I'd like to call the March 14th,
2022 meeting of the Derry Township School District Board of Directors to order
and announce that this meeting is being live streamed and audio recorded.
This meeting is being conducted both in-person and virtually.
I'd like to request four board members to please state your name when speaking.
Mrs. AG Rollcall.
Mr. Bennett.
President.
Dr. Cronan.
Here, Ms.. Drew. Here.
Mrs. Many here, Mr. Rizzo.
Here, Mr. Schmidt. Here.
Dr. Shore.
He's there.
He's there
he is. Welcome You.
Can you repeat his name?
Dr. Straw.
I'm here.
Kip Shah is here.
Thank you.
Mrs. Secker.
Here, Mr. Singer.
Here. My present one virtually.
Mrs. De G. For the record, Dr.
Shaw has requested to participate in this meeting electronically.
Does any board member have any objection to this?
ZG For the record, please note that Dr.
Shaw will be participating tonight electronically. Just
please rise if you are able, and join me for the Pledge
of Allegiance.
I pledge.
Allegiance to the.
Flag of the United States of America and to
which it stands
for this
from.
Mr. Bootable is not able to join us this evening,
but has provided a brass quintet to play the national anthem
for us.
While
you're
Okay. Now,
I what I.
Well, I think we can all agree that Mr.
Beautiful would be very proud.
That was an amazing display of musical talent.
And we appreciate your time and in coming and entertaining us.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you.
Okay.
Approve of Board of Directors agenda May have a motion
to approve the March 14th, 2022 Board of Directors agenda.
I'd like to make a motion to move an item on the agenda.
So do you do the approval first and then the motion start first?
Discussion.
Oh, I need a second.
Do we have enough? Do we get it first?
So over? Oh,
so moved.
Maria Mimi.
Second. Mike Rizzo.
Is there any discussion?
I'd like to make a motion to move item number four board officer positions up
and slide it back into number two where it was originally on the agenda.
So this is a standard.
Oh, we need a second.
Marie just made a motion to move the agenda item up to number two.
And why why do we moving this up to number two?
I thought Mike.
Seconded.
Second, Mike Rizzo.
He approved the original amendment, the original motion.
She amended it.
So now we're voting on.
A. Motion.
Try to motion to move item number one to make sure I have it right on here.
I believe it's number four,
but on make sure everyone's follows here.
So you want to move agenda item four board officer positions
up to number two in place
of an bumped down informational and proposals.
Is there any discussion?
Sorry, Erica. Now is there any discussion?
So why do you want to move that back up to number two?
It was originally there, so I'd like to stick with the way
the agenda was published.
But don't most agenda items
start
after
that?
I'm just I'm confused.
Anyway, usually information proposals comes first because it gives
community members a chance to speak on agenda item.
Right?
That's why I'm confused why we're starting with agenda items
before the community members get a chance to recognize anything.
What would they be able to comment on any of these items?
Yeah, they're they're able for the first comment to comment on anything.
It's on the agenda regardless of where it is on the agenda.
And the second public comment is anything that's on or off the agenda.
Okay.
So they still they still have an opportunity to comment.
Yeah. Okay.
This is a standard voice vote to roll call.
I'm sorry.
Oh, I'm sorry.
This is a roll call vote.
Thank you,
Mr. Bennett.
No, Dr.
Earnhardt? No.
Ms.. Drew?
Yes, Mrs. Manning? Yes.
Mr. Rizzo? Yes.
Mr. Schmitt? No.
Dr. Shaw? No.
That's the sticker. Yes.
Mr. Singer? Yes.
Five. Yes.
For no motion carries.
We will now move on to Oh.
You need to vote to approve the agenda as amended.
May have a motion to approve the the agenda as amended.
So moved Maria Mimi Second Lindsey Drew,
is there any discussion
standard voice vote all in favor
say I five all oppose say no.
No, no.
The motion carries.
So item number two is board officer positions.
Excuse me.
I'm sorry, Senator Coburn, if I could find out exactly who said no.
Thank you.
Are you good, Michele?
Okay, so I don't know. Number.
Number four, board officer positions is now item two.
Okay.
Can I speak? Yep. Those are my.
Yep, that's
okay.
So under item, which is now number two board officer positions,
I would like to make a motion to assign a committee to investigate
whether there should be a change in the officer of the President.
Role.
Is you made a motion? Yes.
Is there a second
second Brazil?
Is there any discussion?
Roll call vote.
This will be a roll call vote to sign a committee
to an investigative committee to change officer roles.
Dr. Brennan. No.
Ms.. Drew Yes.
Mrs. Miami. Yes.
Mr. Rizzo. Yes.
Mrs. Schmitt. Now,
Dr. Shaw
is on me.
Dr. Scholl.
Yes, Mrs.
Sicker? Yes,
Mr. Singer. Yes.
Mr. Bennett. No.
Six. Yes. Three.
Now the motion carries. Now number do.
Number three would be information and proposals.
We've already had the presentation in our schools.
Do they have an additional
or do they do it all together?
They did it back to back. Okay. All right.
Because there's the national anthem, then a secondary one.
So they already did that
for President Communications.
I would like to announce that the board met
in executive session prior to this meeting to discuss matters of personnel
and will meet and post executive session for similar discussions.
Recognition of Citizens.
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 once recognized or unmuted.
Please state your full name and address for the record
To provide equal opportunity, each speaker is limited to 3 minutes.
If necessary, The board may set a maximum time
for the public comment portion of the meeting.
I will ask Board Treasurer, Treasurer Mercieca to please keep time.
Are there any residents or taxpayers who would like to comment at this time?
Let's
start. Yeah.
Andrea mitchell 330 Tokyo Avenue.
I'm speaking today to oppose the new business items
60 Approval of Presenter Agreement Equity Literacy Institute
after some research into this speaker, it was very evident
her career is based on the guilt and shame she feels being and I quote assists
straight, wealthy, able bodied, thin non-male of English fluent U.S.
citizen, a description she claims is the most dangerous type of white lady
out there.
Her attitude towards her own identity consistently rings of self-loathing,
and she only sees disparities through the lens of her own race and bias.
Her writings and her podcast expand on that and they're full of divisiveness
and absent of proven solutions, there's little hope in her message.
Her approach is consistently based on oppressed versus oppressor.
She misses every opportunity to find solutions to disparities
that also teach people to stand in solidarity and embrace
the qualities and characteristics that make us both similar and different.
Bluntly said.
Her viewpoint and her background in these issues is limited at best.
Surely there is a less polarizing and broader perspective
we can take to examine our policies and instruct our educators.
There must be a way to dismantle the inequities
that cripple our disadvantaged and vulnerable students
without coupling it with a gender bias, shame and negativity.
I find it disingenuous that we're willing to spend $7,000 to hear a self-described
wealthy white woman tout that the only way to erase systematic oppression caused
by affluent schools is for those schools to lay down their economic privilege.
I asked you to oppose this agenda item and consider
putting the $7,000 to better use in a more tangible, well-rounded way
to address the conditions facing the most marginalized
and vulnerable students in our district.
Thank you. I'm sorry.
Could you repeat the item number two so I can make a martyr?
Sexy. Sexy. Thank you.
Do we have any other hands to have Any hands raised?
Virtually.
Oh, go ahead.
And we have some virtual hands to
recover.
Broken. 1244 Want and go run.
I want to start by giving the sport a little background on myself
and why it is important to the topic at hand tonight.
I always try to make a conscious effort to practice what I preach
and at the same time making sure my words match my actions.
My wife and I have been happily married
for 12 years and have two wonderful children.
My wife is Pacific Islander and my children are of mixed race.
But truthfully, none of that matters in our home because we're all Americans.
It doesn't mean we ignore culture.
I worked in public service for approximately 14 years,
serving predominantly low income communities.
I've currently served the city of Harrisburg for the last ten years.
I've seen firsthand what real poverty, blight, violence and death looks like.
My experiences in life have allowed me to see things
for what they really are and not through theory and academia.
I recently read an article written
by Katie Swalwell titled Equity Literacy for All the Derry Township Scholarship.
Like to contract Katie to come in to indoctrinate the teachers
for the school district to the tune of $7,000
to definitions that need attention in relation to this article.
Equity and social Justice.
The quality of being fair and impartial equity get behind and then social justice.
Justice in terms of the distribution
of wealth, opportunities and privileges within a society.
Here are some buzz words and phrases that we use in our own home
that this administration might want to adopt.
Equality, hard work, dedication, sacrifice, treating people
right and a whole lot more that produce
a winning mindset not built around victimization.
I've learned firsthand in life that opportunities in this country
are endless if you, as an individual, are willing to work for them.
I constantly tell my children
that you cannot help anyone else in life until you help yourself first.
Let's talk about privilege in Derry Township.
We have approximately 24,700 residents
and received only $2.3 million from the American Rescue Plan.
The city of Harrisburg has 15,100 residents about doubled.
They received over $47 million.
Where's the equity in that?
Derry Township spent $17,900 per student.
Harrisburg City spends 29,730 on average per student.
Social justice doesn't fix communities.
Personal accountability does.
Ladies and gentlemen, this board of this administration
would like to bring a snake oil salesman into this district
to sell you a bunch of theories and buzzwords that are hot right now.
After reading this article and doing more research on Katie
Swalwell, I'm asking about no to this of divisiveness.
Superintendent
Stacy Winslow with a base salary of $170,000 per year,
you are the very definition of privilege in our community.
The per capita income in Derry Township is $51,000 per year.
You make roughly 333% more than the average person in Derry.
Your Cronin is a.
I ask that you have some type of person.
Excuse me. I'm sorry.
This reminded the public comment is not a forum
for personal attacks in Texans behavior and these.
Are not personal attacks whatsoever.
The addressing interesting Dr.
Winslow and I think that's out of order.
Are we not allowed to address.
Your ex or foreign manufactured vacations and liability?
The results from there. What are those? What would be the legal ramification?
Defame individuals or disclose?
How is that defaming individuals?
Is that a fact?
Is her base salary? In fact.
I don't believe it's relevant to what we're discussing
right here to bring in an individual.
Have you done your research on on.
From on I'd rather you share your insight without bringing any individuals into it.
I think that would be more appropriate.
I would like to be educated, but if.
We can't be honest with each other, then what's the point?
I want to be honest with 3 minutes.
Regardless, I want to be honest with facts.
You're right. You're 3 minutes. Regardless. Oh, I'm. I.
Okay, Well, anyway, ladies and gentlemen,
I recommend a no vote tonight on that agenda item.
Thank you very much.
Yes. It's
like maybe 1524 Church Road here in Hershey.
I just want to speak on the agenda item 60 as well.
It's something that really divides the community and does not bring us
together.
Over the last two years, we've gone through a pandemic that cedes
right versus left, Republican versus Democrat, red versus blue,
as well as a election even locally that was hard fought.
This is a time that we need to come together as a community
and not continue to divide on topics like this.
I do agree there are things that we can do
to help our underprivileged community here in Hershey,
but to bring somebody in that touts
the level of
disdain
for even her own labels
is not something we need for Derry Township.
We are currently a top school district in the state.
Please vote no for this.
So we can stay like that.
Thank you.
Anybody else from the audience?
Before we go to our virtual attendees,
we have
we have a several virtual attendees. Yes.
Laura Pavone, you have been given permission to speak.
Please state your name and address. For the record.
Can you hear me?
Yes. Okay.
Laura Pavone, 524 staffers, Church Road.
I'm voicing my opposition to agenda item six,
say looking to spend $7,000 for controversial speaker Katie Swalwell.
This is an exorbitant amount of money and it could be better spent in other places.
It's no secret that the district plans to raise taxes
and spending $7,000 for one day speakers frivolous.
I was told today there were that there was a bucket sitting in the eighth grade
hallway a while back catching whatever was dripping from the ceiling.
Maybe the $7,000 could be spent to take care of the necessities first.
If the board votes tonight to spend that $7,000 for one speaker, I'm
now asking if this seminar will be open to the taxpayers will be paying for it.
So it should be
open to the taxpayers.
And. Parents
should have every right to know what is being passed on to our children.
Regardless of your feelings about the speaker, spending $7,000
for this seminar is frivolous and should not be wasted in.
Such a manner.
Thank you.
Melissa Kaminsky.
You have been given. Permission to speak.
Please state your name and address.
For the record.
Can you hear me?
Yes, we can. Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you so much. I'm sorry.
I'm having some technical difficulties. Yeah.
Melissa Kaminsky 1518 Brookline Drive, Hummelstown Thanks so much.
I really can't say anything more than what
some of the other parents had said tonight, but I,
I am in agreement with them and I strongly oppose that agenda.
Item six C again, can we just
please, you know, let our kids be kids?
We're just a little bit harsh and not not divide them any further.
I was really hoping to see our community start to come together after this
just heinous last two, almost three years now that we've been going through this.
Please, can we just
just try something else?
I'm not sure what else to say.
I thank you for allowing me to speak.
I really appreciate that.
Just please, just just vote against that.
We don't need that in our schools. Let the. Kids.
Just be kids, please.
And let's just get our community back together.
Don't divide us.
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
Michelle DAVIES.
You've been given permission to speak.
Please state your name and address for the record.
And can you hear me okay?
Yes. Yes, we can.
Thank you. Okay.
Thank you.
Michelle DAVIES 1624 Church Road.
I also oppose the $7,000
for the speaker that's on the agenda.
I'm a parent of a
first grader, kindergartner, and a preschooler,
and I would like to keep this stuff at our schools.
It doesn't support
community building in any way.
And so I strongly oppose it.
And I agree with everything that Andrea mitchell said.
Thank you.
Kathleen Miller, you've been given permission to speak.
Please state your name and address.
For the record.
You're still on mute.
Kathleen.
Kathleen, are you interested in speaking?
We have a hand-raised, but she's still on mute,
so I don't know how long we give her.
Kathleen, we're we're going to move on.
And you can always speak at the next.
Oh, okay.
And is on raised.
Okay.
All right.
I think we're good now.
Good. Okay,
great.
Standing committee report.
The Curriculum Council met today, and here is my report.
We only had one item of old business on the agenda,
and it was the second reading for a new middle school math curriculum
involving the Carnegie Math program, which involves new textbooks, as well as
software.
And it also allows personalization to student individual student needs.
It was approved by curriculum counsel to bring to the full board,
and that will be on April 11th.
It will come to a vote for all of us.
And that timeframe does allow this to have a full implementation in the fall.
Bob, Erica, Kathy, anything else to add?
Okay.
Community Correspondents report.
Mrs. Karp, how do you have a community correspondence report?
I do. Thank you.
For the month of February,
the district received 75 community correspondence submissions.
63 of those submissions were regarding the COVID 19 pandemic.
Some other comments and questions
from this month include one question about a Zoom about Zoom classes,
two questions about work permit, an inquiry about a memorial,
a positive comment regarding our schools music program.
One question regarding telehealth,
one question about report cards and recognition of our.
SO our Officer Kessler,
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Student Representatives reports Ms..
Oladipo and Ms.. Progress.
Do you have a report?
Yes, we do.
I'm excited to announce that this week is many on Spirit Week, Tuesday.
Tomorrow we pajama day on Wednesday will be anything but a backpack
in which students would bring a substitute for their backpack
on Thursday will be wear green and bring in your green money
first all day and then Friday will be many on
merch and shirts and they're really fun colors.
Friday the 18th, the high school will be hosting the annual mini thon.
It's going to run from TPR until 11 p.m., which is a change from its usual
time of 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. to 6 a.m..
But there's still so many fun activities that are offered.
Activities like a ping pong and volleyball tournament. Mr.
Hershey Pageant above or knock out Zumba dance party.
And there'll always be food for the students.
Our goal is $25,000 and so far
we have raised 17,673 almost there and hoping we can make it.
On Friday, we asked students to raise a basic entry
fee of $20, which would get them into the event.
And there's still time to donate.
The link to register and donate is in the Instagram bio age, as many Bond
and students as always have their own fundraising bio pages on donor drive.
This.
Thank you.
In addition, the model U.N.
trip On last Wednesday, students competed at the Susquehanna Valley model U.N.
tournament, and three students won prestigious regional awards
of the parliamentarian Chairman's Choice, a consensus builder.
We're all really proud of them.
In addition, we'd like to take the time to congratulate our HHS sports teams
for their achievement in racing, for their achievements in recent weeks.
We'd like to congratulate the boys basketball team for making it
to the playoffs. You had a wonderful season.
That was truly incredible for everyone to watch.
The hockey team is making its way to the Fliers cup, and the Hershey
wrestling team has its first ever girls state medalist.
She won fifth place.
And in other news,
the marking period ends on March 25th and the next week
after that begins the fourth and final marking period of the school year.
And that's going to be concluding our report.
Thank you.
Thank you very much to both of you.
Recognition of New Extracurricular Activity School Club. Dr.
Winslow
in compliance with Policy 122 extracurricular activities.
The listed addition of the high school student clubs is recognized.
The Cooked Cook to Connect Club.
Thank you. Mm hmm.
The listed items are on the anticipated March 28th, 2022
Board of Directors Meeting Agenda
Pandemic Update Dr.
Winslow.
Thank you, Dr. Cronin.
Relatively short update tonight.
The district positive count right now for our 14 day total is six,
which is amazing.
And I'm thrilled to report
a couple updates from the middle school.
The middle school students were assigned lockers on February 28th.
I know that's been a concern for a lot of folks,
and I know that middle schoolers are happy
to not have to carry around their binders in their backpacks. Now.
And the lockers are being used pretty heavily
and some of them are already quite messy.
Just a hallmark of middle school lockers.
Also, Mr.
Valentin surveyed middle school students about whether or not
they'd like to sit more closely with their friends or stay six feet apart.
If you'll recall, lunches have been six feet apart
for quite some time now, and it was had students back in the back
hallways, and especially the students in the side hallways in the back
hallway, it was hard for them to talk to their friends at lunchtime.
Most wanted to sit close to their friends while there were still quite
a few students who preferred to stay six feet apart.
So the lie will continue to be set up
six feet apart for any students who feel more comfortable
having their lunch that way,
while the other desks will be.
We're not going back to tables yet, but the desks are going to be moved into the
auditorium lobby and into the cafeteria and will be two feet apart.
For the students who are more comfortable to sit closer to their friends.
So those are the big updates that we've had since the last time that we met.
And I'm happy to answer any questions if there are any
conflicts.
Sorry.
What about the elementary kids?
Are they working to get them closer together as well?
Right now, we're maintaining six feet of distance there.
That seems to have been the overall wish of parents
and the feedback that we've received
and those students do get have their recess
so they get to play closely with each other outside. Of as.
Soon as they're done with lunch.
Consent Agenda Items.
The consent agenda contains routinely adopted items and items
that normally do not require public deliberations on the part of the board.
A board member may pool items which will then be discussed and voted on separately.
May I have a motion to approve the consent agenda
item and I pull off the use of facilities.
I just have a question about it.
That'll be part of the discussion first.
You can you want to pull it out as a separate, I don't know, vote on.
Yeah, because I have questions about it. Yeah.
So what you would do, what you would do is take a motion
for the other remaining items other than that item and then come back.
So I'd like to make a motion to approve the consent agenda
items as listed excluding item
Kathy, which item
is and five B requests for the use of school facilities.
Excluding item five be requests for school facilities so moved.
Maria Mimi Second Lindsey Drew, is there any discussion?
This is standard voiced vote
to approve all the consent agenda items except for five.
Be all in favor.
Say I already opposed. No.
The motion.
Carries. A.
Five B request for the use of school facilities.
The administration recommends
the approval of the following request for the use of school facilities.
This approval is contingent upon government regulations
and restrictions regarding gatherings and meetings at the time of the event.
As a result of COVID 19.
May I have a motion to approve this request
or do I have to go to use some of Kathy sticker?
Second, Lindsay
Drew, is there any discussion of you have a question?
So I know we have a memorandum of understanding
between Hershey Little League and Hershey softball.
So we're talking boys and girls.
What is Capital Crush Fastpitch?
Is that Hershey youth softball?
Like what?
Because and because they are asking for use
of facilities at the same time, Sundays from 3 to 8.
I know.
I know that they work that out amongst themselves.
Those they're both reserving the same fields.
But it's not Hershey itself, but it's not Hershey softball.
So we don't have an emoji.
As with capital cross fat capital crush fastpitch.
So how can we be approving this?
This came up in agenda planning. So. Dr. When did you have an update?
We did.
We had asked Mrs.
Wagner about this,
and she said that little League and the Fastpitch softball have an M.O.
you between each other, not with us.
So that
if they want to use the same dates, they work it out between each other. Oh.
Well.
Did softball put a request in yet?
Not that I'm aware of.
Okay.
Because I don't want us to approve something.
And then?
Then softball might need it.
Sunday's like, how do we know?
School activities always take precedence, even if something's preapproved,
but they're not. Example softball.
Now I'm talking about youth.
Hershey Little League is a youth organization.
Hershey Softball is a youth organization.
I don't know what capital
Crush Fastpitch is, is that our kids
and youth softball like K through fives.
What I only understanding is that it's a club team of softball players
who include Hershey players. I don't know the exactly.
Yeah. Was it like a travel team? Exactly. It's a travel.
So it's not just rec.
That's my understand more than rack.
It's a travel team
because there's four teams in the organization for a total of 60 girls.
I mean, I'm not opposed.
I mean, I love that they're playing sports.
I just want Hershey softball and Hershey Little League
to get our fields first before a travel team gets them.
And where is Hershey softball in this equation?
That's that's what I don't I'm I'm worried about.
So you're worried because the softball youth
softball hasn't requested time yet that there won't be any time left.
Well, and this is Lindsay, Drew.
My understanding is that the MSU agreement between the town
or the school district and then Hershey Little League in Hershey softball
would supersede anything because that has language in it
that states that Hershey softball and Hershey Little League would work
in, you know, cooperation to settle any issues with field time.
And if they were unable to come to that, then it would be
a school district decision.
And that's where my
only concern on this is that were approving both
if they have an agreement between the two of them and work it out, great.
I just don't know how
we approve the use of the same field for two entities at one time.
Can we pull these?
Can we put this aside and then look into it further before we
they don't want to want to start on a grade March
15th and March 28th, and it's March 14th, right?
They got I don't want to hold them up, but I don't I like
I feel like we should have gotten Hershey softballs until
we can't control when I mean, like, for example,
a lot of times youth youth basketball takes all the courts
in the winter and then youth indoor programs don't have any space left.
So we pretty much have to go first come first serve.
But, Lindsay, you think our M.O., you if softball comes in late,
our MRU allows them to have deals over a travel team.
My recollection is that our M.O.
you agreement with the RAC
softball and baseball is that they have the agreement
that they will work out any conflicts with the use of the field.
But that's not this one.
Yeah, I mean, I don't I don't want to hold them up
because they want obviously they want to start practices like tomorrow, right?
So I just want to make sure that
we feel
like the softball is going to get our fields too.
So I'm willing to vote for it.
I just want to make it known that we should be aware of that.
Right, That we do have an embryo and it should override a travel team before.
I guess.
So if a request comes in from you softball, we will take that.
Yeah, well, I'll make I'll make sure that there's a note for Mrs.
Wagner and Mr. Anderson to work through that.
Should we get the youth softball?
Okay. And maybe they all talk and work it out.
Anyway, I'm hoping the three organizations talk.
I'm hoping that that's the case.
But I'm too new in this position, and this is my first spring sports season.
I'm not entirely sure that that happens, but I also just wanted to confirm, Dr.
Winslow, that this was for practices and games
for these rec organizations and not for tournaments, correct?
Correct.
If there was a tournament, that would have to be a separate request.
Well, there are there are some tournament on here, which they have to pay for.
For there aren't. It's an event like.
Right.
It says the amount that they have to pay for soccer.
Oh, there's nothing for
Little league.
No, no, no, no.
Ones that have little League is just practice in games
where soccer breaks it out between tournaments. And
so then Little League will put forth a separate field request for tournaments.
I would say yes, that is the expectation.
Okay.
All right.
Thank you, Dr. Krohn.
And just one other.
I'm a mystery singer.
So the next the next step would be that buildings and grounds will send out
a lease agreement based on the approvals tonight to the different organizations.
I'm just wondering,
in transmitting that lease agreement, whether there should be a note in there
that there are some conflicts that need to be explored and worked out,
that there these dates are tentatively approved, but
that they'll be hearing further from us regarding.
I think I think, Terri, that's done upfront before it comes to us.
So they've already expressed to them that your your
you've requested some of the same days and times
that that's going to be up to you to work that out.
They're already aware that there's a conflict.
Oh, they are. Okay, great.
Thank you. Thank you for bringing that up.
This is a standard voice vote.
All in favor.
Say I, I any oppose, say no.
Five B carries. One.
Now we're on to item six.
New Business Acceptance of Gift Eagle Scout Project. Dr.
Winslow. Our.
Administration recommends accepting the Eagle Scout Project Gift of Playground
Communication Board from John Potter, who I believe is in our audience,
may have a
may I have a motion to accept the Playground
Communication Board gift so move Lindsey drew second copy sticker.
Is there any discussion?
Dr. Cronan I just noting that Mr.
Potter is here and this is such a cool project.
Would you be pleased
that we could just recognize him and then give us a little of your project?
You can come to the podium
and tell us your name and we'll go look.
John Potter 10th Grade Little overview of the project.
It is a. Playground communication. Board for pre-verbal.
And non-verbal school age children at. The.
Planning to be put in at the Hershey Elementary School.
Playground.
That is a basic.
Overview of what my plan. Is.
Excellent.
What is the time frame on on completion?
I'm hoping to have it.
Installed professionally
in the.
Few weeks after the school year. Ends.
Excellent.
Do you mind if I ask you what your motivation was on taking this project?
Well, my mom. Found an article that.
People have been putting them in and it just.
Clicked. With me and. I acted. On it. Great.
Well, we appreciate that and we hope this is a good role
model for other students to be doing great works for other people.
So thank you very much.
You're welcome.
And Mr.
Potter, I just want to say I was very impressed with your proposal
and the collaboration that you have put into this with working with
teachers that would be able to help guide you through it.
And you really thought of all things. So congratulations.
I know that working towards an Eagle Scout project is a lot of work
and I commend you for that and
just thank you for what you'll be doing with this project
for students of Derry Township School District in the future.
Keep up the great.
Work I will.
This is a standard voice vote.
All in favor.
Say I oppose any oppose, say no.
And the motion carries special education agreement. Dr.
Winslow Administration
recommends the district accept and execute an agreement to amicable resolve
a special education matter in accordance with a confidential agreement
between the district and the minor.
Child Parents may have a motion to approve the Special Education agreement
so moved. Maria Me.
Second. Mike Rizzo.
Is there any discussion?
This is a standard voice vote.
All in favor.
Say I say no.
Motion carries
approval of listed present or contract agreement. Dr.
Winslow The administration recommends
the board approve the presenter Contract with Equity Literacy Institute
for a day long in-person Equity Curriculum workshop led by Katie Swalwell,
may have a motion to approve the Contract with Equity Literacy Institute
of Nancy Drew Second Copy sticker.
Is there any discussion?
Yes. Robert Bennett, Much like the community members,
I did some research on this presenter as well, and
I didn't love everything I saw.
She is she's affiliated with this group called Learning for Justice.
So I did some research on them
and the Learning Justice seeks to uphold the mission of the sovereignty.
The Southern Poverty Law Center, which is kind of a very politically charged group,
whether you agree with or not.
The fact is they are politically charged group.
And I don't think that is something we should be bringing into the school.
She also has some books about being educational activist.
I'm not in favor of having teachers being activist allies and advocates
for the students, getting them to learn, bring to the potential.
Yes, but having activist teachers I don't think is something that the school
district should be promoting or encouraging through these seminars.
My second point is I'd have to agree with some of the comments we had here today.
I don't think the $7,000 is the best use of money.
We were raising taxes last time.
I wasn't here personally, but,
you know, I you know, there was a topic of discussion.
I think that is, like you said, a little bit
unnecessary and gratuitous to spend $7,000 on a single speaker.
I think we can do better.
And I would encourage
just not to approve this and maybe look somewhere else for this for someone else.
May I respond?
So certainly.
Thank you.
I appreciate that.
Some of the concerns and we expected that there would be some current concerns
when when people saw that who Katie was affiliated with. Dr.
Shuman has worked very closely with her, went through several sessions at the ICU
based on the goals for the curriculum council.
And we have been very, very clear on what we want
and what we do not want specifically because of these concerns.
So her work is going to be focused around representing in the curriculum.
One of our goals is to make sure that every student season sells somewhere
in the curriculum, and that's not the case right now,
particularly for our Asian students.
We barely talk about Asian history or how Asian-Americans have contributed,
and we have a very large Asian population in our schools.
So we want to do better with that.
The other piece that we are looking at specifically is accessing
academic language.
Academic language for students who are learning
English can take up to seven years to acquire,
and this is going to be working with teachers to help them
incorporate pieces that allow for greater acquisition
in a more timely fashion.
Because we want students to be able to access that academic language.
We've been very careful to keep pieces out that we are not interested in
based on what the community concerns might be.
And in regards to the $7,000, we expect about 725 teachers to attend
$7,000 is very typical price.
It's actually pretty reasonable
for someone who comes in and works with us like this
with about 125 teachers, that's $56 a person,
which is very, very reasonable
for professional learning when you consider that going
somewhere to a conference can be upwards of 250 to $500.
And we have
in the past, we've invited parents who are interested.
If someone is interested, they can reach out
and would be more than welcome to attend.
I don't know if they would find it very interesting by the middle of the day,
but certainly parents could attend if they wished.
This is Donna Cronin.
Can you share what what you specifically stated was not
appropriate to be part of the discussion as it relates to
some of the concerns that were mentioned?
I was not in that particular discussion.
I could bring that forward or I don't know if Dr.
Shuman remembers.
I don't want to put him on the spot back there, but.
By without having my notes,
I would just say that we are not interested in social activism.
And what we're looking at is some of the charges
that we were charged with from curriculum counsel.
One of the pieces Dr.
Winslow spoke about is having all students represented in our curriculum,
also looking at building things that will alleviate
some of the barriers for kids accessing certain pieces of our curriculum.
A lot of the academic language, like Dr.
Winslow spoke, spoke about.
Those are the elements we're interested in and we're looking at what we currently
have in curriculum and what we can do better, where we're not looking for
training our teachers to be.
Activists
as we talk to him.
So just as a follow up, Dr.
Schumann, some of the concerns with the speaker
was that, you know, the the
focus on privilege shaming.
And I assume that that's not part of this discussion or her topics.
So I think he's talking to yeah, sorry, sidebar institution.
But no, that is not part of what she'll be talking about. Thank you.
I just want to make it clear because I think that.
Yeah, I also read about her and I, I, I
can't imagine she wouldn't
discuss that because that's a lot of what she is about.
I mean, you know.
It's an older.
Article, but one of them is confronting white privilege.
And I mean, she is quote unquote, the national expert in
of K through 12 education.
And I, I do
respect the fact that
you want to find more inclusive
curriculum.
I just don't think with somebody this controversial
that she may be our.
A good solution there.
I think there's too many people that
question what she will be bringing in.
It is Robert Bennett the fact that we've got this many speakers
on a presenter from a school district I think is kind of surprising.
Like this many people are concerned about, you know.
Presenter
Along with this, I don't think we should be funding
activism in education,
so I don't think we should be paying this lady and continuously comment.
You may have cut it out here in Derry Township,
but she's going to continue to spread activism elsewhere.
So I don't think we should be funding educational activism.
We should be picking people
that we don't have to pick and choose what they're going to tell us.
We should pick somebody that's coming with what we want
and we don't have to pick and choose it and not controversial.
So just as a consideration and make sure I do this correctly
before
I'm I'm considering making a motion to
postpone it to another to the next meeting.
If individual board members don't feel like they have enough information
to make an informed decision,
have everyone feels like they've done enough background research on this.
I personally just read what was in you, what was provided with us
and I just pulled up more information that I did not do previously.
Does anyone else feel that they could use additional research time
and that it would make a motion to put this off to the next meeting? What
when did DEADLINE to approve her, though?
Well, it's not until July 20th is when
when she performed when she p lecturing.
So if we push it to the next meeting, potentially,
I just like people feel like they
if they're informed and have done enough research and are prepared to vote on it,
that's fine. I just want to give that option.
If people do not feel like they have researched her sufficiently.
And Dr. Brennan, this is Lindsay Drew.
I would also just state that while I certainly appreciate the,
you know, the public comment on that and any concerns, I do think that
this presenter aligns with our board approved educational equity policy
and the goals that are set forth, you know, in that curricula.
Um, there and I think that this is one of the situations where
we would need to trust the administration to be carrying out the goals
of that board approved policy and the board approved curriculum.
And, you know, this is a workshop presentation
for our professionals and adults, teachers, educators in the district.
So it is not something that is being presented directly to the students.
And so I would encourage any parents who children experience,
you know, anything in their classroom to raise that with the teacher
or the building administrator if they feel that it goes
beyond the purview of what is defined by board policy.
But I don't think that it should be the business of this board
to be getting into the weeds of
second guessing
doctor level professional administrators
who have sought out these presenters.
And this is Mike Rizzo.
Dr. Winslow, you mentioned that you had had discussions
with this individual on what you want to be presented.
Am I correct or.
I did not personally, But yes, Dr.
Shuman and I spoke about it at length and then he had those discussions.
Will you guys be reviewing the presentation prior to.
We will and we'll be there. Okay. Okay.
I just wanted to clarify that for myself.
I just as a member of the Dauphin
County Career and Technical School Joint Operating Committee,
I was I've been on an ad hoc committee to review their admission process.
And today I went through the seven sending school districts demographics.
So there are seven and nine school districts
that center our local career and tech school.
Central Dauphin, Derry Township, Halifax, Harrisburg
lowered off in Middletown, Susquehanna.
As far as economically
disadvantaged students, Derry Township is at 21.8%.
Harrisburg School District is it 85.5%?
So 8 to 9 out of ten children every day that go to Harrisburg
are economic disadvantaged and two out of ten at Hershey.
So I hear people, you know, saying a lot of numbers and
about things about our district.
But I do think that and where money goes and where money doesn't go,
but I do think that we need speakers at our district to talk about equity
and to make sure that we do understand the disparities that are out there
in our culture where some of our children may not understand that.
So I, I and I do believe that we should align speakers with our curriculum goals
that were board approved.
And if the administration is you've read one article that she wrote,
I think she's an academic.
Academic because that's not what she's coming here to speak on.
She's coming here to speak on certain topics that we picked for our curriculum.
So I don't think it's fair to equate that she wrote this article,
and that's what she's not coming to speak on that article that first of all,
the article was written I this is Erica Schmidt, ten years ago.
But what I've read about her and what her bio talks about
is what she is about.
And maybe she may not be bringing
that exact information, but.
Mr.. That this is exactly what the board is here for.
I Mean we're not in the weeds.
We are here to approve how money is spent and what it is spent on.
And and as a parent,
I want to discuss those things with my child.
With my child.
I don't need her to teach
or to talk to the teachers about how the white children are,
you know, so much better off and they should feel bad themselves
themselves and
are oppressing. The.
Children of color.
I mean, that's insulting to anybody of color.
Actually.
Respectfully, Mrs.
Schmidt, Dr.
Winslow stated that one of the goals of this was for representation
for the students, not to teach, but she's already written about that.
This is what she's known for.
And no, do I think she's going to come in and talk completely about,
you know, anti oppressive education?
No, but it it is inferred in a lot of this stuff.
And I just don't think that we should.
You know, we should be
having her come in as a school district.
If people want to go see her outside, that's great.
But I don't think that we should be having it.
I would just say from a as a member of the Finance Committee
for a number of years and being very intimately familiar
with our budget, this is actually a very low dollar item
compared to even other presenter contracts.
So it did not raise a flag for me from a budgetary perspective.
In summer 20.
But I concede I don't I don't have as much financial experience
with the school that you do.
So I can see that that is a completely appropriate price for a conference.
However, I just can't read enough that I she seems to be very politically charged.
Her articles are politically charged.
She's associated with a politically charged group.
And I don't think we should be bringing these kind of politics
into the school or teaching the teachers how to do that.
And this isn't really a left or right thing.
I would be opposed to this. This is a politically charged group.
And pick your favorite right wing political group,
whatever it is, I would say here, be saying the exact same thing.
My goal is to keep politics out of the school
and she clearly is politically based.
So I think it would be
in our best interest to find somebody else who can do the same thing.
How it would not be controversial or politically charged.
This is Donna Cronin.
I'm hearing conflicting messages.
So I understand what Dr.
Shuman has stated in terms of that it would represent.
We want to increase representation in curriculum and
increasing access academic language
that specifically there would not be social activism or no privilege shaming.
But I'm confused.
You brought up a point that seemed to counteract what they would not include.
Like you said, you were for students being aware of disparity,
but that sounded like what you said was what we asked not for.
Is that correct?
Yeah, not specifically that.
And this is helping to plan how to look through the curriculum
and how to make decisions based on what we need in our context.
So are we able to
you said you would see the slide presentation in advance
and could take out anything that you you have the ability
to take out anything that would that would be deemed inappropriate.
Can it be reviewed by the curriculum committee?
It's not common
practice, but just curious and I don't know
if we would have it by our last meeting at the beginning of June or not.
Okay.
I'm just just thinking out of the box to make sure people are comfortable
with a vote, that they're informed and comfortable with all of the aspects of it.
I am I am personally not comfortable with the concept,
but with the guardrails that have been placed
by Dr.
Shuman, as well as knowing that we could see the content ahead of time.
That makes me more comfortable,
especially since I don't have an extensive knowledge of
I haven't done enough research.
I want other people also to weigh in if they feel like they have enough
enough, have done enough research on their own to to make a vote.
They will not I will not ask for a motion to.
Hold this off.
If people feel that they have enough information to vote.
Dr. Renslow did.
This was provided to the board in advance and our board brief.
Did you receive any inquiries for additional information
in order for board members to be prepared to vote on this item this evening?
I did not.
Then I would like to move to call the question and take it to her.
Please. I just want to make sure people are
comfortable because what we read was was fine.
But I didn't do any additional background research on what anybody else did.
So when you need it, you need a second to call the question.
Second.
Now for the call.
The question for the.
Question, Cathy Schick or second. Vote.
Okay. This is a yeah, I was going to get to this.
The standard voice vote roll call.
You want to roll call vote.
Okay.
You need you need a you have a motion to call the question.
You need to make sure that there's
not anyone else that wants to engage in any discussion of this.
So that's that was Mr. Motion, am I correct?
So that was my second.
So I understand that motion was to
I made a motion to end discussion by calling my question.
There was a second vote on that. Right, Exactly.
So your call was to end our discussion, but now we can have further discussion.
We have to take a vote on whether or not to ask.
You know,
if that vote, if that motion passes, then we cease discussion and you watch on.
It. Okay,
So this is a roll call vote to cease discussion.
All the questions, all the question.
Miss A-G, roll call, vote.
Mr.. Yes,
this is Miami. Yes.
Mr.. Rizzo. Yes, Yes.
Mrs. SCHMITT.
This is just a step.
To start discussion.
Yeah, to call the vote and stop the discussion.
Okay? Yes.
Dr. Shaw. Yes.
Mrs. Sicker?
Yes, Mr.
Singer? Yes.
Mr. Bennett?
Yes. Dr.
Cronan? Yes.
Nine. Yes.
The motion carries.
So now we're going back to we've already had the discussions.
Now we're voting on
you need to state, we're voting on
voting on 60.
The administration recommending the board to approve the present Contract
with Equity Literacy Institute for a day long in-person equity curriculum workshop
led by Katie Swallow. One Get us all on the same page.
This will be a roll call vote.
Ms.. Aging.
Mr. RIZZO. Yes.
Mr.. SCHMITT. No.
Dr. Shaw. No.
Mrs. Sikka? Yes.
Mr. Singer? Yes.
Mr. Bennett. No.
Dr. Cronan. Yes,
Miss Drew? Yes.
This is Manny. Yes.
Six. Yes.
Three.
Now, motion carries approval of the 20 to 23 school calendar.
Dr. Winslow.
Thank you.
The administration recommends the approval of the proposed
2022 23 school calendar.
May the motion to approve the 2022 23
proposed school calendar so moved Lindsey drew second.
Maria Mimi, is there any discussion?
I just want to add for the purpose of the public
who may not have been able to put up the attendance or the attachment
that this would make the first day of school Monday, August 22nd?
It would, and it would be a five day opening week.
So just get that all out there out front.
I just know there's been a lot of questions about it.
So August 22nd would be the first day of school.
Yes, that's of
is there any discussion?
Is there anything unique about this
that's new and different than our normal calendar schedule?
It is the five day week.
We normally start with a four day week, right?
And it is starting on the 22nd, which we have done in the past.
It just all depends on when Labor Day falls.
For some folks that felt a little early, but then we finish
on June 1st, I believe is the last day.
So and what is the main reasoning for, the earlier start
rather than going a week later?
Just I'm just curious, just because that was the preference
of the majority of people who answered questions.
Okay.
No, I just wanted to get that out there because I know that has a
has a great impact on fall sports, because that means families
have to come back two weeks, you know, a week earlier from vacations.
Just want to make that aware. And also the fact that
the most best opportunity for students to take
the SAT is August 27th, and students like doing that before school starts.
So every once in a while when it happens like this, it's a it's a real,
real inconvenience in a lot of ways.
I'm just just I do recall that in the 2020, 2021 school year, the board
approved calendar was just start the same week with a five day start week.
But because of the pandemic and return, we amended the calendar
to push it back a week to give time to get things in place.
So we haven't tried for the five day
start week before and we did feel it was really important.
One of the things that we have seen
is that students really struggled re acclimating to school this year
and are hoping to get a jump on that next year.
So that allows for the
pick because otherwise the
29th means it's only a four day week because of Friday of Labor Day. Yes.
So there'll be a five day week and then to 48 weeks.
Okay.
So any other discussion
just just for the record, I'm.
Sure.
I'll be voting against this just for just
because I believe that's too early for students to be coming back to school.
But that's just my own personal opinion because I work with a lot of students
that take the SAT and that's a huge, huge factor as well as fall sports.
So regardless, I'm just going to I will vote no just because that's
just my personal feeling for for a lot of students
at the high school, specifically,
any other discussion.
Should be. Just to a standard voice.
Can we do a roll call vote?
Sure.
Thank you,
Mrs. Schmitt?
Yes, Dr.
Shot? Yes.
Mrs. Secor?
Yes, Mr. Singer?
Yes, Mr.
Bennett? Yes.
Dr. Cronan.
Now, Ms.. Drew.
Yes, Mrs. Manning? Yes.
Mr. Rizzo. Yes.
Eight. Yes.
One Opposed Motion carries
approval of the revised 2021 22 school calendar. Dr.
Winslow The administration recommends the approval of the revised 2021
22 school calendar.
And just to clarify what you're voting on there,
that is making June 9th and act 80 day to make up our snow day,
which means that staff would be present, but students would still finish on
the eighth.
Thank you.
May have a motion to approve the revised 2021 22 school calendar.
So moved Maria. Mommy. Second, Microsoft.
Is there any discussion?
This is standard voice vote.
All in favor.
Say I like any post say no.
Motion carries personal resignations. Dr.
Winslow, The administration recommends the approval of the personnel resignations
may have a motion to approve the personnel resignation.
Record resignations.
So moved Maria Mimi Second. Mike Rizzo.
Is there any discussion?
This is standard voice vote all in favor.
Say, I see no.
Motion. Carries
personnel. General Dr.
Winslow, the administration, and recommends
the approval of the list of personnel
and recognition of any of those two transfers.
May I have a motion
to approve the list of personnel and recognition of any list of transfers?
So move.
Lindsey drew second. Maria.
Mimi, is there any discussion?
This is standard voice vote all in favor.
Say I oppose, say no
motion
delegate reports.
The SIU report is attached.
Mrs. Schmitt, do you have anything to add?
No, nothing to add.
And the SBA report is also attached.
I have nothing to add.
Mrs. Mamie, Do you have a Parks and Recreation report?
I do.
We met on March 9th at 7:00 at.
We got a tour of the new community center.
At that meeting we did.
We elected a new chair, vice chair and secretary.
And I'd like to report that there are seven.
They are hiring at four.
The new centers, 70 part time positions and 30 lifeguards,
which they are in need of lifeguards.
They he did mention that.
And if anybody is interested in applying for a job
at the new community center, they can go on indeed.
Or the Derry township township's website, April 9th.
April 9th is the Easter Egg Hunt at Schenck Park.
May 7th is the fishing Derby at Bullfrog Valley Pond and the projected
opening date, which they feel they are on target for, is June 1st.
And I'd like to reiterate that they are looking for lifeguards.
Thank you. Thank you.
Special reports,
board member reports.
Are there any board who would like to give a report? Dr.
Brennan, this is Lindsey Drew.
I would just say a couple of things, and I hope I'm not going to steal any thunder.
From. That princess.
I just attended the Hershey High School Musical
like a week and a half ago, and just wanted to congratulate the
students and staff and musicians and the everyone that was involved
and just a really incredible performance of Beauty and the Beast.
It never to amaze me the amount of talent and time and effort that are our students
and the dedicated staff members who to help
make that production happen, how much they put into that.
And it was just really phenomenal and I truly enjoyed it.
Last week was also National Social Workers Week, and so I to recognize
DeSaulnier because I think that she is an unsung hero in our district
who really does wonderful things for so many of our students.
And I know that Mrs.
Secor is also a social worker by profession.
So just thank you to the social workers who do so much.
And then just a reminder, as the delegate for all things
diversity that the Hershey, all things
diversity, the next one is tomorrow evening at 7 p.m..
The topic is from ageism to collaborate ageism.
It is, for some reason no longer on the township website to be able to register.
But if you go on to all things diversity page on Facebook,
you can get the link to the Eventbrite to to get the register for the Zoom link.
So that is tomorrow evening at 7 p.m.
or Wednesday. May tomorrow. Tomorrow. Wednesday
at 7 p.m.
and that's all I have. Thank you. Thank you.
It's true.
Any other board members have anything to share?
Yeah. This is Terry Singer.
I just wanted to share something as a volunteer.
I'm involved with the the Hershey Rotary Club over the past couple of years
have run their annual essay contest.
The essay contest called for students to prepare an essay of up
to 1500 words on the topic of the truth.
What is true?
Where is truth found is truth in an important,
whether truth is absolute or relative to a person's experience in life.
Entries are due by February 14th.
They were submitted electronically, required validation
from teachers, parents and guardians that the work was original
and the essays were evaluated by a panel of judges.
Three high schools
were eligible Middletown Area High School, Milton Hershey High School
and Hershey High School for timing reasons.
Middletown Area High School was unable
to have any contestants in this year's contest, but we did receive
quite a few responses from Hershey High School with Milton Hershey
are pleased to report that Valerie North Nagle
was won first place from Hershey High School
and was awarded $300 for that.
And as a first place finisher, she'll advance
to the Rotary essay competition at the district level.
We're still competing against other students across the district
and be eligible for additional recognition and monetary awards.
Third place in the same contest went Natalie Haig,
a Hershey High School student.
And we had also Lucy Brennan
from Hershey High School received an honorable mention
notification.
So just wanted to share that with the group.
That was a great response from Hershey High School.
Had three individuals recognized for their work.
I was involved in every aspect of the contest
and in fact read almost every essay and the quality was fantastic.
And I think the students have a lot to be proud of.
The teachers, the school parents, everyone.
Thank you. Great.
Thank you. Mr. Singer.
Any other board members?
Dr. Winslow, do you have a superintendent report?
I do. Thank you.
So, boys basketball played a great game against Gateway on Friday night.
Unfortunately, Gateway took the win in that,
but our boys do a fantastic job throughout their season.
The SAT's were on Saturday because of snow.
I was very excited to have Saturday snow
and realized that we had a six also scheduled.
So College Board selects the make up date and that is March 26th,
March 16th.
So this Wednesday
at 7:30 p.m., the high school music department does have a concert.
So if you have the opportunity to come out, it is well worth
being present for their concerts.
They're amazing.
I did want to recognize
some of the retirees that were were in our agenda.
They have been longstanding administrative assistants and invaluable
paraprofessionals, bus drivers and have served
for quite a long time and they will be missed.
And then I did want to share in lines of the musical,
and I was very happy to hear this because I was out of town
while the music was playing that they will have
for the first time ever a link to watch it if you missed it.
I have not seen the link yet, but Mr.
O'Brien told me that that was going to be available soon,
so I would definitely recommend watching it.
I had seen some of the preview pieces and definitely amazing.
And according to Mrs.
O'Brien, the best one they've ever done, which I think she says every year.
But I know she was she was super pleased with the students.
Performance.
And that's the report. Excellent. Thank you.
Presents Report.
I did want to share,
since I'm not stealing anyone's thunder, no one stole my thunder.
I should say that last weekend, sophomore high school student Alexandra Pachulia
won the overall bronze medal at the Pennsylvania Men's Gymnastic
Championships in Monica, Pennsylvania.
He also won a silver medal on the parallel bars
and a bronze medal on the pommel horse and the high bar.
These performances
him for the regional championship next month at West Point Academy.
So I just wanted to make a special congratulations to Alex Pachulia.
Recognition of citizens.
This is an opportunity for residents and taxpayers to address
the board on matters related to the agenda or matters of district governance,
not on the agenda.
Those who speak are asked to follow
same guidelines outlined at the initial public comment portion of our meeting.
I asked Board Treasurer Mercieca to please keep time.
Are there any residents or taxpayers that would like to comment at this time?
Just anybody in the audience
now. Otherwise, we'll move right to our virtual attendees.
Catherine English, You have been given permission to speak.
Please state your name and address for the record.
Good evening, Catherine.
English 545 Hill Church Road Hummelstown.
I just want to go through real quick and reiterate the eloquent, speaking of
some of the attendees this evening, I'm really disappointed in that vote,
and I guess I'm just unsure
why we have such an amazing asset in our community
with Milton Schools that concentrate on character and community.
Why we can't emulate and work with them is just so disappointing.
But an opportunity for leadership and a bridge with them,
if that would be something of interest to our administration.
Secondly, I wanted to bring your attention to a book
that is currently in the middle school library called Scene Gender.
This book talks about sex work
as an okay
item and offers lots of confusing information
that is not appropriate for 11, 12, 13 and 14 year olds.
And it's rated for 14 year olds but is somehow at our middle school library.
I'll happily send over that information.
Just the misinformation and conflicting ideals in that book
when we're worried about safety
and sexual relationships for young kids is truly troubling.
I mean, thirdly, I would just offer that if we are going to do an investigation
for the board governance and the spots of the board,
I would ask that that be made public and or recorded in statements.
And I would also ask that the campaign contributions
were brought to the attention of the board in December be discussed.
We have a member of the h.r.
Committee who has received funds from employees.
That is wildly inappropriate.
Mrs..
It really does
remind you that you are accountable for any legal ramifications and liability
that result from statements that misrepresent truth, defame
individuals, or disclose personal information, not of public concern.
I am absolutely familiar with that term, and this is all public record.
Thank you.
Do we have any other citizens?
We do have another hand.
Jennifer, you have been given permission to speak.
Please state your name and address for the record.
Hello.
My name Jennifer Renz.
I'm at 322 Cocoa Avenue.
I am unsure
why the school year for next year was approved to begin so early.
We live in a tourist town and to start so
soon before Labor Day doesn't make a lot of sense to me.
I'm curious as to what the kids who work at the rec center are going to do.
Does that mean that there won't be anyone to work at the pool, though?
We're finally going to have access to this summer.
And also the kids that work at various jobs
around town that we already have problems staffing.
We're removing some of
the workforce by starting so far ahead of Labor Day.
So if anyone could point me to,
I guess, verification or justification,
sorry as to why we're beginning on August 22nd,
I would love to be informed of why that was voted upon.
Thank
thank you,
Melissa.
You have been given permission to speak.
Please state your name and address.
For the record.
Yes, go ahead,
Melissa.
I ask for the background noise.
It's a bit busy here.
I have to say again, thank you for I'm
extremely disappointed in that vote.
But I'm Melissa vitiate the fact that.
I'm Melissa.
Excuse me.
Excuse me, Niger. We need your full name and address.
Oh, of course. I'm Sorry.
Melissa Kaminski, 1518 Brookline Drive, Hummelstown.
Thank you. My apologies.
What I was saying is that
I really do appreciate the fact that since this speaker,
this Katie Southwell, will be
speaking at the at the school to our educators,
I really appreciate the opportunity for our parents to be there as well.
So I'll be reaching out to find out how can be a part of that.
Thank you so much.
Thank you, Melissa.
We have another attendee.
Laura Pavone. You've been given permission to speak.
Please state your name and address for the record.
That's all right.
Laura Pavone 524 Stivers Church Road
Now that the board has chosen a waste of $7,000, I ask when
and how parents will be notified about attending this seminar.
I'm also concerned about the board member
comment.
Stated.
Any concerns about what may be relayed in the classroom or set in the classroom?
Should we raise with the administration?
Please know that concerns have been raised
in the past about controversial topics.
And. Nothing was done about teacher
shaming a 16 year old student.
I don't have much confidence that any parent or student
concerns will be properly addressed, not to mention the fact.
I'm still wondering what is dripping from the middle school ceilings.
Thank you for your time.
Thank you, Laura.
I don't see any other hands raised up.
Sorry. Go ahead.
Kelly. English.
You've been given permission to speak.
Please state your name and address.
For the record.
Kelly, you're on mute.
Hello, Kelly.
English five, four, five.
Hill Church Road, Hummelstown, Pennsylvania.
I just wanted to call and express my disappointment with the Vote
on the Prisoner.
Katie Swalwell I have also done quite a bit of research
into her background and very disappointed for bringing that into the school.
I also would like to make a point that
when we ask questions of administrators as far as what information
is going to be presented, it would be nice to get an actual straight answer.
They know this is a controversial topic.
They should be prepared to offer that information.
Thank you.
Thank you, Kelly.
Tim Smith, you've been given permission to speak.
Please state your name and address.
For the record.
Tim, you're still on mute.
Tim Smith,
226 Highland Road, Hershey, P.A.
Hey, I didn't really know too much about
this speaker that you guys voted on
until I listened to the whole board meeting.
I tried to listen to it real closely.
But I'm not sure about the political agenda
here behind this.
And, you know, I don't have a Ph.D.
and I'm not that smart, but I'm just sort of concerned about,
you know, pushing political agendas through.
I mean, we need to keep the politics out of school.
We need to reunify here.
You know, we don't need things that are going to divide us.
I've been praying for you guys a lot that we would unify in Hershey.
We've got to we don't need to keep bringing in divisive items.
So that's just what I wanted to say.
And I'm going to continue to pray. For you guys.
Thank you.
Thank you, Tim.
I don't see any more hands.
Is there anything else for the good of the order.
Of. Dr.
Cronin, this is Terri Singer,
and you may be about to cover this, but I'm not sure everyone was in the room
when we decided we needed to have a post executive session.
I did announce that, yes.
Okay. Thank you for getting some.
I just want to say this is Donna Cronin.
I just want to say, based on all of the discussion, once again, I
you know, we all take citizen comments very seriously.
And I want to
assure individuals that Dr.
Shuman and Dr.
Winslow have made their
specific
lecture inclusion items
well defined to be representation
in curriculum of various ethnic groups, as well as
accessing academic language, specifically stating
there should be no social activism, no privilege shaming.
That's what I wrote down, and that we would look at the
the presentation advance because I want everyone in the community
to be comfortable that what you know of what we are
trying to do in alignment with curriculum and what we are not trying to do.
So we are providing oversight in that arena.
And that's the only clarification I wanted to make.
Okay.
All right.
The next public board of directors meeting will be held March 28th, 2022,
starting at 7 p.m..
Please refer to the district website to register as the meeting draws closer.
May I have a motion to adjourn the meeting so moved.
Maria Mimi. Second. Mike Rizzo
All in favor.
Say I any oppose?
Say no.
The meeting is adjourned at 8:28 p.m..