Moving on to
DTSD Webinars: item, 2 f student representatives report representatives as these forests or patel. Do you have a report? We do thank you. This is Dish Pacel. Last week we celebrated Teacher Appreciation week by showing gratitude to teachers who made a positive impact on students, and it was also
the school principals day, and we honored the 3 principals in our District
DTSD Webinars: H. Just hosted a signing day for 11 senior athletes and their families, to sign the college letter of intent for their sports
DTSD Webinars: for their sport commitment on May Third and the Middle school had a health and wellness care for staff and students. They held a range of activities from Yoga. Nature walks, meditation coloring, and more, and the Trojan 10 for the month of April are Livia, Capraletti, Ella, Crosswell, Ryan, Dawon, Eli Leyton, Southwick, Sharma
DTSD Webinars: Danny, Still Katie a Stover, Christine Tang, Zayn, Onraph, and Seda are
DTSD Webinars: representative is easier. Last Last week we had mid pence for voice tennis, Jesse Mullen's place first in the singles bracket Maxwell, or place second
DTSD Webinars: on the doubles bracket, me and my partner, Montgomery, and, for place, second
in our doubles bracket. And so it's a helmet through an Isaac, and
DTSD Webinars: this week is also the second week of Ap. Testing. So good luck to everyone who's taking them.
DTSD Webinars: and next week starts Keystone testing for at the high school, and it's just a reminder.
DTSD Webinars: And now we're operating on a 2 and a half hour delay schedule for non-testers with school starting at 1003. Thank you.
DTSD Webinars: This is will be a for you speaking. There is a Hhs Spring choir performance tonight, the eighth at 7, 30 Pm. This Wednesday, the tenth, the Hhs orchestra has their spring concert. Monday, the fifteenth is the spring Band concert.
DTSD Webinars: and as the year we comes, as the year comes to an end. Student Council. Representative elections are beginning. Thank you
DTSD Webinars: that it Okay. Thank you very much.
DTSD Webinars: Moving on to agenda. Item 2, G: the list that items are on the anticipated May 20 s, 2,023 board of directors meeting agenda
DTSD Webinars: They are up on their screen
DTSD Webinars: agenda. Item: 3 unfinished business. There is no one finished business
DTSD Webinars: agenda. Item: 4 consent agenda items. The consent agenda contains routinely adopted items and items that normally do not require public deliberation on part of the board
DTSD Webinars: a board member may pull items
DTSD Webinars: which will then be discussed and voted on separately. I have a motion to approve the consent agenda items as listed.
DTSD Webinars: So move Lindsay Cup. Second down a cronin. Is there any discussion?
DTSD Webinars: This is a standard voice. Vote all those in favor, please say I
DTSD Webinars: any opposed no motion carries. Thank you.
DTSD Webinars: Moving on to the agenda. Item 5 new business.
DTSD Webinars: 5 a. This is resolution authorizing the 2,023, 2,024 final budget display and advertising. Dr. Winslow
DTSD Webinars: resolved by the Board of School Directors of Dairy Township school district, as presented to the School board on May eighth, 2,023 available for public inspection at least 20 days before the date scheduled for adoption of the final budget
DTSD Webinars: at least 10 days before the date scheduled for adoption of the final budget, the Secretary shall advertise a final budget, notice and substantiality. The form as presented to the School Board.
DTSD Webinars: The notice shall be the advertised once in a newspaper of general circulation, and shall be posted conspicuously at the school district offices and website.
DTSD Webinars: May I have a motion for the resolution authorizing 2,023 2,024 proposed final budget display and advertising. So moved Kathy Zicker second Maria M. Is there any discussion?
DTSD Webinars: This is a standard voice. Vote all those in favor, please. Say I. Any opposed. No
DTSD Webinars: motion carries. Thank you. Agenda. Item 5 B.
DTSD Webinars: Concession stand Addition. Issuance of Bid Documents. Dr. Winslow. The Administration recommends the approval of the issuance of the concession Stand Bid documents prepared by Hamil Associates architects. Llc.
DTSD Webinars: We have a motion to approve the issuance of the concession, scanned addition, bid documents so moved to Kathy Sicker. Second, Maria and me. Is there any discussion.
DTSD Webinars: This is a standard voice. Phone to all those in favor. Please say I I any opposed no motion carries. Thank you.
DTSD Webinars: Agenda. Item 5, c.
DTSD Webinars: Architect recommendation. Dr. Winslow. The Administration recommends the Board enter into a contract for the design of the elementary facility with one of the following firms preparing robot or rlps.
DTSD Webinars: I have a motion to approve the selection of an architectural firm.
So moved Maria Mummy, second Kathy Sicker.
DTSD Webinars: Is there any discussion
DTSD Webinars: I just wanted to clarify
DTSD Webinars: for everyone that even though we are recommending
DTSD Webinars: an architect tonight, it does not mean that we are signing any kind of contract. It's just more of an exploration. Correct we are. We will go to the firm that you select tonight and
DTSD Webinars: begin working on negotiating a contract to bring forward to you, and that contract will initially be for the design process. There will be many steps along the way that you will continually approve.
DTSD Webinars: So this is not bid documents or final design, or anything like that, you're not committing to a price on a 20 build.
DTSD Webinars: Thank you.
DTSD Webinars: And sorry, Donna current. I just want to basically thank the process because I know this has been a lot of work for both you and and Cheryl lot of paperwork. I I am torn between the 2. I like the design of one, but the price of the other. So that's going to determine my vote.
DTSD Webinars: But but I do. I do believe that they're both good firms, and I appreciate our our group. And and now we get down to that point. Thank you.
DTSD Webinars: Hmm. This is Lindsay Cock. I also appreciate the information. I know that both Dr. Winslow and Miss Purcell put a whole lot of extra time into it.
DTSD Webinars: To me the most significant factor is cost without compromising quality. It seemed to me the architect that I will choose just has more experience with school builds a focus on educational design. I was impressed, by
DTSD Webinars: the way, that they minimize student disruption, and just like their overall engagement of the community throughout the process. So I think that out of the 2 architects. In my opinion we found one that can do all of that in a in the most cost effective way.
DTSD Webinars: This is Lindsay. True, I Echo.
DTSD Webinars: Dr. Cook and Dr. Cronin's comments. I wanted to see Dr. Winslow, if you are prepared to speak to it. Following the interviews that we did last month. The the Board provided feedback through the
DTSD Webinars: questionnaires that we had during that, and there were some common questions that we all had, that we were seeking some additional information just for transparency purposes. As we move through this process, if you'd be able to summarize, I know it was about cost per square foot, and
DTSD Webinars: some of the the different aspects of the design process, and what each one of those architectural farms we're going to bring to the table. If you could
DTSD Webinars: just share some of that information
DTSD Webinars: from both. For, like the questions and answers, or just just really what you were looking for and provide some background because you the Board was not privy to the conversations. But
DTSD Webinars: you kind of had information you were seeking. If you could just share the where we wanted to dive deeper. We did use the notes that the Board took on their score sheets to look for common spaces and wanderings.
DTSD Webinars: and and then saw additional questions that you may have had, and one of the one of the biggest pieces was the difference in cost per square foot that was quoted between the 2 firms. So there was a deep exploration of
DTSD Webinars: what, what does that really mean? And ultimately it meant the same thing for each firm. What was included in that
DTSD Webinars: there was also interest in the community engagement process, and and both firms illustrated
DTSD Webinars: very clear cut, and in community engagement pieces where the community would be use different processes. But both had the significant processes, and
DTSD Webinars: both talked about, not moving forward with something until everyone was comfortable with
DTSD Webinars: whatever design was proposed.
DTSD Webinars: trying to think what else for really common
DTSD Webinars: pieces
DTSD Webinars: we talked about. What happens after construction begins wanting to make sure that we would continue to have support from each firm. That was also very similar in response that each has a construction administrator, and as a district we'd be seeking to hire a project manager as well to represent the the district.
DTSD Webinars: Both talked about the act. 34 process, and what an act! 34 hearing looks like and how they guide us to that space, and also how they walk us through ensuring that we are getting the educational programming that we need in the most cost-effective way.
DTSD Webinars: I think those are the the main highlights, but I can address anything. It's specific If there is something that was sticking out for you. Thank you. And can you speak also just to the references and conversations that you had with Yup Great. We did extensive reference checks based on the
DTSD Webinars: both for buildings that we knew through the proposal process, but also from our colleagues, that we're not necessarily listed in there, and we did a total Of what do I have here?
DTSD Webinars: I've been about 14 reference checks and and all.
and
DTSD Webinars: really found that people like the architectural firm that they worked with. regardless of which one it was overall. Thank you one thing that stands out that I see both
DTSD Webinars: we're asked. So in fairness i'll i'll ask this one regarding if it's come in and far outreach our expectations. what they will do, and how they'll help us navigate kind of the next steps in that process, because we know
DTSD Webinars: from a mechanical system perspective something has to be done with the buildings, and and both had some some different pieces that they talked about. With that some
DTSD Webinars: there was some indication of some of the contingency funds that the district might have and and use for that. But there was also a well we're going to have a plan B and a plan, c. As well, so that when we put out, plan a forbid.
DTSD Webinars: If it comes back very high, then maybe Plan B is the one that you want to go with. So you kind of put them out together and see what comes back.
DTSD Webinars: So we received bits for both of those plans at the same time. That was my understanding, so that there wouldn't be a delay.
DTSD Webinars: Okay, but you but really a
DTSD Webinars: a deep understanding of what you're asking for upfront, so that you're hopefully that won't happen that you would get bids back. That would be completely unexpected. There was also an element of what time of year you put out bids, because you generally have a much more favorable bid
DTSD Webinars: return, as far as pricing is concerned. If you put them out in the fall versus in the spring, when calendars are more full for summer work.
DTSD Webinars: Now I want to jump in there real quick. The it wouldn't necessarily be 2 bids at the same time. It's it's you have alternate. So you have the ads or deducts come mid day, so that's how you can
DTSD Webinars: to pick and choose not necessarily the whole project, but pieces of it. So you can change some of those components without changing the structure of the actual bid that we're bound to. Okay, Thank you.
Right?
DTSD Webinars: Sorry. Yes.
DTSD Webinars: But and the example that was used repeatedly was like. So you'd really like to have Toronto floors. But you know that you can probably afford some tile
DTSD Webinars: like, so which you know that that sort of thing
DTSD Webinars: thanks
DTSD Webinars: any other questions. This is discussion
DTSD Webinars: to add, doctor or Mr. Singer. I'll just add things. He drew for comments as to where i'm going. With this I I do think that both firms presented well, and and could be a good fit for our district. Price and cost is a huge aspect of it.
DTSD Webinars: and, like Dr. Hux, said, without compromising our educational programming. I think that there are a lot of really specific things that have been identified throughout this process since we started talking about this in 2,019 of what's needed, and how it the building will be set up, not just for the current needs, but for growth.
DTSD Webinars: So it was not an easy decision to make. But ultimately the decision I'm making this evening will lean in on the experience and the ability, I think, that this firm would have to take us through the project and look forward to seeing the contract.
DTSD Webinars: Any other final comments before we take a boat.
DTSD Webinars: I just wanted to say thank Dr. Winslow and Miss Purcell for for leading this process, and all the Board members for engaging at the level which they have. It's been in quite a bit to to digest and
DTSD Webinars: and understand and learn about in a
DTSD Webinars: relatively short period of time. So just want to say thank you to everyone for that. This will be a roll call vote. This is a G.
DTSD Webinars: I'm sorry I couldn't hear you.
DTSD Webinars: Please take the name of the firm you wish to vote for
DTSD Webinars: I still couldn't hear you save the name of the firm. I do have a hearing problem, so it's not you.
DTSD Webinars: I was having trouble hearing, too, Mr. Ben
DTSD Webinars: Crabtree.
DTSD Webinars: Mr. Crabtree. Dr. This is many Crabtree.
DTSD Webinars: Mrs. Schmidt. Crab Tree.
DTSD Webinars: Crabtree.
DTSD Webinars: Mr. Singer
Crabtree.
DTSD Webinars: It's unanimous.
DTSD Webinars: It based on our vote the Board is directing the Administration to begin contract discussions with Craft.
DTSD Webinars: Thank you. Thank you.
DTSD Webinars: Moving on to
DTSD Webinars: item agenda. Item 5 d
personnel resignations. Dr. Winslow.
DTSD Webinars: The administration recommends the approval of the personnel resignations.
DTSD Webinars: May I have a motion to approve the personnel resignations?
DTSD Webinars: This is a standard voice. Phone all those in favor, say I. Any opposed. No
DTSD Webinars: motion carries agenda. Item: 5 e personnel. General Dr. Winslow.
DTSD Webinars: The Administration recommends the approval of the list of personnel and recognition of any list of transfers. I have a motion to approve the listed personnel and recognition of any listed transfers. So move Lindsay Cuck.
DTSD Webinars: Is there any discussion.
DTSD Webinars: although this is a standard voice. Vote all those in favor, please say aye, and the opposed. No.
DTSD Webinars: we're on to agenda. Item 6 delegate reports.
DTSD Webinars: The capital area intermediate unit report is attached. Dr. Cock, do you have anything to add? No, not at this time, thank you. The Pennsylvania School Board's Association Report is attached. Dr. Cronin, do you have anything you would like to add? Not at this time, thank you. Thank you.
DTSD Webinars: Are there any Board members who would like to give a report
DTSD Webinars: the next all things. Diversity program will be on May 24 at 7 Pm. That will be online this time. The topic is mental health matters and will be an online panel and discussion Our own Dr. David Lilen Stein and Amanda Valentine will be part of that discussion in that panel
DTSD Webinars: interested If you're interested in participating. You can register Hershey all things diversity.org again. That's May 24 at 7 pm, and it's mental health matters.
DTSD Webinars: The second one in My delegate position on the downtown Hershey Association Board is that the downtown Hershey Association is participating in supporting Pick up Pennsylvania. This will be this Saturday. May thirteenth.
DTSD Webinars: from 8 am. To 12 Pm. This is sponsored by Pen dot, and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection in support of Keep America beautiful, 20 fifth anniversary, the great American cleanup, you may remember, in past years pre
DTSD Webinars: pandemic. We had kiss Hershey back days for call it a clean up from the College of medicine. So this is kind of a revival of that in collaboration with the 20 fifth anniversary of the great American Cleanup.
DTSD Webinars: You, if you're interested in participating. There is a Google Doc Forum to sign up for that.
DTSD Webinars: You can go to the dairy township org website. There's a link on their homepage or email. Let's top trash@downtownhershey.org. And again, that's Saturday, this Saturday, May thirteenth, from 8 to 12.
DTSD Webinars: Everyone will start to meet there around 7, 30 am. At the Hershey fire department downtown.
DTSD Webinars: Thank you very much.
We're up to again. Item: 7 special reports. Are there any Board members would like to give a report.
DTSD Webinars: Or is that what I just did? Okay.
DTSD Webinars: Dr. Winslow, do you have a superintendent's report?
I do. Thank you
DTSD Webinars: just briefly say that May is an incredibly full month like to call it full, not busy.
DTSD Webinars: because it's lots of wonderful things that are happening, but also some things that are a little stressful for kids. We did start. We're well into Ap. Tests. Keystone testing is coming up. Science Psa started this week.
DTSD Webinars: District playoffs are coming up for several of our spring sports teams. They've done very well this season.
DTSD Webinars: and Field Day started at the elementary school today, and Ken Brook is coming up. There's just there's a lot that happens in May. It's a it's a very full month, very fun month, and we are less than one month away from graduation. I know they're count down the days over there.
DTSD Webinars: I also wanted to share that at our last board meeting on April 20 fourth, the final comment from a citizen brought forward some concerning information. I think it's really important for parents and the community to know that while
DTSD Webinars: we cannot speak publicly about a particular child or family concerns are taken very seriously, and our administrators and teachers care deeply about the well being of our students, and we'll make every effort to support both students and families.
DTSD Webinars: If you are unsure who to reach out to if you need support. We have a chain of command matrix posted on the website under contact us. I can share with you that I am the fourth or fifth contact in literally every single issue.
DTSD Webinars: So if you're unsure who to reach out, to please reach out to me. I'm more than happy to assist you to find the person to support you, or to help facilitate that.
DTSD Webinars: But I think it's really important for people to know that we do care deeply, and we'll make every effort to support both students and families. That concludes my report.
DTSD Webinars: hey? Thank you. Dr. Winslow.
DTSD Webinars: Item: 7 C Board present report. I do not have a report.
Okay.
DTSD Webinars: Moving on to agenda. Item: 8 recognition of citizens.
DTSD Webinars: This is an opportunity for residents and taxpayers to address the Board on matters related to the agenda or or matters of district governance, not on the agenda.
DTSD Webinars: Those are Speaker has to file the same guidelines outlined at the initial public comment portion of our meeting. I will ask board, treasure and Mississippi to please keep time.
DTSD Webinars: Why, Don't, we start virtually the second round.
DTSD Webinars: Are there any residents and or taxpayers that would like to comment at this time, Mr. Il, anyone virtually.
DTSD Webinars: Yes, there is one hand raised. Kevin Ferguson. If they been given permission to speak, please state your name for the record.
Kevin Ferguson: I thank you, Kevin. so I appreciate the superintendent's comments.
Kevin Ferguson: You know, reading that article in the newspaper was very disturbing as a parent of 2 children in in the district. So Obviously, I. I do hope
Kevin Ferguson: that the the Board and Administration is taking those issues very seriously.
Kevin Ferguson: There was a lot of questions
Kevin Ferguson: that I had in just reading that that article.
Kevin Ferguson: Are there enough monitors in recess. or the people monitoring, you says, actually doing an adequate job
Kevin Ferguson: in the one issue that was recognized by board members was, Why, why couldn't there be a a a policy work student could be separated from others? Another student, when there's physical abuse
Kevin Ferguson: being recognized.
Kevin Ferguson: So
Kevin Ferguson: I just. I hope I hope you are taking seriously. It would be great that we could come back at some point in in the public meeting here, and maybe update the parents on exactly what
Kevin Ferguson: the policy is the best you can, so that we can have confidence with something like this
Kevin Ferguson: wouldn't happen again that was described.
Kevin Ferguson: I do want to point out that the survey that the
Kevin Ferguson: parents were given just last week to to review before it goes to the students.
Kevin Ferguson: It was the survey, the Survey Spring Sla Survey.
Kevin Ferguson: and there's 17 questions, but none of the questions asked the student if they have ever suffered any
Kevin Ferguson: physical trauma from another student.
Kevin Ferguson: or any verbal abuse from another student staff or
Kevin Ferguson: for teacher.
Kevin Ferguson: No question on has their safety.
Kevin Ferguson: They ever felt that their safety has been threatened by another student, staff or teacher. So if the survey is meant to learn about the well being of the students
Kevin Ferguson: and given what we just heard. I think there should be specific questions about Boeing end of the service.
Kevin Ferguson: The second thing that I would want to talk about briefly, I just for, like you discussing
Kevin Ferguson: was the concession stand big documents, the issue of the bed documents.
Kevin Ferguson: So, my understanding I it probably a quick scound of the documents on your web page
Kevin Ferguson: here, and my understanding.
Kevin Ferguson: and you can tell me if i'm wrong. But it's, I think, the 200,000 250,000dollars has been budgeted
Kevin Ferguson: for that concession scale. Now, if that is the case. we just got done discussing the tax increase.
Kevin Ferguson: But then, same time, you're talking about $250,000 for the concession stand. It's meant for the Fans.
Kevin Ferguson: It's not even meant for the for the athletes that are on the field.
Kevin Ferguson: This is a concession stand for the Fans $250,000 for a concession stamp.
Kevin Ferguson: I pointed out in the beginning of the meeting that special education spending has gone down the past 2 fiscal years
Kevin Ferguson: from 2.4 million down to a a budget at 1.8 million.
Kevin Ferguson: That's over half a 1 million dollars which special education funding.
Kevin Ferguson: But if my, if my numbers are correct, you want to spend $250,000 on the concession staff.
Kevin Ferguson: I I certainly think that there is an alternative to that. We're spending that kind of money for concession stand.
Kevin Ferguson: especially when you find the need to raise our taxes, especially since you want to decrease the the funding to special education.
Kevin Ferguson: Thank you for the time.
DTSD Webinars: Thank you, Mr. Ferguson.
DTSD Webinars: Mr. Anyone else.
DTSD Webinars: Mr. Kevin Ferguson raised his hand again. I'm not sure if that was a mistake, but other than that, there are no other hands raised when we start in the room that I think it's one comment or comment period.
DTSD Webinars: So why don't we start here in the room? I did want to note that
DTSD Webinars: in order to make public comment, we ask people to please register by completing a form located via the signing sheet
DTSD Webinars: in the front of the room there. I'm. I'm not sure if
DTSD Webinars: people who would like to speak have had an opportunity to do that yet. But if you would like to speak, please, please, complete the forms, so we have them on a hand.
DTSD Webinars: So why don't we start here in the room? Is there anyone who would like to comment.
Hey.
Mr. Singer, just to clarify. If folks want to speak, they may speak first.
DTSD Webinars: We just ask that they fill out a card before they leave. Sure. Okay, we just we just it's okay. It's okay. We just want. We don't want you to have to announce your address publicly. But you do need to be a dairy township Citizen. Okay, so that's all. Thank you. So we can capture your address. So i'm nervous. Okay.
DTSD Webinars: So I also was super disturbed by the Sun Article. Like Mr. Ferguson. I also did think the same thing about the survey. I was going to say that, but he said that so I don't need to.
DTSD Webinars: So I went to school here, K. Through 12
DTSD Webinars: in the eighties and nineties.
and
DTSD Webinars: it was hell
DTSD Webinars: I was bullied
DTSD Webinars: non-stop until twelfth grade when I had a physical altercation with a football player, and his coach took my side, and I never got picked on again
DTSD Webinars: in twelfth grade. So K. Through 12, and it was hell
DTSD Webinars: verbally yes, physically also.
DTSD Webinars: And the year after I graduated was when Columbine happened, and everybody started caring about bullying and talking about. Oh, no! Bullies are bad.
DTSD Webinars: We're going to start caring about that. And then all these years went by. And now I have a daughter in third grade here.
DTSD Webinars: and people that know me tell me or ask me when she was little, and I was registering her. Why are you having her go to the school that you have told me about
DTSD Webinars: that you hated It's it sorry because it's a great school.
DTSD Webinars: and I got it great education.
DTSD Webinars: and that was a long time ago.
DTSD Webinars: and Columbine happened. And now people care about that. There's no way her. She still like that today.
DTSD Webinars: So I read that article in the sun.
DTSD Webinars: and I asked my daughter I was like, so she's in third grade. So
DTSD Webinars: do you see kids get bullied at recess? I know she has monitors because her bus driver is a monitor. So she talks about her all the time
DTSD Webinars: she she loves her so
DTSD Webinars: I asked her, you know, about bullying, and if share witnesses bullying.
DTSD Webinars: and she doesn't really talk about her much, she kind of like it just she gets all in word about it. I know she doesn't get teased. I don't I mean I don't think she gets teased. She doesn't tell me she gets teased.
DTSD Webinars: But I have asked her. You know what the kids get picked on, for. She's like
DTSD Webinars: some kids get teased because they're brown and black
DTSD Webinars: and i'm like wow! Really.
DTSD Webinars: this is 2023,
DTSD Webinars: and I would like to know, like officially, I just want to put it out there for you guys. I don't know if this is like a policy thing or a curriculum thing. But I would really like there to be some kind of proactive something.
DTSD Webinars: because, like anti-bullying I don't know if there's ever been an anti-bullying thing here. I know the cocoa principals. I get it all. I have a kid here.
DTSD Webinars: and I know it's tough for you guys, because, like there's parents you can't. You can't.
DTSD Webinars: Parent people's kids, you know. You can't teach morals to people's kids, because that's happens in the home. And I I get it like, I understand
DTSD Webinars: telling kids to be nice to other kids and teaching kids
DTSD Webinars: kindness and ethics, I guess, is a taboo thing nowadays, because you don't want to get get into what's parents job and what's school's job? Not every kid has parents teaching them to be a nice person.
DTSD Webinars: Not every kid has parents that they can tell they're being bullied.
DTSD Webinars: So
it's the school's job
DTSD Webinars: right like what's the purpose of giving them the great education that I knew my daughter would get here.
DTSD Webinars: What's the point of having that great education if you're sending them out into the world, and you're not even teaching them to be nice to each other
DTSD Webinars: how you gonna get a good job. You can't be nice to your coworkers in an interview like it. Seems like an academic thing
DTSD Webinars: to be nice to other people.
so
DTSD Webinars: I just would like to know what Dairy Township will do. That's proactive up there, and I saw the comment: I don't remember what should be said. I'm sorry that you know definitely need to revisit the relocating students. Great.
DTSD Webinars: that's good, awesome.
DTSD Webinars: but like
DTSD Webinars: at that point that's like a band aid. You know.
DTSD Webinars: What are you gonna do so that you don't ever have to get to the point where kids have to be
DTSD Webinars: changing classrooms. Right?
DTSD Webinars: So that's just.
DTSD Webinars: I don't know this Isn't the question. I guess
DTSD Webinars: I don't know all these work, but that's why not? Okay. Thank you for sharing.
DTSD Webinars: Is there anyone else who'd like to comment
DTSD Webinars: Jimmy. Thanks for let me come here. My name is Bob. Well, she live in Hilltop Road. I wrote this stuff down, and hopefully i'll be able to see it. So it on my classes
DTSD Webinars: I read with and pardon me, I remember sadness. The sons April 20 seventh 2,023 article about a first graders experience with bullying at Jerry township Jerry township elementary school.
DTSD Webinars: The students family felt the only solution was to pull the child out of the out of the school district.
DTSD Webinars: Sadly, I don't feel this topic hasn't come up before
DTSD Webinars: I attended the December sixth, 2,021 school board meeting, where a mother. participating virtually was crying about her sons getting beat up repeatedly in the laboratory
DTSD Webinars: in August, 20
DTSD Webinars: 22 another mother wrote a letter to the editor to the son about pulling her children out of Dairy Township school district for similar reasons.
DTSD Webinars: At the August 20 s 2,022 meeting. Another
DTSD Webinars: parents spoke about pulling his child out of the district, and the only response from the board was.
DTSD Webinars: do I have a motion for adjournment.
DTSD Webinars: I have, seriously or no empathy, no discussion. W. What? I just don't get it. I just you you gotta step up. Man.
DTSD Webinars: Years ago I had a reason to go to the elementary school on a rather regular weekly basis. I noticed that the walls were filled with anti bullying posters everywhere. I commented to some other people that I had no feel for bullying, and it's pervasiveness.
DTSD Webinars: Furthermore, I didn't know if the posters made a difference. Still, don't know that
DTSD Webinars: I do know that dairy township has policy 249 on bullying
DTSD Webinars: cyber bullying. This was adopted in March 2,009. That's almost 15 years ago
DTSD Webinars: students have withdrawn from dairy times of schools for for private schools, cyber schools, and home schooling.
DTSD Webinars: If the truth were known, Probably more students would withdraw if parents could afford it financially, and or have flexible schedules to accommodate them.
DTSD Webinars: Based on the track record. The amount of posters policy. 249 blue Ribbon School, Awards and Instagram awards, offer no assurance of a quality education
DTSD Webinars: that can only be achieved in a safe environment where a mutual respect of others is balanced. Thank you.
Thank you.
DTSD Webinars: Hello, Hi, Heather! Great good to see you just quickly adding one
DTSD Webinars: speaking along the lines of bowling just really as adults. I think we also need to be very.
DTSD Webinars: very conscience about what we put online.
DTSD Webinars: and how we're making our point across online, and how we're speaking of into the people in our community because our kids see it.
And they see how
DTSD Webinars: we're reacting to things. And you know how we're bringing topics
to the front, and
DTSD Webinars: how we're getting our agenda out there, and
DTSD Webinars: they're watching us, so we need to be mindful how we treat
DTSD Webinars: the people in our community and our friends.
DTSD Webinars: and we need to know that they have eyes on us, and we need to be a little better
DTSD Webinars: than they are.
DTSD Webinars: Thank you. Thank you, Miss Rubik.
DTSD Webinars: Anyone else here tonight. Okay.
DTSD Webinars: Hi, Laura Pavon. I agree with Mrs. Rubik.
DTSD Webinars: I didn't plan on speaking.
DTSD Webinars: however, something wasn't addressed
DTSD Webinars: so in the online version.
DTSD Webinars: and it has to do with the bullying of students.
DTSD Webinars: and
DTSD Webinars: not only by the students.
DTSD Webinars: but. as I know firsthand by by the teachers. It happens in their classrooms
DTSD Webinars: Bullying happens to other kids, and teachers do nothing. They don't stop it.
DTSD Webinars: I know that there are Ela classes that Rita very cop hating book. and those children have no voice the ones that want to be pro police. They have no voice, because as soon as they speak up
DTSD Webinars: they are bullied. They are led by other students, and the teachers say nothing. Use it as a teachable moment
DTSD Webinars: to say, we have difference of opinions. or the teachers herself who did it.
DTSD Webinars: Few years back. She herself said.
DTSD Webinars: after a very valid comment from a bright student, said.
Are you kidding me
DTSD Webinars: to the student. So then other students jumped on because the teacher started it.
DTSD Webinars: Nothing was done.
DTSD Webinars: nothing was said. I know that some in this room know exactly what i'm talking about.
DTSD Webinars: So how about we start with the teachers as well, and making sure that
DTSD Webinars: they don't allow it to happen in their class. But they allow the students, with the non-popular opinions.
DTSD Webinars: give those opinions without other students shutting them up
because those students and i've spoken to them.
DTSD Webinars: They don't speak in classrooms, because this is what happens. It's happened to my son.
and
DTSD Webinars: I got 3 years left on my daughter.
I'm
DTSD Webinars: it's gonna happen to her.
DTSD Webinars: at least not by that teacher, because I will make sure, with every fiber of my being that that teacher is absolutely nothing to do with my child.
DTSD Webinars: for the next 3 years that she's there. But let's talk to this. Let's talk to the teachers and say you can't treat other students like that they have a right to their opinion whether you like it or not.
DTSD Webinars: A child, a girl said to my son when he gave his opinion.
DTSD Webinars: she said. That's why I hate people like you.
DTSD Webinars: The teacher right there.
DTSD Webinars: was standing there and heard it
when my son
DTSD Webinars: defended himself and his comments. He was the one that was scolded.
DTSD Webinars: not the girl who wanted to shut my son up.
DTSD Webinars: but my son.
DTSD Webinars: So let's start with talking to the teachers. Don't let it happen in your classroom?
DTSD Webinars: Thank you. Thank you, Mr.
DTSD Webinars: Anyone else like to comment.
DTSD Webinars: Yeah. And while we're at it.
DTSD Webinars: if we could actually start right up there at the top it would be great. There were some very interesting things. I'm sorry. Could you just give us your name? Oh, yes, i'm sorry. My name is Melissa Kaminski.
DTSD Webinars: Thank you.
DTSD Webinars: Yeah, we need to stop it. We need to start
DTSD Webinars: at the top, and i'm talking about board members as well posting on their social media accounts, Mistruth labeling parents and community members, docsing and sharing publicly accessible information which absolutely is not
DTSD Webinars: publicly accessible.
DTSD Webinars: It was disgusting. It was disturbing.
DTSD Webinars: We even had a family who, when this person was posting, and and believe me, a lot more of this will come out very, very soon.
DTSD Webinars: if something isn't done about this, and i'm going to be talking and going through the correct channels. But I just wanted to have just a couple of seconds to discuss this because it's disgusting.
DTSD Webinars: absolutely disgusting. And is it a tarnish on
DTSD Webinars: not only our district.
DTSD Webinars: but our School Board as a whole?
DTSD Webinars: So i'm not supposed to be calling anybody out specifically, which I would really love to do right now. But you don't so. If our kids are going to learn
DTSD Webinars: not to bully each other, not to bully other people All right.
DTSD Webinars: It needs to start here.
DTSD Webinars: and that's all i'm going to say, for right now. Thank you.
DTSD Webinars: Thank you.
DTSD Webinars: Anyone else who would like to comment.
DTSD Webinars: There is one additional hand online. Actually, you have been given permission to speak. Please state your name and just name.
Hello. My name is Ashley Manta, and I was compelled to say something as well. After I read the article in the sun.
Ashley Mantheiy: I have 2 kids that attend dairy township, one in ninth grade, and one in eleventh grade, and my ninth grader in his biology class.
Ashley Mantheiy: It was last October he came home and told me that some kid turned around and said to him: When my son was answering a question, he said.
Ashley Mantheiy: This kid said to my son, you want you should open the window and jump out the window and kill yourself. We reported it to the district, and they did nothing.
Ashley Mantheiy: so unfortunately it's a common trend.
Ashley Mantheiy: I have a reported to every person in a line of command, and it just so happens it must be the way of dairy Township to do nothing.
Ashley Mantheiy: Thank you.
DTSD Webinars: Thank you, Ashley.
DTSD Webinars: Everybody else online. There are no hands raised at this time. Okay, Anyone else in the room who would like to comment.
DTSD Webinars: Okay, we will move on. Then.
DTSD Webinars: Is there anything else for the good of the order?
DTSD Webinars: Yes, I'd actually like to say something. Is that okay?
DTSD Webinars: Sorry. I just want to make a statement just to make sure there's clarity in any misconceptions that are out there, especially especially as it relates to social media. I, as one School Board member, was very dismayed and disappointed
DTSD Webinars: that a community members email to school board members through school district email
DTSD Webinars: would be shared on social media, and I I
DTSD Webinars: I can't think of the word I, Val, that I will work. I will do my best as part of policy committee to make sure that it is clear what is acceptable
DTSD Webinars: and work with the Communications Committee that i'm. Also on to make sure that the community is comfortable communicating with us and understands our limits of confidentiality and that policy, 0 1 1 one does allow, does
DTSD Webinars: outlying the importance of our communication policies, our outreach to the district and and confidentiality matters.
DTSD Webinars: I was also dismayed and and disappointed to learn that the said email was used to pervade what I thought was false and misleading information about a committee members supposed feelings about a book challenge which we, as a board, know is inaccurate. And I know policy. 28 is clear on using data fraudulently.
so specifically.
DTSD Webinars: For myself as a board member, I was extremely upset that a parents legally an appropriate request to challenge a book in a middle school library based on
DTSD Webinars: age.
DTSD Webinars: was filed, but was then posted on social media, calling it a book. Banning, presumably as a political hot button based on the current timing since this happened last spring, not just recently, although, as part I was part of the minority vote last spring, I want to make it perfectly clear that my vote against this book
DTSD Webinars: called Seeing Gender, was specific to the Middle School Library, based on my belief
DTSD Webinars: that it was age inappropriate, due to significant discussions of sex work as a viable profession to name one. I voted, knowing there were 3 that we all knew. There were 3 other gender, friendly educational books available for any student who felt the need to have an educational
DTSD Webinars: educational material about anything, including gender or transgender, or anything.
DTSD Webinars: I resent that based on the social media posts. My and any other Board members negative votes for this book in the Middle School Library classified, accused us of being book banners or anti, general gender, education or anti gender acceptance.
DTSD Webinars: We were collateral damage when trying to make a school work candidate look bad
DTSD Webinars: as part of curriculum council. For many years
DTSD Webinars: our role is identifying curricular needs, including books and material that are age appropriate for each grade and each building.
DTSD Webinars: We just approved Evan Hansen, and born a crime for the High school
DTSD Webinars: is not placing those 2 books in the elementary or middle school, Banning.
No, it's age appropriate placement.
DTSD Webinars: We don't have Magic Tree House books, or Eureka math books that we approved for elementary school in the High School. We don't have little fires everywhere, which we just approved for the High School or ap Spanish workbook.
In the elementary school.
DTSD Webinars: Our health materials are reviewed consistently and constantly, and are vastly different between elementary middle school and high school. This is our job. Age Appropriate educational materials is not book banning, and I find the implications on social media to be both dangerous and negligent
DTSD Webinars: claims that we are not sensitive to gender identity. Education is politically motivated, not the reality of where I stand, or I believe we as a board or a district stand. Thank you.
DTSD Webinars: Thank you, Mrs. Cronin.
DTSD Webinars: I like to say something, Lindsey Cook. Sure, Thank you. I wanted to echo what Mrs. What Dr. Cronin said. I was also disheartened in the fact that as a result of a current campaign efforts that I was labeled into being a book banner that I was, that I am not.
DTSD Webinars: and every novel that I that has ever been brought to the board I have approved, because I've stated that I have trust in our teachers to know that the school has resources to cover complex issues with our students in appropriate manner. I think it's completely wrong to put me in the category of a book banner, and I will not stand for it.
DTSD Webinars: I did an incredible amount of research leading up to that. Seeing gender book discussion, I never once supported that that book be banned. I requested that it be moved to the High School, where it aligns with the Publishing Company recommendations of 14 and older. I provided a specific text
DTSD Webinars: to the Board that evening that had very similar Lgbtq themes. The title of that book that I recommended was the everybody book, the Lgbtq. Plus inclusive guide for Kids about sex gender bodies and families.
DTSD Webinars: I suggested that that be better that that be placed in the library because it is written for an age group of 10 plus. I would never suggest taking a text away from students who need it, and I appreciate the opportunity to clarify that. So thank you.
DTSD Webinars: Thank you, Dr. Cook.
DTSD Webinars: Anyone else. I would like to pig you back just a little bit on that. This is Eric Schmidt.
DTSD Webinars: Frankly, I was disappointed that this incident was not on the agenda this evening.
DTSD Webinars: I think that we
DTSD Webinars: should have has a statement for the citizens, and I personally. don't think it would have
ever been appropriate for a school Board member to initiate and engage in any kind of personal attacks.
DTSD Webinars: We request this from our citizens. When they get up and talk to us, we should not be doing it to them.
DTSD Webinars: and I also was
DTSD Webinars: in with the minority of removing that book from the library, and I won't. Go into more details. But I am not a book banner.
DTSD Webinars: I just want our children
DTSD Webinars: to have materials that are appropriate for their age once again. Thank you.
DTSD Webinars: Thank you, Miss Schmidt. Robert Bennett. I'm. Kind of echoing the same thing as the
DTSD Webinars: who's 3 to? So i'm not going to belabor it and go in through. I'm not a book banner. I agree wholeheartedly with everything I was already said, and my real concern is how you know when emails are put out on social media that are sent to the School Board. You know it breaks down the trust, and I just from Personally, I want you to know if you send me stuff, it's not going to end up on social media, and I don't want that to shut down. So I encourage you. Community, please keep sending emails giving us concerns. I know that's where I get a lot of my information is from the community and from the emails. So I really want to encourage you community. Not let this incident shut
DTSD Webinars: down communication. Please send it, and we will do better to not have that happen in the future.
DTSD Webinars: Thank you, Mr. Bennett.
DTSD Webinars: Anyone else I anything to say for the good of the order.
DTSD Webinars: I do. Maria, Mammy.
DTSD Webinars: I'd like to remind everyone that I am a board member and a private citizen of this community.
I have the same freedom of speech rights as all of you have.
DTSD Webinars: The person I spoke out about on my personal social media account is currently running for public office that puts her.
DTSD Webinars: and a different threshold
DTSD Webinars: than a private citizen.
DTSD Webinars: My thoughts and opinion are just that thoughts and opinion. Mrs. Pavon said it. She said that we are entitled to our own thoughts and opinion.
DTSD Webinars: I spoke up about what I thought was a matter of public concern.
DTSD Webinars: I got an email from a private citizen. This I'm. Not lumping in the candidates. But this is this is why.
DTSD Webinars: she said.
DTSD Webinars: The group of parents running on the Conservative ticket, and myself are hoping for a few basic things from the school district. We have concerns about political Jen agendas, such as gender and race being brought into the district.
DTSD Webinars: That is so concerning. So everyone here can do their homework and decide who they are going to vote for. And as a matter of clarity, I did a right to know request about the said candidate that we're talking about
DTSD Webinars: over a 2 year period of time, 24. Months. She has sent in 306 emails to this district. She is a very prolific writer. If anybody wants to know exactly where she stands on that book, I have all of the emails to show it was targeted, and I will not back down from my position.
DTSD Webinars: That's it.
DTSD Webinars: I would like to not get into a debate. Nope, we're not getting into a debate. You said what you said. If you want to go back and forth, we can go back and forth.
What? My, this is Donna Crone. It my my comments about any in in in consistencies, or that I felt that
DTSD Webinars: to that there were 2 different people communicating with the district, and I thought that their
what they were saying got
DTSD Webinars: crossed. So a school Board candidate and a community member 2 separate people they were what
DTSD Webinars: what they did was ascribe to the wrong person, and that is what I meant as being fraudulent.
DTSD Webinars: I. I have no problem with people stating their opinion, but a community member was her. What she did was ascribed to a school board member, a School Board candidate, which was not accurate, and we all have that information. So we know it. I just want to make sure we don't use our information in our right to express ourselves.
DTSD Webinars: pick and choose, piece of information and cross-reference it, and get the whole story wrong. That's what that I think is is very, very critical in this in terms of fraudulent information and miscommunication, and not really protecting the
DTSD Webinars: the the community for what they represent. So I know that sounds confusing. But
DTSD Webinars: doesn't make sense.
DTSD Webinars: Okay, Thank you.
DTSD Webinars: Any anyone else before we move to close the meeting.
DTSD Webinars: Okay, moving on to agenda. Item 9 adjournment. The next public board of Directors meeting will be held. May 20 s 2,023. Starting at 7 Pm.
DTSD Webinars: Please refer to the just website to register for virtual attendance as the meeting draws closer, may have a motion to adjourn this meeting, so move Lindsay Cock, second Donna Cronin, all in favor. I aye, aye, anyone opposed
DTSD Webinars: meeting is convenient.