Okay.
I'd like to call the March 22nd, 2021
meeting of the Derry Township School District Board of Directors to order
and announce that this meeting is being livestreamed and audio recording.
This meeting is conduct is being conducted both in-person
and virtually limiting our in-person attendance to ensure the ability
to social distance during the COVID 19 pandemic.
I like to request that the board members this evening
please state your name when speaking.
Mrs. A.G. Rollcall, please.
Mr. Able. Present.
Patrick Cronan here.
Ms.. Drew Here
is however stick
as many hear.
Dr. Shore. Here.
Mr. Speaker, here, Mr.
Singer. Here.
Mr. Signer here.
A present. One absent.
Thank you.
Mrs. A.G.,
would you all please rise if you're able and join me for the Pledge of Allegiance.
I just sit.
This is just one.
Indivisible with liberty and.
Justice for all.
Thank you.
Item number one D on our agenda this evening.
Approval of the Board of directors agenda.
Now I have a motion to approve the March 22nd,
2021 Board of Directors agenda.
So moved Maria me second.
Lyndsey. Drew.
Thank you. Is there any discussion?
This is a standard voice vote all in favor signify
by saying I anyone opposed motion carries
item number two Information and proposals Students of the Month Recognition.
Mr. MCFARLAND.
Thank you, Mr. President.
As we have done all year, we have two wonderful students of the month
that will be presenting their are sharing with the board via a video.
So Mr.
Swigert, if you want to share that at this point.
Hi, I'm Michael Cronin.
Introducing any first to them on video.
And here's a picture of us from sixth grade.
Wonderful. I see you're dismissed.
Hi, I'm Cammy.
I am one of the sooner the months
students of the month for the month of March.
I also like to extend my gratitude towards the Hershey Rotary Club,
Federated Women's Club, and just HHS administration and staff
and all my wonderful teachers, everyone who has helped me out along the way.
The list goes on and on and on.
But just to keep this video short and concise, thank you.
To everyone who.
Has helped me out throughout high school.
I've spent a lot of time with the lacrosse team.
I got involved my freshman year kind of unexpectedly,
and I just kind of found my love
for I'm a goalie and last year I was selected
one of the captains, which has been so much fun so far, just
kind of getting to know the underclassmen and figuring out how to lead.
Spend an amazing, amazing experience.
I also am involved in dance.
I've been dancing since I was about seven or nine and play piano.
I've been playing piano since I was in fourth grade.
Yeah,
more school wise, I got involved with our interscholastic
mentorship program that we want to run with.
The elementary school got involved that my sophomore year.
It was introduced by senior Marksman Ski, and through that program
I had just met the most amazing people and made amazing
relationships that will stick with me, I'm sure, throughout the rest of my life.
I am also National Honor Society President and my goal is my vice president.
Super fun, great time.
I've been involved with Cougar Parks and
Park for Hunger, student government. I
and and young Democrats, which I've learned a lot from.
And the Special Olympics.
Special Olympics is another thing that I volunteered with.
So, yeah, those are all it's kind of a compilation of stuff
I've done throughout my four years here with the Hershey Educational I.
But I'm Distinguished Honor Roll and got two underclassmen awards last year.
After high school, I'm headed to Haverford College.
I commuted there for lacrosse, which so insanely stoked for.
I think it's going to be amazing how pretty.
It's awesome. I can't wait for that.
And I'm planning on majoring either biology or pre-med.
We'll figure it out when we get there.
Again, thank you so much for this honor.
And again, thank you to my goal for an amazing introduction.
And yeah, just thank you again.
Hi. Welcome to Michael Cronin's.
Student of the Month video. Here is.
A photo.
Of us and first grade together just.
Being. Champs, having a great time.
Tito for the introduction.
I'd also like to thank my parents, Don, and our Cronin,
my classmates and my amazing teachers for all their support through high school.
I'd also like to thank the Rotary Club and the Hershey High School Administration
for this great honor at Hershey.
I'm the founder of Hack Hershey,
which is the coding for this story my sophomore year to bring together
about 100 students
from Central Pennsylvania to come together and create new coding projects.
I also serve as the class president, the student Council Co-President
and the NHS vice President,
where I enjoy creating activities and opportunities for the entire grade
for the entire school.
I also serve as a goal mentor and link leader for eighth and ninth grade
students transitioning to high school
and making sure everyone feels included in our high school community.
And I'm also a member of the Track and Cross Country teams here at Hershey.
Outside of school, I organized a fundraiser for the Children's
Miracle Network, where I raised $15,000 for them,
and I also work part time at country Matters.
After interning them junior year and really enjoying
spending time with all the residents and the staff there.
All my favorite but my favorite service activity has been working
with the Joy Sports for their all sports summer camp,
where I introduce elementary school students to a variety of new sports
that they've missed, that I've never tried other educational activities.
They have included being on Distinguished Honor roll, being named a nationally
commended student in the AP style
with distinction as well as in AP Physics Underclass Award.
And next year I plan to attend college and major in computer science
and political science. Thank you.
Anything else on Student of the Month?
Congratulations, Donna.
Thank you. I actually have a comment.
This is a little bit unusual, but Michael mentioned thanking his amazing teachers.
And I really wanted to emphasize that statement because I'd be remiss
if I didn't specifically acknowledge a few teachers who have had
a profound impact on Michael starting in fifth grade, Mrs.
Mark recommended Michael for the gifted, gifted testing,
and as parents knowing he had suffered a traumatic brain insult,
it was never anything we ever even considered.
But under Mr.
Mrs. Gustin, Tino's guidance, and with Mrs.
Mark's continuous support,
Michael thrived in an enriched math curriculum and continues today.
When he got to middle school, Mrs.
Resh was his gifted instructor,
and he's she sparked Michael's interest in computers, which is the source of
why he wants to major in computer science in college and in high school. Mr.
Epley supported his idea to start a computer club,
and it wasn't for him giving his personal time to serve
as the faculty sponsor and chaperon for all of the hack Hershey events.
They wouldn't have occurred.
And then Mrs.
Ives, like she does for so many seniors, she's she has gone over beyond in
providing numerous college and scholarship recommendations for Michael,
which has left him with a, you know,
a number of great options, opportunities or options.
And finally, as part of us as part of student government,
Michael's worked very closely with Dr. Smith,
who has been extremely open to Michael and the other student leaders ideas.
He approved their class trip to DC, the COVID friendly homecoming
this past fall, as well as options for a senior life, a life senior prom.
So I want to offer on behalf of myself and art our sincere
thanks to these amazing teachers and our principal who truly made
a tangible and positive impact on Michael and so many other students.
I mean, it's just so nice to see it up close and personal.
Many thanks to all of them.
We're really lucky to have them. Thank you.
Moving on to the presentation
of the FDA, please. Hi.
Can you hear me
okay?
I'm Autumn Allman.
I'm your member services manager at the FDA.
Thank you for allowing me a few minutes of time to come and give a quick update.
We do try each year to get out to all of our member districts
and I miss being out, hearing all the wonderful stories.
That was really great.
Your Student of the Month presentations there.
So I'm glad I was able to see that.
So I just like to give a quick little update.
First of all, thank you for adopting the charter reform resolution.
We are up to 388 districts across the state who have adopted that.
So we're really excited about the momentum that we have for that
service services available to you through our h.r.
Services program.
We have job descriptions, superintendent evaluations and career gateway.
Just to mention a few.
And i will be sending you a follow up email with some other information
and some links and things for you to get,
you know, some more information related to these things.
Next week.
We have sectional meetings coming up on Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday and those are in the evening.
The Tuesday topic is social
and emotional issues, which I'm really excited about.
Wednesday, we actually have the governor coming and coming to talk
during our sectional meeting, so that's exciting as well.
The excuse me
success starts here website, if you haven't seen that.
I know we went to it in Daily Edition, but I will also send a direct link
to your page on success starts here.
And on that website there's all sorts of demographic
information, information related to your district.
We lost board leadership as well,
but what we have up there are success stories
and we are always looking for more stories to get up there.
We utilize those stories whenever we're talking with elected officials and I'm
sure you see them at the bottom of Daily Edition.
That's where we get those stories from
a board.
Self assessment is
something that's part of your membership that you can do every year.
My background is in education, and so I am a firm believer in assessment
and understanding where you're at, and that's what the board self assessment
really does, is it gets a pulse of where you're at as a board.
And then we put together a board learning
plan resources available to you at the SBA.
We also have our crisis communications tool,
which is something that we hope you never have to use.
However, if you do have a situation, it is available to you,
and I will send that in a follow up email as well.
And then lastly, I just want to sort of reiterate
a lot of the emails and things that we've sent out surrounding this,
but the required school director training, if you have not completed that,
you can do that on my CSP.
And so I will give a very early reminder to anybody
that is in the process of running for board.
Again, if you are reelected in the fall, you would be required to take the school
director training after you are sworn
in at that December reorganization meeting.
So that's an early warning reminder for that.
But if you want to get it on your calendar, I know that we will be
at your member organization.
We certainly provide that to you.
I don't know if they will be in person or just virtual
coming up in the fall or in the winter. But
more to come on up.
Any questions for me
as well?
Thank you. Thank you very much. Anything from the board?
I appreciate your spending some time this evening
and those reminders are as well.
Thank you all and have a nice evening.
Thank you.
President Communications.
I would like to announce the board met in executive session before this meeting
to discuss consultation with attorney or other professional advisors
as well as matters of personnel.
We're on the item
D now
two D recognition of citizens.
This is an opportunity for residents and taxpayers
to address the board on matters related to the agenda.
Those who speak if present or are asked to come to the microphone
and state your name and address.
For the record,
those who are attending virtually are asked to raise your virtual hand.
In order to be recognized.
You must have your we must have your.
In order to spread like that, in order to be recognized,
you must have your first and last name typed into the livestream registration.
Once recognized and unmuted.
Please state your name and address for the record
to provide all residents with an opportunity to speak.
Each speaker during the public comment portion is limited to 5 minutes
of speaking time 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.
This portion of the board meeting
is for comments to the board and is not a question and answer period.
Those wishing to present prior
to concerns or questions needing follow up outside of the board meeting
may go to the district website and submit a community correspondence.
And as I've asked the past couple of meetings of folks
have found that their comment has been captured by a previous speaker
if they would consider yielding their time.
And then secondly, the ceiling will have a 45 minute limit
at this portion and at a 45 limit at the second portion for public comment.
So that leads us to ask if there are any residents or taxpayers
present here this evening who would like to comment at this time.
So I have a couple hands up. Yeah.
So, yeah, why don't we go first?
Hi, my name is Lorena Brown.
I live at 744 Fishburn Road in Hershey.
I came tonight to speak as a parent, but I'm also a middle school teacher,
so I'll be addressing that perspective as well.
Let me preface my remarks by saying I'm talking
in in respect to virtual hybrid learning.
I want kids back in the school building as a parent and as a teacher.
I agree with the people who are speaking in the community,
who are talking about getting kids back into schools.
I'm not going to say opening schools because we've been open
and we've been working ever since.
The buildings have closed and reopened and closed and reopened.
I just want to make sure that we're doing it in a phased and a safe way.
I'd ask you to consider a couple of things as a parent.
First of all, the students who are currently hybrid
but are anxious and uncomfortable
with coming back to school in crowded classrooms, those students
will potentially be forced to go virtual if we're back 100%.
My son is one of those students.
He's very anxious and we're going to try to keep him in school as long as we can.
But I just don't know if it's going to be possible with all the kids in school.
As a teacher, I want to share a bit about my classroom size in the middle school.
The old CDC guidelines said that students should be six feet apart
when possible and something to the extent of not less than three feet apart.
At the middle school, in order to do hybrid, that meant three feet apart.
From the beginning,
I currently have 13 desk in my classroom and there's about three feet between them.
I went into my classroom yesterday to try to fit more desks.
I got 16 in my largest class, has 27 students.
19 are currently hybrid.
So if none of the virtual students come back into the building,
I'm still going to be three that short.
I have the breakdown of each of my classes.
If you'd like to see the numbers.
They're all around the same numbers somewhere between 16 and 19.
My classroom is about half the size of this room,
which is limited to 25 people for a board meeting,
and I could potentially have 27 students in that room.
During lunch periods, it's been talked about so much,
providing six feet of social distancing in the cafeteria.
It's been suggested that we get creative,
attend ten outside or some other means, but we really don't have the staff
at this point to be able to supervise all those kids in different places.
In the middle school, we also spend a great deal of time
in the beginning of school teaching expected behaviors, executive
functioning skills, all those kind of things.
Well, what I'm noticing in my classes is the students who are coming back from
virtual settings are needing a lot of support to reorient.
And if we bring back large number of students,
it's going to be even there's going to be even more of a need for that support.
But we're not going to be able to take the time and simultaneously
focus on academics.
For other student facing the students back might be a better situation
for us in order to serve the needs of all those students.
Supervision between classes has always been an issue
in schools, pandemic or no pandemic.
We now have students on zoom in the mix also,
so it's very difficult to supervise students in a classroom,
in a hallway on Zoom, all at the same time simultaneously.
Again, it would be helpful to phase back in
and not just throw all the kids back in the classroom for us to
to try to manage all of these things at one time.
There are other issues that I really won't go into.
Traffic concerns, social distancing during inclement weather outside before school.
There are other things that I know have been mentioned before,
but I just want to kind of thank you.
The faculty and staff of this district are lucky to have an administration
that values our right to be vaccinated. We really are.
I really appreciate that. I'm very thankful for that.
Many teachers and staff participating in a vaccination clinic
received the first vaccine shot about a week ago.
The second shot will be given in about three weeks.
So we're not quite there yet with our faculty and staff.
I believe everyone who wants to be vaccinated
and that I can see has started the process.
But we're not quite there yet.
During this pandemic, teachers have been asked to pivot just as families have.
We pivoted to online learning.
And one week in the spring,
then we were expecting to come back to school
full time, in-person and with very little time to prep.
We pivoted again to accommodate online and hybrid learners at the same time.
One of the biggest challenges of my 25 year career,
we're being asked to do our jobs in a way that stretches us to our breaking point.
We feel the frustration of parents because we're feeling it too.
On a personal note, I lived in a trailer for three months apart from my family
because my husband's a transplant patient,
and once it was cold, we put up plastic walls in our house and installed
thousands of dollars worth of equipment to our back system to keep him safe.
Some might say I'm living in fear, and to them I say maybe I am.
But if it keeps him safe, I'm okay with that.
I can accept that fully reopening before the beginning of May does
not provide enough time for the vaccine to be optimally effective for your staff.
In addition, it puts a lot of additional stress
on faculty members who've worked their tails off
to do everything that you've asked this past year.
I don't speak for the faculty.
I'm speaking for myself.
But it's my opinion that most people I speak
to want everyone back in the building.
That's what they want.
But we'd like to be safe as we're doing that.
We've given so much to this district.
We I just ask that you consider at very least a phased reopening
so that all the teachers who want to be fully vaccinated have that option.
Thank you.
Thank you, ma'am. And Mr..
I. I forgot.
I apologize.
I forgot that I was on duty. So I think.
I was trying to figure it out.
That's fine.
And I'm sorry, ma'am, but did I get your address?
It's seven four, four, four Fishburn.
Right. Okay, good. Thank you. I apologize.
I might have missed that.
And I was focused here. Okay. Thank you.
So we're ready on the clock, and we're ready for our next speaker.
I'm sorry about that.
You were within the parameters.
I believe she was close to it.
Yes, sir.
Well, it's John Miller from 329 Cocoa Avenue.
Just want to say a few brief words.
I know your time is valuable this evening.
As somebody who has teachers in my family, I echo
the sentiments and respect every word that was just said.
And it's exactly what I'm here to talk about as we look forward
of how we're going to what are we going to take away from this?
I think there's a few things we can take away.
Number one, first and
foremost is somebody who went from kindergarten through graduation.
And here at Derry Township, the image of the district has been tarnished.
I'm just telling you how it is.
Don't shoot the messenger and the reasoning behind it
as everybody's seeing neighboring school districts.
And I know there's we have unique constraints here
with the single buildings and everything else in one campus.
The only thing I'm asking is that we look at things with resiliency,
and that's not just getting by.
It's not just making sure kids pass and we keep them moving.
And we even admit that they're going to be rusty next year.
Okay.
It's six leading in the face of that adversity.
That's what I expect out of a blue ribbon school.
That's why we moved back to Hershey
after my wife and I lived
in neighboring school districts for a couple of years
because I said I want my daughter to go to the best school district in this area.
And and I am questioning that right now.
I'm questioning that because I'm not sure if we have the resources
available to provide dynamic
resources to our kids next year and our teachers.
I don't because we don't know what the future is going to hold for us here,
but I'm just asking for to look at things with resiliency.
How can we expand?
What are the opportunities that are in front of us?
Because there are opportunities.
And I thank you for your time and I appreciate it.
Thanks.
Thank you, sir.
Yes, ma'am.
Hi, My name is Sue Myers.
1248 Harding Avenue in Hershey.
Thank you for
allowing me to address the school board.
I'm here to urge you
to vote against the dismantlement of the SCC library
and the merging of the K one
library program into Steam.
My family has been invested
in Derry Township School District for many years.
My husband was born here
and completed his K-12 education at Derry Township.
Our two daughters
completed their 12 years at Derry Township
and both received excellent preparation
for college and beyond.
Now I have two grandsons
enrolled in Derry Township
and one slated for enrollment in 2022.
The library and its program
have played an important part in all of their lives.
There are many reasons why the SCC library
and its program should remain separate from steam.
First,
when the library
piece is integrated into Steam,
much of the arts piece of library
instruction is lost.
How much of the library curriculum
can be inserted into steam
with the limited time of the steam program?
This reflects a watering down
of the curriculum.
Second, to my knowledge,
a certified library media specialist will not be teaching steam,
and the library's skills which have been incorporated into it.
Does the STEAM instructor have the certification
and the facility to teach literature appreciation?
Illustrative Techniques.
Fiction versus nonfiction?
Book care and borrowing skills
that are part of the K-1 curriculum?
Sir, I am concerned
about the loss of teaching time to our students
when they are headed to another building
to visit the library for book exchange,
especially during inclement weather.
Picture 22 kindergarten students
getting on coats, hats, gloves
and so forth, lining up and hiking up
some steps to get to the library and another building.
Then they remove their coats,
hats, gloves, store them someplace,
select their books,
and then check out again putting on their coats,
their gloves, their hats and so forth.
Get back in line and hike back,
removing and hanging up their gear.
Travel time wasted
when a library could be located
in the same building.
Fourth
kindergarten and first graders
will be losing the cultural piece of library,
which carries over into the community with good citizenship,
community resources and sharing and discussion of literature
from many cultures which broaden
their experiences.
Yes, with the inclusion of librarians esteem,
there's the loss of creativity and imagination
with steam.
One can imagine
what is in this world,
but with libraries.
One can imagine this world and other worlds
such as Narnia, a hundred acre woods.
Hogwarts. 30 seconds.
Mount Olympus.
Six students have shown that are robust.
Studies have shown I'm sorry, that a robust, integrated library curriculum,
a well-sourced library with a certified library
media specialist and time spent in the library results
in higher reading scores on essays and other standardized tests.
It is important to begin this early in the educational process.
In other words, grades K through one seventh
without a dedicated library curriculum.
Sorry to interrupt. Spend 5 minutes.
Could you wrap up, ma'am? Sure.
Without a dedicated library curriculum, there's less time for important
literature to be shared.
The importance and references to literature
is critical to advanced English courses.
Folktale styles of writing, mythology
and poetry can and should be learned early.
Last I listen to some of the Zoom literature
with my first grade grandson, and it's substandard.
Thank you, ma'am.
Appreciate your coming forward.
Any other public speakers in the room
that would like to address the board?
All right, Mr.
Swiger, can we go to virtual.
Mr. President, we have Nathan Wisniewski.
Okay,
sir, if you could identify yourself by name
and address,
are you able to hear me?
Yes, we can hear you.
My name is Nathan Mazursky.
My address is 115 Peach Avenue, Hershey, Pennsylvania.
And I am the parent of the middle school and high schooler.
This year has been a challenging year,
a huge push from members of the community
to make Derry Township go back to full day in-person learning.
I can state that there is no substitute for in-person learning.
What I would like to see is Derry Township start planning
to have children in school every day starting in the fall.
I know that not
I know that everyone wants to do what is in the best interest of the kids.
But what about the best interest of all, including teachers and support staff?
At this point, kids have been in the hybrid learning model
since the beginning of the year.
I do not see why they cannot continue with the hybrid learning for the remaining
two months of the school year.
Just this month there has
been an increase in the availability and administration of the COVID vaccine
by waiting until the fall to have full day in-person learning.
This will give everyone that wants to get the vaccine
the chance to get it by pushing in-person learning before then is rolling the dice.
You watch or read enough news articles.
There have been statements made
that children do not get COVID or they don't get it as severe.
I call these statements as there has been no scientifically
controlled study to show or prove this.
However, what about teachers and support staff?
They are typically older
and below severe cases.
Recently, the CDC reduced the social distancing
guidelines from schools from six feet to three feet.
These are guidelines and not hard numbers.
I don't know how the rooms are set up right now,
but I believe it would be difficult to fit all desks in a room to accommodate
all students for in-person learning.
I have also heard arguments that other schools are doing in-person
learning four or five days a week, so Derry Township should do it
well. As my mother used to say to me,
just because Bobby did it doesn't mean you have to.
In other words, don't do something just because others are.
You need to make your own mind and decision.
Other schools are doing in-person learning because they are set up differently.
For example, most other schools have separate elementary schools
that are local to their community.
Others have all students stay in one room and the teachers change rooms
and enough leave.
Either of these are viable for Derry Township.
Lastly, I have informed the number of person in-person attendees
at this board meeting is being capped around 25 people, including the board.
Is this to maintain social distancing?
The question I have for the board is this.
If you have any hesitancy with opening this meeting up to all
that want to be here in person because of social distancing
or an increased chance of having someone COVID positive,
then you need to vote to keep the hybrid schedule.
If you don't have any hesitancy,
then we should be having this meeting in person.
Thank you.
Thank you, sir. Sir?
Mr. Swiger,
the next person identifies herself by her first name and last initial.
If she could give us her full name when we open her mike.
Hi. Can you hear me? Yes.
My name is Kate Toczek.
I am at 349 Cedar Avenue.
I also have some at the middle school and daughter at the high school.
And I just want to add to what the previous parents and teachers
have been saying about opening the school up full time for the students.
I would love to have both of my kids back in school full time,
but we know the reality of the spring break.
Kids are going to travel, families are going to travel
excuse me, family visitations, which is all wonderful.
But we know that that contributes to the spreading of the virus.
And if we bring all these kids back right after
and they're not able to be three feet apart, at least,
which we know that's not going to be the case,
the risk of spreading the virus are higher,
which, of course, is going to lead to the school being shut down
if we stay on the current hybrid schedule, the greater social
distancing it affords will cut down on the risk of spreading the virus,
and this will reduce the likelihood that the school
will have to be closed to all students.
And at least this will maintain
at least somewhat of stability for the remainder of the school year.
Thank you.
Thank you,
Mr. Schweiger.
Next, the next person we have is shiny.
Leibovich.
Please proceed.
Hi. My name is Shawnee, one of its
I live a 1006 West Fariba Avenue in Farsi.
I have a first grader
and a fourth grader in the district right down,
and I support full in-person learning for Derry Township.
I personally am very disappointed in the lack of leadership and initiative
by the district administration and the administration to serve our students
and our families.
I go to school every morning
and my girls ask me why
I get to go to school and teach my whole class.
I'm in person all day, every day, and they can't have the same experience.
Again, I teach first grade for Central Dauphin
and we have been in person for,
you know, the majority of the year with a couple of hiccups.
But we have been able to pivot and, you know, make adjustments where needed.
But my problem is I don't have an answer for my girls.
Why can't why do you get to go, mom?
And we can't go to school.
And I'm at the point where we are on the waitlist for sanction of our.
I'm concerned about my fourth grader
who is now having a lot of anxiety about taking the PSA test.
She just found out she feels like she's not smart enough.
She doesn't know enough yet.
And how is it fair
that she is going to take the same PSA test
that the fourth graders in my building are going to be taking
who have been getting a full day instruction every day.
And she's getting taught like a half day kindergarten.
I don't have an answer for her.
I'm encouraging her and I'm doing the best I can.
But to see her emotionally and mentally distraught every crying
about going to school because it is not the experience that she wants.
She wants to go to my school.
They want to go to the Central Park.
So I'm just I'm an alumni of Derry Township.
I have always been a very proud graduate of Hershey.
When I wanted to raise kids and have a family, I wanted it.
I wanted my girls to go to Hershey schools and right now
I am feeling the opposite because I'm seeing everybody else around.
My children get the education that they need
and they deserve the skills that they need to have to go be successful.
On taking standardized testing that everybody around them
is going to be taking and I don't think it's fair.
I think that
keeping these kids from getting the education
and school experience that they need and deserve is
I think it's up to you guys to make the right decision here.
I think there's a way to make them go back in-person.
And I'm hoping that you guys can find way to do it, since it seems like
everybody around schools have made that has made that adjustment.
So thank you for your time.
I'm hoping we find a way to resolve
the issues here before next year.
Thank you, ma'am.
Mr. Swiger. Next.
Next, we have Edward Brooks.
Okay.
Mr. Brooks.
Hello. My name is.
Ever since in 40 brackets, I've never.
I have four kids spread through the largest school and no school.
And I am on the side of everyone
who wants our children to go back to school as soon as possible.
One of the things that hasn't been discussed
and is upsetting to me
is the real damage being done to our kids right now.
A Harvard study released last week showed a 300.
Percent uptick in mental illness, anxiety and depression.
As a father of four, our daughter now.
Our recently gone to school counselor for depression.
Three of my four children are doing poorly.
With this current model, paying one of the highest risk districts in the region.
We are paying
the most for the worst product compared to the.
Neighboring counties around us.
And it is incumbent upon the school board and the district to find.
A way to do better.
I am not pleased with what's happening and I feel the protest is rocked
by the feeling right now and we will be forced to get.
The school district to find a way, period.
Full stop for the health of our kids education.
Education.
Thank you for your time.
Thank you, sir.
Mr. Schweiger.
Next, next, we have Angela Wieder.
Okay,
go ahead. Now
she's on mute
Twitter.
She's on mute.
Version. She's not.
Could you.
Can you unmute, ma'am,
your computer?
All right.
Well, let's let's move on and we can come back to her, Dave.
Okay, Mr.
President, next, we have Ashley commission.
Okay.
Go ahead, ma'am.
I think my name is
Ashley Smith Young and I live at teaches sixth floor Raleigh Road in Hamilton,
and a parent to a third and a sixth grader in the district.
And I won't speak tonight because I have heard rumblings that
the community to reopen the schools.
And I was concerned that there would be the only voices heard tonight.
I certainly sympathize with those parents buying their children back in school.
And I know that that is everyone's objective.
My concern, however, is that with such a short time
left in our school calendar and with all of the many moving pieces,
the only people that would truly benefit from return would be good parents.
And believe me, I count myself amongst those ranks.
But I had to ask myself, as a parent, our teachers have turned themselves inside
out over this past year, learning how to teach an entirely different environment,
putting themselves at risk at times, being maligned by frustrated parents
for circumstances their control to have to rearrange their classrooms
and welcome new students with whom they are unfamiliar for just a few more months.
As I said to our students, based on that, the challenge
with resilience and grace and are so, so close to real first day of school
for a
full calendar year without throwing yet another hurdle at them.
Just the sake of saying that we have an eye here
and several parents saying that the schools around us have done that.
But I as a primary graduate myself, I can tell you that there's
four elementary schools, even as an example to our one.
So they are in a different situation than we are.
And just as an example, I'm not familiar
with some of the other school districts that just sponsored example for that.
And I can also say as a parent, one of my daughters is also depressed.
She's really struggling with the situation.
And so I desperately do want her back in person.
But I also don't know that the right answer to that situation
is for her to go back and have to switch classrooms necessarily
and be amongst different students and have her this chaotic situation where
she's not really getting that
educational environment, that she's used to at this point, at this point.
And what we do know is that this is working
to the best of their abilities.
And I know that everyone's trying their best
at the best of their administration, who I personally think has been doing
doing their best in the state and,
you know, keeping our students, faculty and community safe and I can hear
working tirelessly at advocating for the students for the year to come.
So I personally rather see the focus on opening the 2020, 20, 21, 22 school
year, rather than adding to the upheaval and chaos that we've already seen in 2021.
And that's why I have said.
Thank you. Thank you, ma'am.
Okay.
Next we have Angela Wieder again this winter.
You're there.
Hello?
Can anyone hear me now? Yes, we can hear you now.
Yes, please. Please.
Yes. Angela Wieder, 1778.
What a great testament to virtual learning and the way these things go.
Can you imagine if I were a third grader or somebody else?
Right?
Any who I'm in full support of getting as many kids back
to in-person learning as comfortably and safely possible.
I certainly don't wish to force that idea or situation
on anyone that feels uneasy about it or frankly, for whom it's unsafe.
But so naturally, I echo everything
that's been stated in support of that so far this evening.
And every preceding meeting.
One thing, though, and an observation that I made tonight was
there was a middle school teacher who spoke of the situation
that should all of her hybrid students or students come back.
She could never do it because she would have 29 students in her classroom.
COVID aside,
why is that even acceptable to have a
1 to 29 ratio in Derry Township?
That's not what we advertised.
That's not what a blue ribbon school is.
That's not what the best of the best offers for the community.
And this isn't the first time that I've heard teacher sightings.
We can't bring all the kids back.
Not just because social distancing, but all have 20 kids in the class.
There'll be 32 kids in the class.
I think what's being highlighted here isn't just a COVID problem,
but a lack of infrastructure and the pre-planning
for this situation, as we've been calling out all along,
was never put in place.
There is no plan.
There was no plan.
There was no intention for these kids to come back.
And that's the failure here.
Whether it actually gets to happen or not.
The failure was you didn't believe in the student body and the rights
that they have to come in for kids that need that in-person learning.
So bringing the 29 kids back into a classroom isn't just unsafe
because of COVID.
It's ridiculous from a learning perspective.
And I think that that might be the bigger issue.
Thank you very.
Much. Thank you. Thank you.
Next, Mr.
Schweiger.
Next, we have Julie Irwin
as Irwin.
Are you there, ma'am?
No, she's still muted.
So can you unmute yourself?
If not, we'll move on and back.
Do we have somebody else in the key, Mr. Schneider?
We do know. Okay.
Ma'am, will give you a couple more seconds
to figure it out.
Okay.
I think we hear you now.
Yes. I'm sorry.
No, I am just watching and I accidentally raised my hand,
but I'm not prepared to speak, so I apologize
for accidentally hitting the button.
Thank you.
Okay, so she does not.
You do not want to rush the board.
Okay, fine.
Mr. President, we do have one more hand-raised, okay?
We have Erica Schmidt.
Okay. Ms.. Schmidt,
Hi. Can you hear me?
Yes, we can. Okay.
Just something real quick.
Which is what?
I'm having a real problem. Understand?
Is, according to your survey,
only 52% of students wanted to come back full time.
Why can't we accommodate 52%?
If back in the fall
it was, we could accommodate 70%.
So now we've got 52% that want to come back.
We have a three feet rule, according to the CDC,
so I'm not really sure where going with this as far as
excuses to not bring them back.
Everything's right there.
And on top of the fact that it's spring.
They can be outside for gym
classes, anything.
It seems a little bit
easier to figure out than
what's happening.
I mean, we are going on now eight weeks
since I came to the meetings back in January
and said something about this eight weeks
and there is no no change at all.
Not at all.
So that's something for you all to think about.
You know, this should not be this discussion shouldn't be taking eight weeks.
That's it.
Thank you.
Commissioner.
And just for the record, can you just give us your address.
For 33 Elm Avenue?
Thank you.
Mr. Swiger.
Anybody else? The cage?
Yes, we have Paige Risinger.
Hey, man, if you could identify herself by name and address.
Hello.
I'm Paige Risinger and I live at 120 East
Crocus Avenue in Hershey, and I just.
I'm a current senior Hershey High School, and this is like
our last last few months of school, and I just.
I'm having a hard time understanding why the people can't come back.
The the people that want to come back should be able to come back.
And the people that want to stay home should stay hybrid.
But why can't we bring all the seniors back?
Why can't we come back full time?
I just want to be with my friends and say goodbye to everyone.
Be with everyone for the last, well, two months of school we have left.
I don't know.
It's just it's very it's very hard to understand that we can't accommodate
everyone and how the teachers are like having a hard time
with being, like, having exams
and having kids in class.
I just.
I don't know.
I just really think we should be able to accommodate
all of us seniors because this is this is it for us.
Like we have nothing after this.
So it would be nice to just all be together for two more months.
And that's really all I have. Thank you.
Well, thank you,
Mr. Swire.
Anyone else?
Mr. President, we have no more virtual hands raised.
All right.
Thank you.
We are up to date on
two E on the agenda, the Standing committee report.
The Finance Committee met today.
Ms.. Drew, do you have a report?
Yes, Mr. President.
Thank you.
The Finance Committee met for our monthly meeting this week and or today.
And on the agenda, our first item of business was discussing
the proposed budget for the 2122 school year.
Overall, it is more encouraging than we had previously anticipated
off of past projections for revenue levels.
And it does appear that we will be able to deliver a balanced budget
at this time based on the proposals.
A few highlights.
I want to start in that there is no tax crease tax increase
built in or anticipated for the 2122 school year.
While revenue has declined in some areas,
the transfer from the trust,
we increased that and approved the increase at our last meeting,
which will provide an additional $1.3 million for the 2122
school year, as well as the
anticipated stimulus money from the second
round of stimulus funding that was approved.
We also spoke about the stimulus money in general,
which I think is an important piece for folks to understand.
We did receive $477,000 in the first round
that was approved at the beginning of last summer.
That money was received in August.
And we have reviewed a couple of times at the Finance Committee
what that was used towards.
Most of that towards technology and safety and cleaning
items needed to bring students back to school in the fall.
The second around was approved in late December.
We have not yet received the final allocation.
We anticipate it to be somewhere between 1.9 and $2.2 million based on
the funding tables that are accessible on the Department of Education's website.
But that has not yet been confirmed.
It's anticipated that it will be late spring until those funds are
fully allotted and allocated to the districts.
So the money will be going into the 2122 year budget.
We are anticipating that to be $1.5 million
for the budget proposal purpose.
There was also a third round of stimulus stimulus funding
that was just approved within the last couple of weeks.
Based on calculations, it anticipates
that we would receive approximately $4 million.
We're still waiting on additional information.
We don't know when that would be received or the way that it would be disbursed.
We do know that there could be a lot more restrictions
around the use of the funding.
Everything to this point has been able to go towards COVID
related expenses, personnel, staffing, social, emotional learning,
these, you know, safety and security measures.
But the third round does have anticipation of more restrictions.
So we'll be reviewing that at our next Finance
Committee meeting on April 26th.
Looking at the expense portion of the budget, all departments were asked
to provide their annual updates
and a 10% reduction in expenses was requested
in what we reviewed today.
It appears that
the departments have all been able to do that.
There are some notable increases as to various budget
items such as the charter school
allotment through charter school funding
has been increased $440,000.
We were able to add back in the million dollars transfer to the capital fund.
The debt decreased from an expense perspective
because of the refinance of debt that we passed at the end of December.
At the next meeting, at the next Finance Committee meeting,
we'll be discussing some of the budget expense items in more detail,
and we'll be recommending that to the full board
for the first meeting in May to be presented by Mr.
Friends.
And then at the second meeting in May,
we would anticipate on the preliminary approval of the budget
that would put it out for a 30 day inspection and we would look
to approve the final budget as required by the state by the end of June.
The other item that we discussed today in Finance Committee
was around the athletic trainer.
And if you'll recall at our last Finance Committee update, we were looking.
A request was brought forward.
Our current contract with Oasis
ends in June, and they have notified us that they would not be continuing.
Our athletic directors.
Mr. Governance and Mr.
Friends presented the proposed idea of looking
at the option of bringing an athletic trainer on staff.
The Finance Committee wanted to see the difference between RFP
and bringing someone on staff.
So the RFP was done and we were presented
with those options today to bring someone on staff.
We were provided with the
the all in salary and benefits, which would have been
about around $70,000
based off the RFP draft.
Physical therapy came in around,
I believe it was 45,042
and $42,500 for the first year.
That's an enormous decrease in the cost of the contract
that we currently have and obviously a significant savings.
And we feel that that would be a good working relationship
given their proximity and location
for students to access the rest of their services.
So for the April 12th meeting, we will be making the recommendation
from the Finance Committee to the full board
to approve a contract for athletic trainer services,
which are physical therapy, and that be a three year.
And I want to thank Mr. Governor, Mr.
Friends, for putting that together and getting that information within the
past 30 days.
We also discussed the audit proposal.
We did a request for proposal three years ago,
and Boyer and Ritter were selected to continue as our audit providers.
They have done a great job and we have been
very satisfied at the time they were the most competitive,
if I recall correctly, by a significant amount.
So the Finance Committee is recommending that we continue with that,
renewing that contract and not doing an RFP at this time.
They have
provided the opportunity to keep the contract rate the same
the 21 year and then only $500 increases each year after.
So that will be coming to the full board for approval at the April 12th meeting.
And that concludes my report. Thank you.
Thank you.
Any questions for the Finance Committee?
I have a question.
The physical therapist.
The the trainer.
So when you're saying hiring staff, 70,000, is that all in salary
and benefits?
Like that's the total cost of hiring somebody.
It would be based on the the average rate.
So Mr.
Prince talked to several other school districts who do have.
It's very split, who has athletic trainers on staff and who doesn't.
One of the one of the concerns that we had about bringing someone on
is that the contracts that we have with the
with the training providers
offer the the backup of someone.
So when you have one person on staff, that would eliminate that possibility.
So he's Mr.
governor's looking at bringing in an internship program
and working with the trainer that is hired through Dreyer for the district,
but it would still be about $30,000 less.
And then when you say about Dreyer today and I'm sorry,
I don't know how any of this works, do they come?
Are they on site with our athletes?
Are athletes
have to go somewhere to get their say, are the provider of the athletic trainer
so their employee, the athletic trainer will be our onsite athletic trainer.
So they come here?
Yes, they come here and they are able to address the needs of any of the student
athletes, but also provide athletic trainer services for any student.
Did did Scott say
anything like his preference for having one over the other?
Yeah.
So when he was first brought to us, the preference
was to bring someone on from a staff perspective.
At that conversation that we had last month, there really wasn't any
solid budget
dollar number that the Finance Committee could wrap our heads around for
if it was better to do the contract versus hiring,
which is why we did the RFP and asked them
to bring us more information about what the salary would look like.
So at today's meeting, we asked and he said, obviously,
in a perfect world, I would want to have, you know, someone on staff.
I think there's a lot of benefit for it.
And I think that he made a solid case for that.
But he said recognizing the budget concerns that we have in trying to
control costs, you know,
wherever possible, we will not be compromising
on the quality of the service by going with Dreyer.
They just barely missed the RFP quote last time.
So he's very happy with this outcome.
Okay.
Thank you.
And sorry, Mr. Abell, this is Trisha Steiner.
I just have one more question to you from Astrue.
It's the current.
I just want to clarify that the current athletic trainer contract with us.
That was their request not to renew, not ours.
Correct.
They said that they
were not going to be able to continue and did not offer the renewal.
They're also located.
It was shared with us at the last committee meeting.
They are located on the West Shore.
And while we are not dissatisfied with the services
that they have provided, they didn't feel that it was
as beneficial relationship for them to continue providing,
given the proximity, you know, the not close proximity to the district.
Thank you.
And I have a question.
This is Donna Cronan.
Go ahead.
So in previous years, there's been they've had a middle school
and a high school trainer where we still have somebody
dedicated to each of each of the buildings to kind of back up for each other.
Yeah.
So the contract was basically one and a half people,
so there was not two full time trainers at each.
So this will provide the one full time trainer that's available to both.
And then the intern program will provide the backup
to the intern as a half to half after.
Right.
Because they're not a they're not an employee.
They will be an intern
in. So they're getting paid for half.
No, it would be
you know, it would be an unpaid internship program with local colleges.
So then how is it one and a half?
That's what it previously was.
So in our contract, they offered basically one and a half.
Okay, so we're only getting employment.
Plus an intern.
That's a lot less there.
But this is this is kept short.
You know, there can be multiple interns.
That was an appealing aspect of Mr.
Governor's presentation.
And I think that.
He maybe he should be invited to address the board.
At the next meeting because he really gave a very nice presentation and made
a very good argument for for going this route.
Thank you.
And I would also encourage to that the meeting minutes will be available
online tomorrow for anyone that wants to hear.
It noted Messiah and Lock Haven have two programs where they would.
He's already communicated about possible interns.
Thank you.
Any further discussion on
the Finance Committee report?
If not, we'll move on to item asked the student representative report.
Mr. Bardo and Mr. Padayachee.
Do you have a report this evening?
We do have a report.
I can start us off by just talking about some updates from last meeting.
I had mentioned that the swim team was going to go to sleep
and they had a very successful run there.
They returned with three individual
medalists and a relay team that medaled as well.
So that's very impressive at the state level.
Also, we were able to secure a senior exclusive
prom at the historic acres of Hershey,
and we were able to lock in a date for May 12th from 7 to 9 p.m.
So that'll be the standard photo opportunities,
along with some socially distant dancing and hopefully some desserts as well.
So we're really happy with how that turned out.
And it's nice to finally have it be like that as well.
And regarding some clubs
at the school currently are the Random Acts of Kindness Club.
The club is continuing their black history more than a month event.
They met today to plan a game to see how much the students
learn from the various posters of
notable
African-American figures throughout the school.
So they'll go there, plan
how to the different prizes and
why questions will be on the hood and such
a key club.
Had a Panera fundraiser last last Wednesday on the 17th
that raised nearly $200 to go towards walk through clean water.
And lastly, many Fan club
has a food truck festival
this Wednesday from 3 to 7
foods.
Some of the trucks that'll be there include stuff, steaks, riggers,
fries, tiki teas, mini donuts and French milkshakes.
And looking forward to April,
they will be hosting a
donor drive competition for their elementary kids.
Donor drive being the platform for diamonds uses to collect donations
and such.
There is an art night that was previously scheduled
for this month that has been postponed to April.
More details will follow about that.
And lastly, the the actual mini thought event will be on the April 24th.
That concludes our report.
We'd be more than happy to answer any questions that
the board has to any of our report.
Thank you.
Okay.
Anything for the student representatives?
Mr. Abe, I have a question. This is Tricia Steiner. Mr.
PDC, you said the event Wednesday from 3 to 7, the fundraiser with the food trucks.
Where is that?
And what club was that for again?
That was for the mini town club.
Okay, great. Thank you. And that's here at the school?
Yes. Okay.
Awesome. Thank you. Thank you.
My pleasure.
All right.
Moving along the
we're up to the item of our anticipated
agenda items for next board of directors meeting.
The listed items are on the anticipated
April 12, 2021, Board of Directors meeting agenda.
They include five items approval of the March 22nd 2001 Summary
Minutes Presenter contract by the WHCA a
revised 2122 school calendar.
Head field hockey coach as well as personnel.
Moving on now to unfinished business.
New school start time delay time arrived.
Mr. MACFARLANE. Thank you, Mr. President.
This should be a fairly quick item in the fall, back in September.
The board approved a recommendation to delay
the beginning of the new school start times by one year
to start them in the 2022, 20, 23 school year.
And the rationale for that was that originally
our plan was to use all of this year in developing the schedules
and working through the transportation and all the logistics.
Obviously, with COVID,
we have not been able to do any of that.
So that's why we made the recommendation.
At that time it was ask me, we should revisit this in the spring
to make sure that
that that timeline we had approved was still going to work
because we didn't know where we would be with COVID,
where we would be with planning for for next year at this time.
In talking with Dr. Winslow.
We are comfortable with maintaining the the start to be
the 2223 school year and using next school year to do the planning.
We had originally planned to do this school year.
So if there's any questions at this.
Time, any question from the board on item three on the unfinished business.
This is Tricia Steiner.
Thank you for the update.
I just want to confirm that even if we are
still dealing with the after effects of COVID or two,
probably will be that the district is still committed
to the 2022 2023 school year for now at least,
or at least it happening in the imminent future as soon as possible.
I'll let Dr.
Winslow address that.
I don't see any reason why not.
Okay, great. Thank you. Yeah.
I just want to speak on behalf of you know, I know
parents and myself included, have been huge proponents
for a healthy start time, and there's so much research to support it.
And even more research has come out during the pandemic with the schedules
sort of being all over the place and kids having an opportunity
when we were in all virtual mode to sleep in a little bit later
and the benefits of that.
And so especially with
with COVID and health
concerns and mental health, how important sleep is for our adolescents
and for their brain development and for their mental health.
And so I just want to recognize that the district still values
those things and understands those things
and that sleep hygiene is still very important.
And I understand that the pandemic has,
you know, put a little bump in that plan.
And that's certainly understandable.
So I just want to thank you for your commitment to the sleep times,
because I think it really is detrimental to the health of our students.
Thank you.
Really, we're not draconian.
That's what I was trying to.
Okay. Sorry.
Donna Cronin, I want to echo what Mr. Steiner said.
I think this is a critically important I,
I understand we've
done so much this year, but I just wanted to
state that back in September, when we voted on this,
I seriously thought
being on the back burner there was no other way because COVID was,
you know, we could not see the forest through the trees, whatever.
And but now, now that we are
three quarters of the way through the school year
looking to next year, my thought is, boy,
if I had known now what I if I had known then what I know now, I would have not.
I would have certainly said no.
Let's push forward with the
with the change and start times, because I like like Mr.
Steiner saw the value of when we were fully virtual
that extra hour on the well-being of our of our middle and high school students.
So my question, I guess to you, Dr.
Winslow, is, is there any possible way you could see
a chance to resume
our plan to change the start times in the fall?
Because I know people have asked that of myself, of many other people.
And certainly that would be, you know, an incredible thing
to be able to accomplish.
Well, it would be great to be able to do that.
We would have spent this whole entire year planning for that.
It's not something that you just
planned for in a couple of weeks or even just in the summertime.
We'd be looking at
we would need to make sure that all the transportation
pieces were right Now we're still short drivers.
So I think that piece in of itself would be frightening to me.
And we're working on some things next year to try to entice more drivers.
And so anybody who's listening wants to be a bus driver.
We need bus drivers.
But as far as like we have.
All right, we're already starting the scheduling process and we are
getting a new student information system that's going to go live in late June
that all of this scheduling stuff has already been uploaded into that system.
So scheduling, actually, while it might feel to families
like scheduling start like now, it actually starts back in October.
So, you know, we can't make that happen for next year.
And if I could add to that, we're also planning for a full return
of our students next school year so that and working through
what might look logistics may look like with that.
But just planning for that also takes
time and focus and that really needs to be our our primary focus.
Any further questions or comment on that, Miss Drew?
Thank you.
I am in support of delaying that decision for the time being
because of, you know, we decided that back in the fall.
But I also want to make sure that as we look ahead to a full,
full time return for students, that that be our greatest focus and priority
and how to address those needs of the students in the fall.
But I would also just ask
if we could determine a time that we revisit this conversation
and make sure that there is clear, open and transparent communication.
I know that there was a lot of questions in the community about whether or not
it was still going forward.
I think that that's an area that perhaps we could have done a much better job
at communicating because there is an impact
to families and they need to be able to have the time
and resources to to change and alter their schedules.
So if we could put that on a future agenda for the fall
as we did last year, I would appreciate it, please.
Thank you. Mr..
Any other comments on that particular item?
My questions I would just have to ask that if we're going to revisit that.
We do that in September so that we have a full directive
for moving forward because we would need to start
doing that work in late September. Early October?
Mm hmm.
Thank you, Dr. Winslow. Yeah. Thank you.
And just to just so everyone is clear, next year, the 2122
school year will be the regular school start times as they are
have been currently the 2223 school year
will be the new school start times.
Thank you.
Okay.
Moving on now, item three B under Unfinished business,
the district operating schedule during the COVID pandemic.
Mr. Macfarlane.
Thank you, Mr. President.
Just wanted to take a little bit of time.
First of all, thank you.
Two to all the citizens who have communicated with us today
and also over the last few weeks.
As Miss Brown so eloquently stated, all of us want our kids back.
You have your students back and have wanted them back
trying to
navigate this in the most safe and appropriate manner.
This year, we've pivoted
in many different ways as we worked over
the summer to develop the what it would look like.
Initially, we were planning for a full return.
Then that couldn't happen, so we planned the hybrid.
I did want to give a little
information to the board as as you know, there is a board motion
on tonight from the administration
for each of the buildings for the rest of the school year
and also wanted to clear up
some misunderstanding, some things I've heard we've heard
just. So we're on the same page.
And what I'll be sharing tonight is just information
that you need to make your decisions.
And it is just that so that you can make the best decisions, first of all.
More more recently, the CDC has come out with updated guidance
and taken the distance requirement from six feet to three feet.
They've also noted that that so schools can reopen.
And I know I've heard, you know, reopen our schools, reopen our schools.
We have been open
and we have been in a hybrid model since the start of the school year,
except for that period of time from November 13th till January 11th.
At the elementary level, when cases
locally in our area, in our county, state and country.
The CDC, when they're referring to that, our schools that are still fully virtual
and even in Pennsylvania there was an article
this weekend and I don't have the exact percentage,
but it's around 27% of schools are still fully virtual.
That's what they're referring to when they say reopen.
We do want all our students back, but we have been trying to do that
in a safe process and we have aligned our health and safety
plan and everything we've done this year with the CDC and the Department
of Health guidelines.
As I said earlier, we are planning for a full return of students
next school year so that
I know that's been asked and question, but that is the plan.
And so what I want to do is just take a few minutes to give a few
facts that need to be considered as you look at the recommendation,
that's one for tonight.
We'll start with the elementary level.
We are recommending that the
we continue the current instructional model
at the elementary for the remainder of the school year, which is five days
a week, in-person AM or PM hybrid for students.
Our Main reasoning for that is a couple of things.
First of all,
to returning to
a full face to face with bringing all those students.
It would require reassigning classrooms and teachers
of many students, maybe not all, but but many of those students.
And at this point in the school year, especially with our youngest learners,
we do not feel that is in the best interest of those students at this point.
This would be a totally different discussion if we were in November
or December, even maybe January, because we have half a year.
But here with what would essentially be eight weeks of school left.
We do not feel that's in the best interest of the students.
Also, the current mitigation requirements do
require six feet of distancing to be, which would be lunches,
because our building and this is just a reality
because our building houses about 1300 students
and we have
anywhere from 7 to 8 classes per grade level that are currently hybrid.
We don't have the space
or time in the day to feed all of the students
in the cafeterias and any other large larger spaces we may have.
The students would have to eat in the classrooms and there would be
no way to have them six feet apart for for that.
So that's our reasoning for the recommendation
at the elementary level, at the middle school level.
We are also recommending they remain in their current hybrid instructional model.
And I don't want to go over a lot of actually Matt Brown shared a lot of it,
but the middle school has been in the process of a phased return
and that's I heard that numerous times and that's we've been trying to look at
phased returns that are
targeted, that are measured,
and that ensure that we can still
maintain the appropriate distancing.
So at the middle school level,
they have been in the process of inviting students back, similar to what
we're recommending for the high school and those students who are are
struggling severely academically or who are in danger
of not progressing to the next grade level.
Their current classrooms, which is stated,
is between three and four feet
with those students.
Additionally, as Ms..
Brown said, some of the classes have could have with a full return
in the high twenties number of students in a classroom.
While that is a large number, that's not atypical,
especially depending on what subjects are being taught.
Not ideal, but not atypical.
The Other piece would be that we have roughly in the middle school,
about 30% of the students who are participating are fully virtual,
depending on numbers that would, as we're inviting them back,
we can still ensure six feet at lunches of the students to wear set up.
If we go beyond that, we would not be able to ensure
the six feet at lunches and then at the high school.
The plan is fully laid out because they are in the process
of returning to a greater face to face
similar to what the middle school has started already.
And you can see that.
So today, students who are in grades nine and 12
who were either in jeopardy of possibly not moving on to the next grade
or graduating, were invited back in
to in-person instruction four days a week.
Next Monday.
And this week they're there working on families in grades ten and 11
in the same situation to invite them to start back four days a week next week.
The other piece of this is for the high school
and you'll see there any current student currently in virtual learning
will be invited to come back next week as well.
There were about 300 students who chose to go virtual,
didn't come back from when we were virtual November to January.
Those students who chose stay
virtual and families who chose the virtual on the third marking period were told
they needed to stay virtual, the whole third marking period,
but have the option to come back in the fourth marking period.
There's about 600 students at the high school
that are currently virtual.
We don't know yet how many are going
to choose to come back out of that.
So after next week, we'll have a better handle on where we are
with numbers, where we are with classes, how we are maintaining that three feet
distance in the classrooms, and then also the six feet at lunches.
And then potentially based on what
those numbers look like, there may be a third wave of invites.
So it is that measured, targeted return.
But we are not looking for a full return.
We are not recommending a full return until next school year.
Also,
as I had shared with the board and currently Dauphin
County is in just went into the moderate category today.
And I just want to remind everybody, the CDC, most recently a couple of weeks
ago, came out with revised guidelines for that as well.
At the CDC moderate level, their recommended instructional models
are blended learning model, which is what we're recommending,
if at an appropriate time or at a time when Dauphin County returns
to low 4 to 4 weeks, we would consider, if possible, returning to full.
But as I stated and we've shared before,
we have as people have left
and we've had to furlough some workers we have not replaced at this point.
We would have to hire to be able to do that.
So again, it would all depend on on timing.
And I have been in
close communication with
our association leadership and we dialog back and forth and
have been very appreciative.
They've been very appreciative of the vaccine clinics
that the district has been able to offer, giving the opportunities for that.
But I do have a statement from the Association President, Mr.
Eric Barber, and I'm just going to read
because they said they don't want to miss, quote him.
He said, The Hershey Education Association stands
with Superintendent Joe McFarland and the district administration
in support of their recommendation that all buildings remain in the current
instructional model for remainder of the school year.
So again, I just wanted to share that I'm happy to answer any questions you have,
but I felt it is important that we review some of those things and that you have
as you
consider the recommendation on the agenda this evening.
Mr. Carroll, Another question. Sure.
Thank you for that update and thank you for the work being done
for the phased return to bring students who are struggling back.
My one concern with that approach, and I guess I would ask
for more clarification, is that while I appreciate the
prioritization of students who are struggling academically,
where do we find face for students who are struggling
in the social, emotional and mental health arena?
I know that many students could be battling mental
health challenges right now, and it may be apparent in their grades,
but that doesn't minimize that it's occurring and
understanding the support structures that we have in place right now under,
you know, putting trust in our teachers and the folks who are interacting
with these students and
have their
finger on the pulse of identifying the need for intervention.
Where can we align those students
in a possible phased return so that we're meeting those needs as well?
That's a great question.
Thank you. And Dr.
Winslow's been working
closely with the principal, so I'll let her discuss that a little bit.
So while we have talked more about academics,
social, emotional health is absolutely a part of that phased return,
and especially if a parent has reached out to us and let us know
that a child is slipping, that there's something really big going on.
Even if we can't get them back four days a week, we're trying to make
some sort of accommodations so that those conversations are best had in person.
And obviously, I can't give specific details on that,
but that is definitely part of consideration also.
Okay. Thank you.
I would just like to make sure that, you know, while it's important
priority was to work these students in as necessary.
Let's make sure to capture. Right.
And thank you,
because we've been obviously looking at the academics,
but one on one ups, on the families that have been reaching out to us
with the social emotional pieces.
And if I could just add the one other caveat, and I know that there are a lot of
community members and
parents listening is that is where, you know, if the school if the teacher
has not been able to identify that if your child is not demonstrating
those potential problems
in their schoolwork, but they are at home,
it's really critical to have open dialog and to utilize the services
that are in place for the social, emotional and mental health
needs of the children.
And so please don't hesitate to reach out.
I applaud some of the parents addressed that in their public comments.
I know that's really hard
to see in your child and to know what to do with it.
So I would just encourage folks to be able to come forward and have those
because if we're able to bring them back and that is, you know,
what's identified as a need, then we want to be able.
To do absolutely in the classroom teacher, the school counselors are there
to reach out to.
Dr. Winslow. That's what I was going to say.
So if anybody's listening and their child is struggling
not with academics, but with for other reasons that they feel,
should they contact a teacher,
counselor, high school, middle school, principal, like what would you recommend
their school counselor, the guidance counselor at their school? Yes.
And like our counselors, meet with teams at the middle school, for example, weekly,
and they have weekly meetings at the high school
also to review all these different pieces as well.
But yes, if somebody feels that something has been overlooked,
then certainly they should be reaching out to their counselors.
Okay. Thank you.
I have a question for Donna Cronan.
So I commend the the effort to bring back students who have been struggling.
It's my understanding that we've been doing that all along.
So I don't really consider that a new initiative.
I believe two weeks ago Dr.
Winslow stated that 160, about 101 students were invited to come back.
I think at the high school I'm not sure if that
if that was differentiated, but only 50 wanted to come back.
So once again, I don't think that's a new initiative but I believe
that we do have a lot of data from the previous survey where
maybe these aren't students that are failing.
Maybe they haven't been identified as emotional risk.
But I believe those parents who feel that their students
need to come back full time and I believe there was 52%
at secondary level and 54% at the elementary level.
I think we need to use those parents observations of their students
as being struggling.
Your child may not be failing,
but if they're doing worse than normal and feel terrible about themselves,
maybe getting A, B, C, or it may not warrant them
to come back as as struggling.
But that is a serious, serious,
I think,
downfall in a lot of students that may not be picked up.
So I believe that we already have the data.
And I would urge all the parents who had said that they want to come back
full day for their child.
I don't believe anybody I've heard that wants to come back full day is saying
that anybody else's child has to do it if they're not comfortable.
Those parents who feel that
their students are doing great virtually in hybrid, excellent.
We're thrilled for you.
But to then push that on everybody else, I think is a disservice
because we as parents who have filled out
those surveys, we've already said our child needs to come back full time.
I want us to include that in the phased in process,
because we have the survey data.
We know that 52% of our
Karen High School
students and 4054 I don't have my glasses on.
We know the numbers that want to come back.
And I think we as we as educators and as a school board and as a district
need to allow those students who are struggling
underneath the bar that we're identifying them, whether it be
emotionally, socially, academically to get back and full day instruction
without affecting those who are doing fine virtually and hybrid.
Glad that they're doing well.
But we have a group of students out there that we are missing in the current
phased in because we've been all throughout the year
we've been inviting those kids who are the obvious ones, who are falling behind,
but the non obvious ones that parents have self-identified in this survey
are the ones that I want us to bring back in those phased approach.
Thank you, Dr. Cronan.
Are there any questions for Mr.
Foran about some of the data that he put out for us?
I did have one question, Mr.
McFarland.
So the current numbers are for our district.
Are we still in moderate?
You know, you have to know.
I can tell you today's you're talking for our zip codes.
Mr. Abell today's data was
we are that would
we would still be in quite substantial given the numbers.
It was
14.5% positivity
and 90 out of every 100,000.
And on the elementary
and I know of, I've heard that there would be
teacher reassignments.
And are you comfortable or would you be comfortable in giving us an estimate?
When you say many, is that one or two?
Is that majority majority?
Can you give me a little more context of, you know, is it a handful?
I can not, but I know I don't know if Dr.
Winslow can. She's talking with him. When we talk about.
So there would be a minimum of 70 students
that would need to have new classroom assignments.
For grade level or.
Overall.
But we do not know for the
number of people who did not the survey what those numbers would be.
So that could that could bump that up significantly.
And we also are not sure how many
of the virtual parents who didn't answer would want two kids to come back.
So would we.
And we know it's a minimum of 70.
I appreciate that. Thank you.
I have a question, a follow up to that, Donna Cronan.
So if it's around 70, is it possible to allow
parents to volunteer to allow their their students?
For some for some parents and students, it'd be critical to maintain
the same teacher.
For others, it's more important to be in school.
Do we have the ability to
get volunteers there are sometimes when you don't have a choice.
I've had probably every single of my students at some point have had
a teacher going out on maternity leave, and it's been anywhere between September
and June and they've just adapted so some kids can adapt.
I would hate to see the feeling of some people not wanting
to change their teacher to affect the entire elementary school.
If there enough, that would be willing
to say I'd rather have a new teacher than not be in school full time.
I just want to think out of the box and make sure that we are considering
every option for these elementary kids because, you know,
maternity leave, we do it, you know, and there's often not a lot of warning.
If we could come back under five I.
Dr. Cronan when we talk about the of the funding.
Okay. Thank you. The motion.
Any more questions?
Should have a clarification a nature under this particular item
unfinished business.
Mr. Abel, this is Tricia.
So I just want to ask Mr. McFarland quick question.
I don't need exact numbers because I don't want to,
you know, pry in anybody's confidentiality.
But was there a good response from a teachers in getting vaccinated
as far as the numbers of teachers, like
most of our teachers want to be vaccinated?
And did they participate in the vaccination clinics?
I would say a good number.
I don't know exactly, and I don't have specifics, but
it was a good number of our staff said support and professional.
And that was offered to bus drivers.
It was. Everybody.
Yeah. Yeah.
Mr. McPherson, can you also confirm that we did not have any Our district staff
who received the Johnson and Johnson shot, that was a one time shot.
It was because of more immediate availability.
We are they were able to receive the two dose shot
through our local vaccine provider. So
they still need to get the second shot.
So some did receive the Johnson Johnson that was.
Already at. The ICU. Okay.
But then, thanks to Dr.
Rice, Snyder and working with our local pharmacy,
we're able to get a clinic right here shortly after that.
So that was the Moderna shot and that was last week.
Okay. Okay.
So it's a. Mix. It is a mix, right?
Just one quick question.
JOHNS Okay, sure.
SINGER Mr.
McFarland, can you just remind me how many total staff we have in the district who.
Sit around 600, some?
Jason Yeah,
over 600.
600. STAFF Over 600?
Mm hmm.
And how many in teachers?
275 to 80.
Okay. All right.
Looking back to the back there, is that about correct?
Yes. Okay.
Thank you.
Other questions under item
three B of the unfinished business.
If not, we'll move on to the consent agenda items.
Item number four, our agenda this evening.
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 pull items which will then be discussed and voted on separately.
May I have a motion to approve the consent agenda items as listed so moved?
Maria Mimi
Second. Cathy Zika.
Is there any discussion?
Mr. President, I have a question.
This is Lindsay Drew.
Dr. Winslow, would you be able to address changes
regarding the Steam and library curriculum,
specifically some of the things that were mentioned this evening?
I know we've received some community correspondence.
My understanding
is that this is not to completely eliminate.
This is a progression of curriculum as we've seen
with with other courses that it is incorporating library components.
So we still will be addressing some of the items that Mrs.
Meyers had referenced in her public comment.
Can you speak to that? Sure. That's correct.
It's an integration and the STEAM curriculum is actually
going to be built around the ALA library standards.
The big ideas and the objectives that the SCC librarian
and her of their team actually together had identified.
So while they will not necessarily be
in the library every time for their lessons,
the the activities
and the materials and the large part of the steam curriculum
will be built around those inquiry
decision making standards from the ALA.
Well, they have an
opportunity to learn basic library skills like that's not so.
It's not going away.
No, we're not eliminating basic library.
Correct.
And this is one again, for clarification purposes.
Currently, the EC students are the only ones
who had dedicated library curriculum time.
Is that correct?
The two through five.
It was already. Now they already have.
They still have dedicated curriculum time for library two through five.
That's not going away through this. Okay.
So I have it reversed and I'm saying so this is changing it for k one, correct?
Not for two through five or so.
Library.
Well, curriculum will remain in place for grades two through five.
And the NCC students, while they will not have dedicated library
curriculum, they will have access to library time for selecting books,
for asking questions, checking in and out, and being in the library space.
Yes, absolutely.
Any further discussion?
Yeah, I just need some direction or guidance. Mr.
Able or from our solicitor.
I'm a member of one of the organizations requesting facility use.
Should I?
What's the word?
Abstain.
I would suggest abstaining yes. Okay.
Thank you for that item out.
Mm hmm. Yes. Yeah.
It's an item
for C,
and that's one of the particular.
It's the Rotary Club
facility use request.
Okay.
So we will pool that particular aspect.
Of the motion on the table.
So I'd like to amend the motion to remove the Hershey
Rotary Club item from item five or for C.
Section, so I can get a vote on what motion to amend.
All in favor signify by saying I. Hi.
All right.
So without amendment, we will vote on the balance of the consent
agenda items with the exception of the Hershey Rotary Club.
So that's the motion that's currently before
the board and has been seconded as amended.
So we'll have a voice vote.
All those in favor signify by saying I, i, anyone opposed.
And now
we will have a may have a separate motion to vote separately.
My consent agenda item as it relates to the request
for use of facilities by the Hershey Rotary Club.
So moved. Thank you.
Second, Maria. Mimi.
Was there any discussion on that?
Okay.
All those in favor signify by saying I want opposed anyone abstaining.
Oh, Terri Singer abstained.
Thank you.
So we want to move on now.
Having taken care of the consent agenda items to item number five,
new business approval of plan Compaq K.
Mr. McFarlane, thank you.
The administration recommends the board approve Plan Con Application Park K
for the Derry Township School Note issued in 2021.
May I have a motion to approve plan con part K.
So moved Maria me.
Is there a second?
Second Drew? Is there any discussion?
Would it be too difficult to ask for a
just a couple sentences on what it is, Joe.
Sure. I'm going to ask Mr.
Friends, who I believe is virtual, if he would
be able to answer that question.
Sure, Mr.
Singer, This is still dealing
with our reimbursement from the state for our debt payments,
and it's just reworking of the paperwork we send in for that.
We're we refinanced part of our 2015 A with the refinancing
we did in 2021, and that's 2016 A was reimbursable.
So we're just submitting to the state that that refinancing has changed that debt.
There is that. Thank you.
The reason I asked is I thought I had picked up
somewhere that plan.
Time was kind of inactive for a while.
They weren't they didn't seem to be offering much, I guess.
Has that changed.
Any new projects?
But since this would have already been in that process,
it's not part that reduction.
Okay. Thank you.
Any other discussion on that motion?
This is a standard voice vote.
All those in favor signify by saying I only one opposed.
Motion carries approval of the Derry
Township Tax Association and tax policy statements.
Mr. McFarland.
The administration recommends the board approve the tax policy statements
of the Derry Township Tax Association as attached.
Now have a motion
approve the Derry Township Tax
Association Policy statements.
So moved on Acronym.
Is there a second?
Second? Lyndsey Drew.
Thank you.
Is there any discussion?
This is a standard voice vote.
All those in favor signify by saying I didn't want opposed.
Motion carries change or elementary cheerleader
legally a mechanical incorporated.
Mr. McFarland.
The administration recommends
the board approve the change order for glo gallium mechanical incorporated
in a credit in the amount of $55,000 for the elementary chiller project.
I now have a motion
to approve the legality of Mechanical Incorporated change order.
So moved Maria Mimi.
Is there a second?
Second? Donna Cronan Is there any discussion?
This is a standard voice vote.
All those in favor signify by saying I only want opposed
motion carries, tray and change order.
Elementary Chiller Mr. McFarlane.
The administration recommends the board approved the train change order
for a credit in the amount of $23,000 for the elementary Chiller project.
Thank you.
May I have a motion to approve the train change Order, please.
So moved. Maria. Manny.
Thank you. Is there a second?
Second? Donna Cronan.
Is there any discussion?
This is a standard voice vote.
All those in favor signify by saying I, i
Any one opposed motion carries the next item.
Item is approval of one line bus auction.
Mr. McFarland.
The administration recommends the board approve the auction
or sale of the 1993 band bus utilizing the for 22 auction sales for the auction.
Thank you. May have a motion to approve the bus
bus online auction.
So move to Maria Mumy.
Is there a second
second Mr. Singer?
Perry Singer is there a this is a Stinger voice vote?
I'm sorry. I should thank you.
This is one teacher, Mr. McFarland.
Just to clarify, the band bus is being sold because the trailer
that they needed to transport the band equipment is now in the possession.
The district now has that correct?
Yes, that is correct.
But I don't recall seeing the purchase of that.
So I want to make sure this was a gift from various community members
that we accept that gift and properly recognized. You are correct.
We will have that on the next agenda was 5000
given from the Trojan Foundation for that and 5000 from Geico.
So that that gift acceptance will be on our next.
Thank you. I appreciate it.
I know that our band bus broke down a lot and has caused a lot of stress.
So thank you to the community members who helped to.
I thank you for that kind of
and any other discussion on that motion.
There's a standard voice vote.
All those in favor signify by saying I am opposed.
Motion carries Next item five
F approval of the HCA contract extension.
Mr. MCFARLAND.
Thank you.
The administration and the Human Resources Committee recommends the board accept
and execute the proposed one year extension to the current Hershey Education
Association's 2017 to 2021 collective bargaining agreement,
to which the Hershey Education Associations and the District's
Negotiations teams tentatively agreed The terms of the extension
would be July one, 2021 through June 30th of 2022.
Now the motion to approve the contract extension.
Movement, the
sum of Kathy Second Lindsay Jr.
Is there any discussion.
I would just like this is lindsay drew as co-chair of the h.r.
Committee.
I just would like to thank the epa leadership and its membership,
but especially its leadership and also our administration.
This is not the first time that our h.r.
Committee has participated in a collective bargaining conversation,
but it was the first time for doing it with the education association,
and i could not be happier with the way that our conversations went.
I appreciate their professionalism and their transparency
and honesty and leadership,
and it
was really a privilege to be a part of this and work together for
for the best environment for our staff as well as our students.
So thank you to the Education Association and their membership.
Mr. President, this is Cathy Seeker.
As a member of our committee,
I would also like to thank the ACA and the President, Mr.
Barbara, who is here and the other leadership and the teachers.
I appreciate you working so easily with us on this and we look forward
to working with you very soon again to celebrate one year extension.
We'll probably be back at the table in the fall.
So thank you for everything.
And as the co-chair, I would reiterate, I think that that's
the word that came to mind for me was professionalism and the and the
the manner that we conduct this with mutual respect for both sides.
So I appreciate that.
Well, as running the discussion on that pending motion,
if not, may
have a motion to approve the contract.
Thank you.
This is a standard voiceover. So thank you.
So there's a pending motion.
All those in favor signify by saying I want it closed.
Thank you.
Moving on.
The 2021 2024
Capitol Area Intermediate Union Representative, Mr.
McFarland. Thank you.
The Derry Township School District maintains a permanent seat
on the board of Directors for the Capital Area Intermediate Unit.
The administration recommends Mr.
John Abel congratulations to represent the district for the three year
term beginning July one of 2021 through June 30th of 2024.
Made a motion to approved to elect
the Capital Area Intermediate Unit Representative.
So moved Maria Mimi second. Cathy Seger.
Thank you. Is there any discussion?
Thank you, John, for stepping up and doing this.
Thank you. Appreciate it.
Yeah, this is just son, I just want to echo my thanks to you
and let you know, as everybody have as I've expressed
before, that I've enjoyed my time so much on the IU board,
and I can't say enough good things about Dr.
Sayer and the entire staff there.
They're just all so,
so dedicated and so impressive and everything that they do.
And so I hope you enjoy your time there as much as I do.
Thank you.
Any other discussion? And I look forward to
assuming the motion passes.
This is a state note. All those in favor.
If by saying I only want opposed Motion carries
maximum Health Care Staffing Services Agreement.
Mr. McFarland.
Thank you.
The administration recommends
the Board approve the agreement with Derry Township School District
and Maxim Health Care Staffing Services, Inc., effective March 23rd of 2021.
May have a motion approve the maximum Health Care Staffing Services Agreement.
So moved Maria.
Me Is there a second?
Second, Lindsay Drew.
Thank you. Any discussion?
This is centered voice vote.
All those in favor signify by saying I.
I opposed motion carries.
Moving on to item five eight under new business district instructional models
for the remainder of the 2020 2021 school year.
Mr. McFarland.
Thank you.
The Administration recommends the board approve the district instructional models
for the remainder of the 2020 2021 school year
beginning Monday, March 22nd, 21 retroactively
and as listed
in the agenda.
May I have a motion to approve the district instructional models
for the remainder of the 2020 2021 school year?
So moved Maria May 2nd.
Cathy Secker Is there any discussion?
Yes, I have Donna Cronan.
I would like to amend the motion to include
make sure I'm doing this correctly, to include the following verbiage
for consideration that the board directs the administration
to open the high school for four days, for four days a week of in-person
instruction beginning April six, 2021, based on a student return process
that prioritized seniors followed by other grades as space allows
within current mitigation strategies and CDC recommendations,
including mask utilization and three feet of social distancing.
Those students who from whose families want them to remain in full virtual
or hybrid instruction format may continue to do so.
Dr. Conejo, the written down send.
You did you do you did you write because it.
Will also need it for the minutes.
Okay okay.
All right.
So there is a pending motion to amend
the motion as proffered by the administration.
Is there a second to that amendment?
Second. Thank you.
So there's a discussion now on the amendment as proffered by Dr.
Cronan.
Dr. Turner, would you folks like to hear that again, please?
Sure.
The board directs the administration to open the high school
for full four,
full days, a week of in-person
instruction, beginning April 6th, 2021, based on a student return process
that prioritizes seniors followed by other grades as space allows
within current mitigation strategies and CDC recommendations,
including mask utilization and three feet of social distancing.
Those high school students whose families want them to remain
in full virtual or hybrid instructional may do so.
So I'm
basically asking us to at least, Max, the safe capacity for those families
who feel their students will need to be back full day.
That's the summary of it.
It's not mandating others to come back who don't want to.
Discussion on the motion to amend.
Donna, can you explain how that's different than what
that to me sounds like what Dr.
Winslow and Joe were saying.
So can you explain to me what. Yes.
So what the current motion is stating is that starting today,
freshmen and seniors who want who are struggling academically
by virtue of failing one or two courses are not having
enough credits to graduate work.
Go on to the next course.
Are invited back this week. Next week.
The same thing for juniors and sophomores in the same situation.
I'm saying that there's a whole realm of students
out there that are not in that category,
but either for academic or social emotional reasons would do better.
Four days live in the high school
than what they're currently doing.
And by April 6th,
we should be able to assess the number, prioritize
the group coming back, and I'm saying to prioritize seniors
for their last two months of school,
See how many want to come back, get them in first within
within the allowable mitigation strategies where they fit.
I'm not saying to go over max capacity.
I know that we still have capacity because I hear reports of students
that are still in classes of two and four students in the current model.
So I just think that by April six, if we can try to get back
those seniors that want to come back, that's a great first step.
And then after that, we prioritize other grades.
I'll leave that to the administration based on the capacity not throwaway masks,
not telling people that they're going to be sitting next to each other, the hip
and then all and utilizing any resources
that we need to for outdoor lunches or thinking out of the box.
But it's just a small step to get at least our seniors back first.
Within the guidelines,
does that help?
Because right now, that is not the plan.
Right now, it's the plan to bring back freshmen and seniors who are
who are struggling and then sophomores and juniors that are struggling.
That's that's where that motion is is is ending
the ones that have risk of
not being able to pursue the next course in the curriculum because they're not
or not having enough credits move on or graduate.
But that's that's this a small number.
Not a small number, but that's a starting point.
But it's not addressing maximizing our capacity.
Okay. So maybe Dr.
Winslow can clarify, because what I heard was that it's like it's kind of like
this ring, like we're starting here and we're here and then we keep like,
I was thinking it was going to capture exactly who you're saying.
So I don't see that in the wording here.
It says any student currently enrolled in grades
9 to 12 who are short credits and can't advance to the next grade.
And then any students
currently in 10th or 11th grade who may not advance to an instructional.
And then any student who is
in virtual learning who was was who wants to come back to hybrid.
But we already have the survey, so we already know
what those numbers are like.
But I'm saying so the next ring, I'm saying by April six, let's add the ring,
which isn't written down here, would be to get our seniors
back as a first priority and then move on beyond that.
As long as we maximize capacity
and we're not forcing anybody back, doesn't want to come back.
So that that that is the plan.
And that's that's. Not written.
So I want to make it specific, but it.
Does say that after.
After we.
Get off, after we get those
this week, next week, the virtual kids, then we look at a phase three.
Four. Which is additional don't.
See that on here.
I think the phase three was in the discussion notes. Yes.
I would like to specifically have a date, April six,
that that we're trying to at least get our seniors back by that date.
And I realize we have some seniors comments.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry we didn't ask for that.
So I'm very happy that she said we'll have all those numbers
completely assessed by the sixth or seventh and then we'll know if we can.
If we bring back more.
You'll have those numbers by the sixth or 7th of April. Yes.
Or the ones that are that you're asking to come back now. Yes.
Okay.
So my my, my, my, my feeling is that we're delaying so much.
And last two weeks ago, we already said that we were bringing back one.
We offered 151 students the chance to come back.
And now we're doing that again and that again and again.
And we're putting off the ability to bring back another cohort.
So I'm just respectfully,
that we hasten the process to identify another cohort that needs to come back,
because my feeling is that we've gotten most of them and really thought I'd
put a date on here that we want to allow our seniors to come back was my my sense
is that we've gotten those other cohorts back sufficiently to keep delaying.
It's going to be.
Well, I think we need to correct.
It's not delaying.
We're looking at it in a very systematic it is not delaying.
It's bringing it back in a very systematic manner and looking at it
to make sure we can do just what you said, which is adhere to the three feet
and make sure that we can fit the students in properly.
We can't just bring them back and then all of a sudden say,
well, we're too many, you have to go. Right?
We've we've been talked about this for eight weeks.
So, I mean, it's okay. I'm sorry.
I mean, can just one board member get to talk all night or can other people
speak as well,
Gloria.
On the floor? So, no.
No, I was just I was just going to say it's a delay.
When you look at the seniors or any student that needs to come back.
We've been talking about this for eight weeks.
We can keep bringing saying we can say indefinitely
that we're bringing back these same cohorts that are struggling,
which we've been saying for weeks and weeks and weeks.
At some point, we have to say,
okay, let's some other groups in, and I'm asking to do that now.
Thank you, Dr.
Crone and Ms..
Well, the alternative
is to allow the administration to continue to figure out the rings
my fear with saying start with seniors is that I thought we were going to allow
parents to call in who had issues with particular students to the guidance.
So I would like to prioritize those students as well.
And I, I don't think we know the numbers yet to just blanketly say
seniors first met so I would rather
not have this motion
and allow the administration to roll this plan out.
And and like we already said, they were going to do.
Right.
But the students that are struggling, that's always been a possibility
for them to come back, regardless if the parents knew.
You know, I think that's an inherent thing.
I think that's something that's always part of the process.
We've been saying that any student who is struggling,
we've been self-identifying, but parents are welcome to self-identify any point.
I don't think that changes anything.
And just
to add another ring that already exists is just delaying getting something done.
And I don't think this is going to keep us from bringing back
any self-identified child by a parent to bring them in as well.
I, I think at least moving forward to find out the number of seniors
who would want to come back is a viable is a viable step.
And this only says that space allows of space doesn't allow.
That's fine, but we have to at least get the most the process
moving to find out how of those seniors would want to come back April 6th.
And then we have space.
But to keep waiting
what's let's do this first, then that first,
where we're going to be weeks and weeks out.
And we started this discussion eight weeks ago.
So that solution is not to go beyond our capacity.
It made sense to me when when I wrote it down verbatim,
unless I'm wrong, which Joe said about phasing in four days
a week for students struggling after next week, after next week.
And okay, so for virtual,
they will have the ability to choose to come back in the fourth marking period.
So until we know in hybrid, until we know how many of those children
want to come back, we don't know what the space like.
I totally get what you're saying and I would say that I would agree to it.
But until we know who's incrementally coming back, we're not knowing
what the space space restrictions and we have a survey
which gives us a good idea.
But asking the asking
how many of that next ring of seniors want to come back doesn't affect anything.
At least it gives us more information now so that if April six, if there's room,
why wait April 6th and ask them, then have them come back a week later.
Why can't we find out now if there's space We want to bring you back on April six,
We get the numbers and then maybe we don't have enough space for them.
But why would we delay at least getting the information to know our capacity?
If I could just add one thing, Dr.
Khan and the survey, which we did, there's 20% that did not respond.
So there's 20% we don't even know about that.
This is asking for more information.
And getting that information now doesn't doesn't hurt anything.
It'll just delay the process.
If We don't at least approve this motion to find out what it is.
I'm not saying to bring people back more than we can and we can handle.
It's not going to take us beyond capacity
the motion built in a safeguard for not going
beyond capacity, within the capacity.
That's all.
Can we just get the information so that we can move forward?
Aubin delay.
We we will be delaying extra weeks before we can implement this.
So I'm I'm just I'm begging my fellow board members to at least
get the information so that we could move forward if possible.
Thank you.
Is there any discussion on the current motion to amend as May?
And second.
Mr.. About.
Yes, my
I hear what Dr.
Cronin is saying, and I don't disagree that we need to continue the rings.
I think that the way that it has been presented,
the administration does allow for that.
My concern with the specificity of how we are identifying
that prioritization is it does inadvertently leave out people
because if we were not, you know, if if this motion
has any student in nine through 12, maybe short credit, any student
in ten and 11, any student who is virtual unable to return
to hybrid, to then put the next phase of seniors,
then we're completely skipping over the prioritization of the social,
emotional and emotional health component As it stands in the motion.
So if you're looking at what has been approved
by the board, step by step by step, that's not in there.
So like if I had finished my recommendation and would be
if there is going to be an amendment for the phases that it would be
to direct the administration
to continue a phased approach
as of as,
you know, whatever the term needs to be without being so specific
because I think that we will inadvertently or deprioritized people.
Well, we can't sorry, Donna Karan, we can't omit people
if we're allowing the phases to go forward,
but we will never be able to move forward if we don't gather the gather the data.
We're not guaranteeing anything here.
We're saying we if we can get enough information about the seniors
that want to come back, given all the other rings that are coming back,
then we do it.
But if we put off at least even finding out we're putting off.
So perhaps I misunderstand what your motion is.
My understanding is that you said to open the high school for four full days
instruction in-person beginning April 6th
for seniors, other grades, etc.
As space allows.
Right. That's not finding out who would come back.
That's letting them come back then.
Well, obviously, the step before long to come back is to find out,
like with all the surveys, even students that are
if they're failing, we're asking them to come back.
So we're and then we find and then we find out.
So it's not like we're just opening the door.
We have to in order to in order to
for every step, we're asking who wants to come back?
We asked 161 students to come back.
Only 51 to come back. Okay.
Yeah. No, I hear what you're saying.
So maybe the wording has to change, but I guess that's what I'm asking.
So do we want to do you want to strike April 6th?
Because the way you have worded right now is holding the administration to allow
any of those people that you have listed return on April six, if space allows.
I just want to put a date in there.
So we always have a target, but it's only if space allows and space doesn't allow,
then we can push it back.
But how is space allowed defined by by the administration?
They've been doing it all along.
What the capacity is based on, you know, the three feet mitigation.
And that's our plan.
That's been our plan in these phased approaches and what we're recommending.
Right, Mike? So
that has been our plan as these phased approaches
and then as I just said, said in Section three when we were discussing, it is once
we get through these and after March 29th, when we know how many
freshmen and seniors this week, sophomores and juniors next week
and virtual kids returning, we'll have an idea of how much more space
we have overall because we know how in the high school
they mix and overall how many more kids, if anything, we can invite back.
And then we'll look at the next set of of inviting back.
This has not occurred and I'm sorry, and I agree with that.
But what I'm saying is, can we do it all?
Can we do things simultaneously?
And find out how many students?
I hate to have us assess how many can come back in this initial ring
and then wait and then ask the next level.
Why can't we also find out this next how many want to come back in advance?
So when it's time to have them start, we don't have to delay them coming back.
Like, what is the problem with at least finding out the number of seniors
just using example? Because that's what I'm proposing here.
How many of them want to come back for days, live now
and then we can figure out when they we can fit them in, when and where.
So what is the I mean, I just don't I think I think you're picturing it
as though it's a survey that we do.
I want to be served and you decide what.
But we have to we have to reach out
to every single one of these families individually.
What is it that we're doing already? Yes.
And it takes all it takes about a week to get through that 300 seniors.
So all over especially is are target.
And I think that's why the not being as specific or not
not finding out from them all at once is that with the phased approach.
So the students who want to return as of March 29th that are virtual,
that are coming back from virtual to hybrid,
they're being contacted right now to find that out.
And so they're working in blocks.
And once they get through that block and then they're bringing those students back,
when that's done, then they're reaching out to the next block of students,
and that helps to manage the process from an administrative function. And
not have it get ahead of itself.
Because if we say you need to contact,
if there are 600 students currently, you know, to be asked instead of
asking on 600 right now, they're currently working their way through it.
Then then what would help the administration?
Can we send out an email to all seniors and say, just respond an email,
or just help
tell parents if you want to come back live,
let us know now
how can we facilitate
so that you don't have to send individual emails to every family?
How can we facilitate the process?
Because we've been this entire time, as I said before, we've been bringing in
those students who we think are high risk and at need, and now we're March 22nd.
We keep doing and everyone else who is in that middle bucket
who who needs to come back or wants to come back.
We're not getting to them. We haven't gotten back to them.
And it's March 22nd.
I feel like you're just not hearing it the way that you want to hear it,
because I'm hearing what you're saying, but I'm hearing it from them
that they're doing it.
And I kind of feel like, I mean, your brain works a million miles an hour.
I've always been super impressed by it.
But when you're talking, I'm like,
what are you even you're like trying to micromanage,
like, well, just do it this way and just do it that way.
And it's really we have to watch as the board.
We're not saying this is exactly like they're doing that.
I'm hearing that I know kids that were invited back on Friday
and got to come to school on Monday
because like so I've seen this all kind of playing out.
So I'm not really sure sticking a date on it to appease
the majority of people.
And like I get what you're doing to kind of calm people down.
But that's not that's not do, that's not servicing, that's not doing what.
We are here to do like that's not they're doing what you're asking them to do.
I'm not understanding where you're saying you're not doing it and here's why.
You're just saying you're not doing you're it.
I want it done by this date.
I want to tell you how to do it by this date.
And I just don't think that that's what I don't think that's what we're here to do.
With all due respect, I followed the the the path of what
the current motion was, which was we had dates March 22nd, March 29th.
So we put these dates in
because they're important targets and just trying to be proactive.
I think that's important.
And this this is our job.
It's we can sit and keep waiting and it's March 22nd.
We can keep waiting and it's going to be April 17th,
14th meeting, and then it's going to be the April four.
Not waiting.
We're not napping. I mean, they have been working.
We've all been like, but we're living and breathing and undoing all this.
So you're saying these things and I know like this is a healthy conversation,
probably one we should have over coffee because we say these things
and then it's like, well, they've not done anything for the last eight weeks.
That could not be farther from the truth.
So we're almost discounting all of the work that they've done.
And now we're like, I don't want to handcuff them to a date.
I I'm not one
that has rolled over on this board in the five years that I've been here.
And it's just been like, okay, I totally trust the administration,
what you're doing.
I'm just showing up and casting a vote.
Anybody that knows me and has listened and paid attention, that's not true.
This situation, I have fully immersed myself, called everybody.
I've had to call and had a discussion that I actually trust
that they are doing what is best.
I have to trust them because I'm not in the building.
I'm not the one that has to figure of 300 kids can come back to school on Monday.
I mean, there's a certain point
as a school board member that you're like, okay, I trust what you're saying.
So if you don't trust what they're saying, that's a whole different topic.
But to try to say you have to do it exactly this way
and send the emails out like this
and get the result, like now it's like, why don't you just go in and I mean
summary of the dates that are on the dates
that Joe that Joe has on the, on the motion are March 22nd, March 29th.
What would my motion be if we got rid of the date?
But that was I was arguing that I am actually
they are doing what you're saying.
I don't see it written in here, but they don't need to write it down.
They're doing it.
That's what things. But you don't trust them? No.
You don't trust that they're doing this? No, I haven't.
What I said I've seen is that the same the same ring of people coming back,
which is critical. But we have an expanded.
Have you seen it?
Have you been to have you sat down with Dr.
Winslow or Joe McFarland and have you gone through
like this is who's coming back and then this like,
do you know they reported back to us, They report it back to us.
The English as a second language came back first and this is an IEP
or special needs. Whatever came back from then.
Anyone was failing that.
Yes. That's not expanding it. Right.
Right. But it's this.
But it hasn't.
It's been small steps.
It hasn't gotten to the majority of people.
So that's what I'm saying.
We can't because they reach out. They have to wait for the
22nd at some point.
I'm just saying I want to I want to make sure that we don't
we're not finishing the end of the year without increasing chance
of getting people for day life.
I think that my goal is to get as many people back in the school.
That's all I've been hearing
and I feel like they've been working in that direction.
Dr. Cronin,
are you willing to rescind your amendment and restated to direct the administration
to continue to follow a phased approach in inviting as many students
as possible back to for day learning within guidelines and capacity?
So I will take out the date and I will add in phased approach
without specifying the group.
But I would like to prioritize to continue to prioritize seniors.
I think that's critical, especially after hearing Paige Reisinger
recommending prioritizing seniors.
So the board requester I'm going to read this, Lindsay,
and tell me that captures what you're doing.
The board directs the administration to open the high school four, four, four
to continue to open the high school
in a phased approach
to achieve
four four days a week of in-person instruction in a phased approach
based on the student for return process, recommending
to prioritize seniors followed by others within the current mitigation strategies.
So at in their phased approach, get rid of the date
and say you're removing the option that.
What you said
before would remain for virtual or hybrid, because that was the question.
Yeah, those can stay. Yes.
So you're so you're recommending to have four day in full time
in-person is it hybrid and virtual.
Right. The students who want to stay hybrid can stay hybrid.
And those that want to stay virtual can stay virtual.
So we would
offer the three versions of that that we have no plan for.
Right.
For every two students that are hybrid allows an additional person
to be full time live for every virtual student allows for one person to be live.
So allowing for allowing for the hybrid allows more capacity for life.
Dr. Gardner, respectfully, I.
I see what you're trying to accomplish and do that.
I believe that we are way too far into the weeds at this point.
And the way that this is going only creates further chaos
because now we're talking about three
instructional models and that's never been on the table before.
With all due respect, the way the high school is operating right
now, their students, how are whether students virtual hybrid
there's a small number of students that are is whether my student is there
two days a week or four days a week as long as the capacity
what student is in there doesn't change.
I mean, that's doesn't affect the model as long as capacity is not maxed out.
If I'm there four days a week or I'm there, too, and Kip is there,
too, it's still it's still two students.
There is still one student there every day life, whether I'm hybrid
two days or life four days.
It doesn't it really doesn't change.
It sounds more complicated, but it really
like I said, if
it's yeah, anyway, I mean I will manage to get rid of the date,
say a phased approach only that it prioritize seniors.
If that's more, can she offer that as a friendly amendment
so we don't have to go through the whole like can you accept that as a remove
the date out of phased approach and recommendations?
So she's just modifying her amendment that's already been motioned
and seconded
that you're maintaining the hybrid in full virtual
Dr. Windsor.
Mr. McFarland, can you shed any light as to what having a mix full time,
in-person hybrid and virtual learners would be
of acting, how that would impact the
operation of the district
high school level?
I'm honestly still confused on how this is different from what we're were
recommending other than the prioritizing.
And part of our reason there of ninth and 12th
is our seniors think we want them all to graduate.
We want them to be successful.
Our ninth graders,
we know how important it is for freshmen to get off on the right track.
And so that's why we targeted freshman and seniors.
First, I'm struggling to understand what the this revised motion is
and it's it
take out the prioritizing seniors.
That's what we're doing.
So I understand wanting to codify a phased approach.
But what I'm asking you about specifically is the
Remain hybrid for virtual
or the in-person.
It feels like that's a lot of like who's on first?
Well, I mean, that's and that's what our teachers
have been navigating this year, which is a huge, huge amount
of work for them because they're teaching the in-person students.
They're teaching
whether they're hybrid or full, they're teaching in-person,
but they're also then responsible
to teach the virtual kids that are online, whether they're hybrid, virtual,
you know, their day of virtual or whether they're fully virtual.
It also becomes a tracking manner of who's supposed to be here
today, who is and are they on virtual or are they not?
So your question, Ms..
Drew,
it's been a challenge all year to do that.
We have had students virtual we've had a hybrid, and we've had
growing numbers fully in-person four days a week.
So currently you're taking a hybrid model and a virtual model and you're starting.
To piece back and you have to invite back.
In last month you are phasing those hybrid students into in-person
with the goal to get obviously all hybrid back in-person.
So to state and amend that
if someone wanted to remain full hybrid that that's different.
Right they could
they could still remain for hybrid if they.
I'm so
it's different very different from the elementary school
yeah no I totally get that I'm just I'm
what do we need to I don't see how it's different
I don't I don't see how it's different than what's already being proposed.
That's where I'm sure.
We discussed this. Seniors who are struggling to graduate.
What about those seniors who are struggling to graduate?
This is this is targeting people who are struggling.
That's that's what I'm trying to say. Can we. Yes.
And if I can just if I can just address that.
I mean, so we're talking about equity and we're talking
about providing the best education we can for all students.
This is not ideal.
None of us would ever choose this type of learning instruction, teaching ever.
But it is the best that we have developed.
Our teachers have done a phenomenal job of providing education
all year long in this.
I know it's not popular with some,
but we have a responsibility to look at our students who are struggling
academically and socially and doing what we can in the best interests of those.
And and I'm sorry to say it, but it sometimes is at the expense of others
who are doing okay.
Not maybe not ideally, or maybe it's not their choice, but they're doing okay.
And we're asking them to continue doing okay so we can get those kids in
who are truly struggling and need that four day in-person.
And that's what our recommendation is and that's what it has been.
And I don't argue that at all.
Donna Cronin But I know that the high school rooms
are maxed out and every single cycle of adding additional people that need it,
we are still having many rooms with 2 to 4 students in them.
I'm just saying let's filter
and maybe we need to
increase the rings to get to that capacity.
And that's what we're doing.
And I will say to you, we have we do have I'm not saying
there aren't some with a few kids in it, but again,
at the high school level in particular, you've got intermixing
and we have English classes that are already close to capacity.
We've got others at our.
So while we we may have some classes that have six or eight in them,
Max, when we get there, we're going to have others
that are going to be a capacity But that doesn't mean
we can bring additional kids back to fill those 6 to 8 classes
because then we're overwhelming the other classes.
And that's where the complexity of the high school falls in to play.
So we call the question. Yeah.
So we want to clarify, there is a
there was a motion to amend that was made.
And Dr.
King, you were you were the author of that motion.
And have you accepted the Friendly Amendment?
Friendly amendment.
Yes. You have an it.
Can we have a restated.
Can we can we recap the the amendment motion
as amended by a friendly amendment as to what we're voting on?
The board directs administration to continue
to strive to open the high school for four four days
a week of in-person instruction in a phased approach
based on the current student return process
with a recommendation to prioritize seniors next, followed by other
as space allows within current mitigation strategies and CDC recommendations,
including mask utilization and three feet of social distancing.
Those students whose families want them to remain in full virtual
or hybrid instruction format may do so.
We want to hear that.
Yes. And Dr.
Cronin, can can I get that from you?
Because Ms.. Angie. Well, we'll need that.
So this is a roll call vote. This is.
I'm sorry.
But do you understand what's being.
It's a recommendation, not a direction.
It's a it's a well, yes. Okay.
I heard as direct the administration.
The board recommends to the administration.
Okay, I'm changing that, too.
I'm sorry.
I'm trying to follow along with how many things are in this.
If I understand it correctly, it's to continue what we're doing.
But prioritizing seniors next. Okay.
Continue in a full and in a phased approach.
But towards four days.
Yeah, four days a week instruction which we're correct.
And does the administration have an opinion on that as amended
to prioritize seniors?
I hear that I,
I. I know. I'm sorry.
I have concern that it, it, it then
eliminates others who may need to come back.
All right.
All that's fine.
I just want to I want to hear the administration's.
Yes. And Donna Cronan, there's been a lot of communication with Dr.
Smith, and he has emailed back many of us saying that that is something
that they are they would like to try to do.
But it's all based on within the context of this.
I don't want to misquote him, but I got a positive
email back that it's certainly not something they're saying.
No, we don't want to do that.
And I don't want it to be word that we're not saying that either.
But we need to be able to look at the data and then look at
who needs to come back next.
We've just talked about kids that have maybe a social
emotional needs that could be a freshman, a sophomore, a junior.
But if we're targeting seniors next and first, that puts them above
others in this motion, the way I the way I understood the motion.
Right, right, right.
That's that is not the intent because we've already made it
that we're reaching out to those who need help.
Okay. All right.
Is there any other discussion on this among the board.
Is the roll call specifically for this motion once message of this amendment?
Yes, This is for them.
To amend.
The amendment, the one that Donna has on the table, right?
Yes, She's going to do a roll call.
And that's what we're voting on.
We're doing a roll call on whether or not to accept the from the amendment.
Correct.
To to the to the amended motion.
And if that passes,
then we'll vote on the amended motion with the friendly amendment.
Correct.
Motion amended
is at that point will be amended.
I'm sorry, Mr..
We're voting on the amendment now that the
she's already she's already free to defend the amendment.
So now we're voting on the motion, the amendment to the motion.
If the amendment to the motion passes, then we vote on the motion as amended.
If the amendment the motion fails, then we vote on the motion.
Originally seconded
by by by the administration.
You know, the the original one.
The original one. The original one.
Okay, Everyone understand that we're voting on.
Like we go back to discussion of the original.
Or the. Original motion. Thank you.
Thank you. Right.
So we revert to the to the
to the original motion as proffered by the administration.
All right, So this will be a standard voice vote because you please call roll.
I'm just grateful.
Simply a roll call vote no,
Dr. Crane. Yes,
that's true.
Now, Miss Maggie.
Now, Aftershock. Yes.
Mr. Speaker. No.
Mr. Singer? No.
Mr. Stoner. No.
2 to 6 in now.
Are there any other motions to amend
that anyone would like to make at this time?
Yes, Mr. President. Thank you. Mrs..
This is with a motion to amend the original motion, and this is
with regard to the instructional model at the middle school.
The Board recommends.
The administration implement the.
Phased opening of the middle school for four day a week, in-person beginning
April 6th, 2021, and prioritizing students.
Who are identified by their.
Parents or otherwise that increased in-person.
Is important to their.
Academic or social emotional health.
Those students whose families want them
to remain in full virtual instruction format may do so
because
there's been a motion to amend
made as there are second.
Second.
Who that.
Dr. Cronan Thank you.
Okay,
Dr. Show, may I may ask you to repeat that
or do you have you
can I don't know if I can because I crossed out a couple of things here.
Let's try this again.
And if there is a grammar and.
You go back and rework that.
The board recommends the administration
implement the phased opening of the middle school
for a four day a week in-person instruction beginning.
April six, 2021.
Prioritizing students
who are identified by their parents
or otherwise,
for whom increased in-person instruction is important
to their academic or social emotional health.
The students whose families want them
to remain in full virtual instructional format may do so.
And Dr.
Scheidt, ask if you have that in writing, if we can have that as well.
Please.
Any discussion on that particular amendment?
And I just have one question for Dr.
Shaw.
Dr. Cronin mentioned several times that
her recommendations for what she was proposing
included the Social and the mitigation and so forth.
I didn't notice I missed that.
I didn't hear you
mention that.
Did I miss that or.
Do you.
I'm sorry, what was that term?
Your motion didn't
include language about continuing to recognize
that that should go without saying at this point in the year,
if it needs to be added, you can you can add it.
But but the mitigation strategies of masking
and cough etiquette and hand hygiene and the three foot physical.
Distancing and
limiting the.
Ventilation and the health screening.
Yeah, the.
Identified mitigation strategies are aren't
are not to be, you know, held in advance for this.
No, that's okay.
Thank you.
Is that possible?
The middle schools already at three
three feet in classrooms
with those they've invited back.
So it's not.
There. There's a few more.
I mean, it was 3 to 4.
We're looking at inviting back a few more.
But no.
So I if I can just jump in on that,
the anywhere where it's four feet, they're reducing it to three feet.
That's about three more kids per classroom.
And where possible they're making a few changes, not team changes.
So maintaining the same teachers in the same team,
but just flipping classes if possible, and working with families
to bring students for at least half day, four days a week.
So they have their two full hybrid days in-person.
And then if there's a class that they're struggling in, that's a core class.
We're not trying to do this
with the encore classes because that's just way too complex.
But some of the encore classes get lumped in with it depending on the schedule.
They work with the parents and either do or afternoon.
If the parent is able to pick them up or drop them off.
So they are they are very close to their three foot capacity at this point.
So we couldn't really accept Dr.
Shaw's recommendation because if we did, we would be going against what
the guidelines are less than three feet
on masks at lunch would not be possible.
I mean, as long as as long as he's including those mitigation strategies,
which is what I heard, we're already doing that and we're very close to capacity.
Okay.
So it doesn't really change so much what what we're doing.
Okay.
So so the amendment, as opposed
straight out of the motion, as made by the administration, was the continuation
of the current hybrid instructional model at the middle school level
for the remainder of this year.
And I guess
my question is for the administration is with this
notion as caveated now
that must comply with the applicable social distancing guidelines,
would this motion be consistent with the current recommendation of the
of the administration?
The Reason We said the current reason we said to remain in what we're doing
is because we're already in a phased return approach and almost at capacity.
So as Dr.
Winslow said, we have maybe a couple of kids per classroom.
And it,
in my view of that is similar to what I guess Ms..
Mama had said that
this, this, this is a recommendation to the board would make.
But what I'm hearing is that the administration is already moving
in this direction.
This, I guess, puts it in writing.
But again, my reluctance is not having, you know, my boots on the ground.
I am reluctant to deviate from what the administration
has recommended
because I again, I'm not familiar
with with the the infrastructure.
So I would not be inclined to vote yes on this motion
again, because I'm going to defer to the administration.
You know, again, as Ms..
Maybe said, we're not here to rubber stamp,
but in this instance, operationally, it seems to be the best way to go.
Mr.. Well, this is Lindsey, Drew.
I would agree with
with what you're saying.
I think that
I think that we're all looking for the same outcome here,
and that is to get kids back to school in the best way possible.
And for me personally,
I am I'm not opposed to getting kids back.
This isn't like I'm not with the new distance
guidelines, with the things that have been changed for me.
It's not the,
you know, fear of the virus component or, you know, any of those things.
It is wanting to make sure
that we do this in a way that is consistent
with the way that we deliver education and how we prioritize and place emphasis
on that and doing it in a phased approach, which is what I'm hearing
you and Dr.
Winslow share is happening.
And I think that that is the best way to do it, to kind of
open the gates on a set date.
I am struggling to find
evidence from what has been presented to us that supports that.
That would be the best for the social emotional needs, for the scheduling,
for the social emotional well-being of the staff in general.
So while I fully support a full return in the fall,
even if the conditions today
are exactly the same in the fall will at least have had months
to put a plan into place.
But I don't want to rush it for the sake of rushing it.
I've also been doing
a lot of research on trauma informed
approaches to this on the social emotional component.
And consistency is something that keeps coming up over and over again.
And with the
time that we have left in this year,
I just can't feel comfortable that we can offer a consistent rest of the year
by making this change before school is out for the summer and
and students are forced into another change again.
So I am
unfortunately unable to to support this tonight.
If we were having this conversation months ago.
You know if the if the county
numbers supported that and I'm not talking about the delay
of what we've had, I mean, we've now talked about this.
This is our third board meeting.
So it's been four weeks since we have as a board have been discussing this.
But if the if the transmission rates, if the vaccination
if all of those things had happened at an earlier date, but as as Dr.
Cronin shared earlier, we're three quarters of the way
through the school year.
And I feel that the best thing that we can do for students
right now is provide consistency for the for the home stretch.
And it's not what we wanted. It's not where we wanted to be.
It's not what any of us would choose in a perfect world.
But I think that's what's for the best.
So unfortunately I'll be voting no
comment.
Donna Cronin I be supporting this, although I don't expect that it'll pass,
but I would like to comment that I do not know what the best
is for every student in this district, but I do trust what the parents believe.
So my question is for those parents who feel that they need
their child to back for days live, but they're not failing,
what is the process if they feel like they have either social, emotional
or academic issues that don't meet the criteria of failing?
We're not graduating.
What is our process and I'm saying are generally because
I have one who will stay virtual and one who would like to go back for day life.
What is the
process for those parents who feel that their child may not meet
the criteria on here, but feel that it's in the best interest for them to go back?
Because I don't expect to pass.
But what is the avenue for those parents who feel their students
need to be back, be part of the ring that's going back four days life.
So as we said, if there's social emotional,
they can reach out to their counselor and have a discussion
and or the building administrator to have a discussion.
They're still going to look at criteria, look at
availability and needs.
So it's not a guarantee, but they can sit down and have a discussion.
And we've had those with individuals about.
And other discussions on the motion that has been made and seconded,
the motion to amend,
you know, I guess I just wanted to say that
based on some community feedback I've heard here and there,
that when we have these discussions
motions and I certainly support Dr.
Coleman and Dr.
Shaw making the motions, that somehow it's interpreted
that those who don't support motions of don't want to get the kids back in school
and that we have some type of agenda
or we're standing for something or we're standing in the way.
I think as Mr.
McFarland has said and as Dr.
Winslow has said, and pretty much everybody has said,
nobody wants to be this situation.
There aren't any of us who don't want all the kids back in the school.
So I hope for those listening.
It's understood
that when
some of us say we
don't support that motion and I'll be one of them, it doesn't mean
we don't support kids coming back to school.
It means we're supporting the approach that Mr.
McFarland and Dr.
Winslow have recommended in terms of continuing
to evaluate our capacity
and within a hierarchy of priorities, trying to get kids back in seats
in situations where we we have the room
and like Mrs.
Manny said,
I can't
always follow the,
the detail of all of the variables and considerations
that are that have to be evaluated and are being and pulled.
It's it's pretty complex algorithm that
maybe the code Club, Dr.
Cronin, that your son founded could help help deal with.
But I come to the conclusion that there's no way I can know
with certainty and concrete
correctness that I can evaluate the factors and
and come to a better conclusion than our administration can.
So I'm going to continue to support the administration's recommendations.
Thank you. Mr. Singer.
Any other discussion on this motion to amend?
And that'll
dictate sort of where we go from here.
Okay, This should be a roll call vote.
Mrs. Agee, please.
Yes, Mr.. No.
This money? No.
Dr. Shaw.
Yes, Mr.
Singer? No.
Mr. Singer? No.
Mr. Steiner? No.
Mr. Abel? No.
2 to 8. No.
To be true to six.
I'm sorry. 2 to 6? No.
All right.
Any other motions to amend the current motion?
So we have a current motion
that's been made and seconded.
But is there any discussion
on that particular motion?
And I would just like to add, Mr.
Abel, just for the purpose.
I know there's a couple hundred people on here,
and I know there have been a couple
hundred people and I want to say thank you to the people who have been advocating.
We're always going to have two sides of things.
If this board right now was fully one way or the other, I would be concerned that.
We aren't doing our job
representing the community because what the survey showed us
is that our community is divided on what the right thing, you know is.
And and I that we do the best that we can, you know, in these situations.
And we're not going to make everyone happy all the time.
But it change,
you know, respecting everyone's opinion and the way that we go about this.
And so to the administration, who has fielded hundreds of our questions
as a board over these last how many weeks and months in the past year,
I know we've brought a lot things to you and we've had a lot of conversation.
I know we've asked a lot more.
I hope the way this goes tonight is that now
we can put our focus on a full return in the fall.
It can be robust, that it can be well communicated, and that it can be
what our students deserve to have.
As we return to the fall.
But thank you to the administration and to the staff for
for all of the pivots and things that you've had to assess
your discussion.
Yes, I'm sorry.
Donna Cronan, I just also want to say that the participants have been hanging on
for week after week for a very long time, and I appreciate that.
I don't see it as a divided community.
I see it as a community who are advocating for the needs of their individual child.
Those that want to stay hybrid or live or virtual are not at an opposition.
They're just they just want what's right for their child.
So I don't see that as divided at all.
I believe that we're divided and that's that's okay. That's part of it.
But I think the community, rightfully so, are advocating for their children.
And I request that each one of them
continue to share what their needs are with their student.
And since our board is not able to make a motion
as we were trying to do
that, that the community members will reach out as Dr..
As Mr.
McFarland stated, reach out to your counselor.
Reach out to the principal and find out what is best for your student.
And if you have to be the advocate for your student,
please do so, because that is what's the most important here
that every student is getting what is best for them, because there's a
one size fits all at in any way, shape or form.
And for us to pretend that we think that there's one way to to go
forward is not true.
So please, parents do what's right for your child.
If we can't solve it as a whole,
individually, you can get what you need for your child.
Please do that. Thank you.
And had a discussion.
I wanted to articulate again my thought process on this.
I think it's important that folks understand, you know, how
I came to my decision
and it was doing a lot of a lot of listening.
And, you know,
I do want to thank everyone came forward.
We take all those comments very seriously.
I want to thank Dr. Cronin and Dr.
Shaw for, you know, their their passion in debate.
You know, I don't think there's any question.
You know, all we saw from the data is that the schools are not the transmitter.
I think I think that's what the data shows.
And there's clearly benefits to having students here
full time
instructional model.
So I you know, I weighed it and it's sort of the way
my process was to weighing sort of each side
and some of what Mr.
Singer said.
I Know, we start with the administration recommendation.
We don't rubber stamp that.
But I think the operational factors here
weighed in favor of giving deference to the administration.
And for that reason, when I weighed all the pros and cons out,
I came to the conclusion that it's best that we
stay with the administration's recommendation as going forward.
So that's that was the process by which I made my decision this evening.
Any other comments?
Mr. Abel? May Yes. Okay.
I just want to say, as we have in this recommendation,
our desire is to get as many students back as possible
within the guidance and the guidelines that we currently,
and that will be our commitment to do that in the safest, most appropriate fashion.
And while
we absolutely are about every child in our district,
we are a district of almost 3500 students.
And quite frankly, we are not able to give
every single student exactly what they may need
when there may be parameters that do not allow us to do that.
So while we will and have and always will talk with anybody
and hear an process through,
we may not be able to honor what a parent
wants or or feels they need.
And I all parents need to advocate for their child.
That's that's what we do as parents.
We would never want a parent not to do that.
But we also ask that people understand that we are a system
that has 3500 students in it, and sometimes
the pushes and pulls of a system do not allow
for every single person to get what they want or feel they need.
I just think that's important to put out there.
Thank you, Mr..
For any other further discussion on the motion as made.
And second,
Mr. ZG, this is a roll call vote.
Would you please call roll.
This through now,
this is for the administration's recommendation.
Nothing. Right. I'm sorry. This is for the mission.
Okay? Yes.
All right.
Thank you.
Sorry. I thought we were back on the.
High definition as made by the administration.
Thank you, Dr.
Murray. Yes. Okay. Yes.
Mr. Evans? Yes.
There's many.
It's Dr.
Shaw. No.
Mr. Secor?
Yes, Mr.
Singer? Yes.
Mr. Steiner?
Yes, Mr.
Abel? Yes.
Dr. Cronin. Now,
6 to 2. Yes.
Okay. So the motion carries
the thank you all for your debate on that and discussion.
Paragraph five J Approval of Spring
Sports Face Covering Protocol.
Mr. Macfarlane.
Thank you.
The administration recommends the approval of the attached protocol regarding face
coverings for the spring 2021 season.
Sports season.
There are a second May
they have a motion to approve the Spring Sports face covering protocol Selma.
Kathy Singer I Miami.
Is there any discussion on this? Mr.
Macfarlane Can you just give give us a little background about
I had a question about this previously about this came about.
Sure. Thank you.
So originally in well, in the winter season,
we wore masks all the time and primarily
because indoor sports,
as we've moved closer to the spring season
and the numbers have continued to drop.
And looking back at what we did in the fall
season, outdoor sports,
the Mid-penn, along with other
districts across the state, are looking at following the same guidelines.
Basically, they followed with fall sports, which,
as you can see on the recommendation, is that
everybody will be masked
except when they are in active or competition,
and then they will be able to to to remove their masks at that time.
But just like they did in the fall season, as soon as they come off
the field or the court, they must be mass again.
All coaches or officials or spectators will be masked at all times.
Okay. Thank you.
And just to clarify this instruction, sorry, that's for outdoor only.
Correct. Thank you. Yes. Volleyball, indoor.
Everything.
Indoor is fully mask even while playing.
Thank you.
Any other discussion on that motion?
This is a standard voice vote.
All those in favor signify by saying I 31
opposed motion carries.
Moving on to item K personnel resignations.
May I have a motion to approve the personnel resignations?
So moved Maria? Me.
Is there a second? Second. Donna Cronan.
Is there any discussion?
This is a standard voice vote.
All those in favor signify by saying I want opposed motion carries.
Personnel. General. Mr. McFarland.
Thank you.
The administration recommends
the approval of the listed personnel and recognition of any listed transfers.
May I have a motion
to approve the listed personnel and recognition of any listed transfers?
So moved. Maria Miami second. Lindsey Drew.
Thank you. Was there any discussion?
There's a standard voice vote.
All those in favor signify by saying I'm opposed.
Motion carries.
Delegate the.
The SBA report is attached.
Director Curran, do you have anything got.
Something to add at this time? Thank you.
Thank you.
Next, the Dauphin County tax report is attached. Dr.
Shah, do you have anything, nothing to add to the report that's in your packet.
Thank you.
Thank you, sir.
Special reports. Board members report.
Are there any board members who would like to give a report? I'm
Mr. Abel.
This is Lindsay Drew.
I just wanted to congratulate the entire Hershey High School theater
department and all of the staff and who are part
of the production of Anastasia this past weekend.
I was able to view it virtually
on Friday night and earned major points
with my ten year old for figuring out how to get it onto our TV
and not just the computer from streaming, but we thoroughly enjoyed it.
I am always blown away by this incredible talent of our students
from the stage and the crew to the the performers and the musicians.
It was recently the the National Music Educator Week,
and it could not have been a more appropriate week to honor
the professionals seeing that that performance take shape.
So congratulations to all of them on just a really phenomenal performance
under really awful
trying circumstances.
So thank you to them.
And I also wanted to mention that two weeks ago
was National Social Workers Week, and we did not recognize,
but I wanted to recognize DeSaulnier at this time
as a board member, because I have seen the work that she does in this community.
Our Students for Coco Parks social workers are so important now
more than ever for the students as they're facing so many different things.
So I just want to appreciate of those people.
I thank you. Mr..
Any other board member reports.
Mr. Abell. This is Tricia Steiner.
I just wanted to acknowledge the horrific tragedy occurred last week
at the intersection of racism and misogyny and recognize the pain and terror
that has been inflicted on Asian-Americans not only for decades
in the history of our country but especially more recently
as we've seen an increase in anti-Asian hate crimes in the last year.
Words and rhetoric matter, particularly from leaders.
And I encourage all the leaders in this room and across our district
to support our Asian-American students and work together to stop Asian hate.
Thank you. Mr..
Any other board member reports?
Yes. I just wanted to report
on two things briefly.
As a member of the Hershey Rotary Club,
I was a member of a team
that helped conduct the four way essay contest.
This this year,
ninth graders from three area high schools were eligible
to submit essays
and we had really great participation from Hershey High School.
We had a total of 33 essays submitted.
This was as a result of Sherri
Stuckey Taylor's efforts and through her,
I guess, her honors class, maybe.
And we
evaluated the essay as a team
and there were five placed finishers.
A second place was
and four of them were from Hershey High School, beginning with second place.
And if I don't pronounce whose names properly, forgive me,
Priyanka Nambiar was second place.
Third place was Joseph Isley.
And there were two honorable mentions from Hershey High School,
Jane Yoder and Edward Liska.
So I just wanted to thank
the high school for its great participation and for having
four students honored.
Each of them received some monetary and monetary award,
and we would have had,
you know, something in person, but obviously doesn't happen.
The second thing I just wanted to mention is that the Joyce Sports
Foundation, local
that promotes and supports recreation activity in town is hosting
a sports can barrel racism workshop for recreation coaches
on Saturday, March 27th from 1030 till noon.
It's a Zoom session.
Information about the session can be found on the Georgia Sports Foundation
worksite worksite website,
and there's still time to register.
But pre-registration is required because a Zoom link is involved
and there's some precession materials that the
providers of the workshop want to send.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Singer.
Any other board member reports?
Superintendents Report.
Mr. Macfarlane, do you have a superintendent
spring forward this evening?
Yes. First, I would echo Ms.
Drew's congratulations to the HHS Theater.
It was an absolutely amazing show with incredible talent
through all the adversity.
Also had the privilege today of attending Pittsburgh's Advocacy Day
and had the opportunity to meet virtually
with Representative Mahaffey and Senator Santelli.
Some of the topics that were that we brought up
were the cyber charter funding and fair funding.
Had discussion with both of them around that.
It was stated by Senator
Disanto that Senate Bill two, he feels, is addressing
a lot of the issues around cyber charter funding.
Both also said that it really
there's strong pacts around
cyber charter funding and millions and millions of dollars
adonia through various funnels and channels to these PACs.
And so it takes a lot of local effort and a lot of individual citizens
to contact representatives and urge them to
fight against
the PACs and go for true fair funding.
So I just encourage anyone listening to, all board
members, to contact your representatives and urge them
to make changes to
cyber charter funding and make it fair and equitable.
We also discussed, as Ms..
Drew stated, with the Esser Funds, Esser one, Esser two, and potentially Esser,
three, of the funding from the stimulus dollars.
We shared with both representatives
the concern that the states would look
to offset
some basic ad funding
with these Esser dollars, saying that districts received all these dollars.
And so they would
take that off of their basic ad funding and just really urge not to do that.
They both said that that
that they would not do that and they would not look to that. And
I reminded them that the legislature did
that a good number of years ago when federal dollars came in.
And so we discussed that as well.
And I also brought up right now the state has the the flexible
instructional day approval process, which is you have to apply for five days.
This was prior to COVID, and
I suggested that
they advocate for looking at that process
because it's very in some ways archaic
in the process, because most schools now have a viable virtual option
that would allow for virtual learning days and greater flexibility.
The current Fed program does not allow for a whole lot of flexibility,
and that was pretty much we had about 20 minutes.
So we covered a good deal in 20 minutes with each of them.
But I was very thankful to be able to be a part of that today.
Thank you, Mr.
McFarland.
Board presidency for it.
I do not have anything this evening.
We're up to item eight on the agenda recognition of citizens.
This is an for residents and taxpayers to address the board on matters
related to the agenda or matters of district governance, not on the agenda.
Those speak are asked to follow the same guidelines
outlined at the initial public comment portion of our meeting.
Are there any residents and or taxpayers that would like to comment this time?
I don't see anyone here in the room.
So Mr. Swiger, is anyone online?
Mr. President, at this time there are two hands raised.
We'll start with Kim O'Connell.
Go ahead, please.
Yes, Hi.
This is. My wife.
Laura. Sorry, husband.
Okay, good.
And your address?
Yeah. So?
So I guess the.
First thing I would say. Is
this.
Senior that.
I addressed the forum here.
Tonight.
About going back to school.
And I'm being with your colleagues.
The fact that it was not acknowledged
by by the group was, to me, troubling.
So that's one thing.
And then And then the second is
we we look at the surrounding school districts
or Camphill is now knowledge that they're going
back.
And we're looking. At.
The surrounding school districts that are all going back to school
starting April, May, June, whatever it might be.
And and we're still
not willing to do that.
So so I guess.
That's part of my concern here.
And I understand
the concerns with with COVID, but it's it's.
Not indicative.
To kids and it's only 50% of the kids.
I'm not in my position.
But if or only 60% of the kids want to go back to school.
Right.
The idea. Of being. Able to.
Separate three feet, six feet, whatever it might be.
Is is a doable option, least as I'm looking at.
Right.
So that's one thing.
The second thing. I will say is you.
Talk about. The mental health.
Right.
It's very, very
it was addressed very,
very much mental health.
Right.
But we had an.
Option for our kids.
Power training, which was
literally right down the road.
And it was an. Option for.
Kids to be able to go and and. And.
Have a release and have a mental option.
And guess what?
The school district voted not to engage.
Right.
For another year or another year. So.
So there's a. Couple of things that.
I'm struggling with.
I'd love your comments.
But to me, the fact.
One that you didn't address the student that spoke Right.
And acknowledged that she spoke up.
For her classmates. To
the fact that 50% want to go back.
And you're saying you can't figure out how to get. 50%
in a safe. Situation.
And then three, the mental health aspect
that was hit on multiple times
where there was a power train option
that was down the road that the school district decided to vote against.
So I'll stop and love your feedback.
Great.
Yeah, unfortunately, this is not sort of a question to answer, but
I did want to ask you, sir, could you just identify your address for the record?
Sure. It's 24 over five. Great.
Thank You, Mr. Swagger. Next.
Next, we have John Miller.
Okay.
Mr. Miller.
Hi there.
Can you hear me? Yes.
They're awesome. So sorry I had to leave.
I spoke earlier, and I appreciate your time.
I'll make this very quick because I know it's getting late. But
earlier when I spoke, I
mentioned resiliency in resiliency.
You know,
we can think of resiliency in a couple of different ways,
but in the context to the school districts, we can think of it
something to the degree of a measure of persistence of the system
and its ability to absorb change and disturbance and still maintain
the same relationships between populations or constituent variables.
Okay.
When I hear
our superintendent say that, you know, the system
doesn't allow for everyone to get what they need,
that right there is little bits of failure.
You're not being resilient because because
an organization in the face of adversity is going to succeed no matter what.
We're not going to let any kids fall behind.
Okay.
So what we're left with, we're left with the broken system.
And what it's telling us is that the school district, which is a learning.
Education.
Agency, is a very inefficient model,
are a
couple of hundred people witnessed tonight what inefficiency looks like?
Okay.
And I'll just remind everybody that there's a charter option.
It's in the law.
Read it and I urge you to go to reopen
us for additional information.
Bipartisan.
We don't have time for this nonsense.
We need to get our kids back to school and whatever that looks like
in the future, break the mold of what you think normal is.
Because I'm telling you, if the school district
can't figure out how to get a couple of chairs back into a room
when we have the detriment of our children next year,
apparently they come back to school and there's going to be a complete mess.
It's the idea is we can't get chairs back in June.
We're never going to be able to succeed and heal our children.
So there's another option.
And think outside the box.
People come on backs.
Thank you, Mr.
Moore, Mrs. Foster, or anyone else?
Yes. We have a few more. Hands at this time.
We have Steve Fotos next.
Sir, if you could identify yourself by our name and address.
Yes, hello.
See photos at three Spring Creek Lane in Hershey.
Thank you.
Thank you for the chance to address the board.
I wanted to see tonight if you would fully reopen schools and you have not.
I've heard a lot of excuses.
Therefore, I have a few observations.
We hear from administrators and school board members,
not all, but some, that we are an exceptional district.
We may be, but we obviously are
at best mediocre in our COVID response.
We seem determined to be the last area school district to reopen.
Congratulations for racing to last place.
Number two,
those are reward effort rather than performance
usually get suboptimal amounts of both effort and performance.
The lack of date specific to expanding in-person
attendance is an endorsement of average performance.
And that's okay if that is what you want to endorse.
However, that's not what I've heard week after week and even month after month
of listening to board presentations
and self congratulatory messages.
Number three,
it is a hell of an ask
to ask parents to sacrifice students
on the altar of other students performance.
We've admitted. Tonight that those. Who are.
Performing on an average academic basis are going to be sacrificed
for students who are performing below that level.
Neither one should need, with the resources that we have available
to us to make a massive sacrifice like that.
If I were a parent with a student
in the Derry Township School District
and that student was performing at an average level,
I would like to ask for a refund
because I am not getting what I paid for.
Plain and simple.
It's unfortunate, but that's the case.
Finally, this is a decision that is final,
and I acknowledge that, and that's what we got out as a board vote tonight.
We now have April, May, June, July and August,
five months to go to the reopening of schools.
We are about to get showered with additional money.
Four and a half million is coming in this last bunch.
I understand there'll restrictions and all sorts of other codicil
that go along with that money, but I would.
Encourage the school board to start planning today
on how they're going to use.
Those monies to mitigate the damage that they have helped
to construct during the last couple of months.
I do not want to be listening to a board meeting in August, in September
about how difficult it was to arrange what our priorities were
in spending that money because just learned
of what the priorities were going to be a month ago.
We should be setting out those priorities now because it's pretty obvious
that we're going to need to work on both our.
Average.
And our sub average performing students in an academic sense.
Thank you for your time and best of luck.
Thank you, sir. Mr. Swiger. Next.
Next, we have Austin Kerr.
Okay.
Mr. Kerr, if you could identify yourself by name and address, please.
I Austin Kerr,
and I'm a senior or C high school right now.
My address is 1361 Church Road.
So, first of all, I just want to thank you for your time
and for allowing students and citizens like me
to take the stand with their concerns.
Personally, I am not public.
Public speaking is not my strong suit.
So forgive me if I waver a little bit here, but
I've just
I hadn't really prepared a speech.
Exactly.
But just based on this meeting and the meetings I've observed
previously jotted some notes down, I just
I wanted to address the fact that during the
sorry, during the concerns
being voiced by citizens
and students like times like this,
it just seems to me during meetings by watching that
it just goes in one ear and out the other.
And no change is really made from this.
And I just wanted to say that regardless
your political beliefs, you represent everyone in this school district.
And it's not just the people that support you and
I feel as though
to put it as respectfully as possible.
You guys have failed your constituents,
especially the students, this year.
Just anecdotally, personally,
I am a student with a 4.0 GPA.
I've never really struggled in school.
I've always done well in school.
Never had a problem until this year, actually.
I had to talk to my mom,
um, just to get some advice, because I have found it very hard to
stay up to date with my work and get it all done.
And I know that I have the option.
You guys send out the email if struggling with classes
that you can go back to school full time, all of that. But
I feel as
though we all know the risks by now.
We all where we stand with this virus.
And we've shown throughout this pandemic that we have the capability,
if you wish to do so, to operate, live your life from home.
So what I'm asking you is why do we not have the option
to live our life not from home when people can choose
to live their lives from home while we continue our lives,
if we choose to do so, and if we need to do so.
That pretty much wraps it up.
I just had some things I had some thoughts jotted down,
wanted to address it with you guys and hopefully
make as much a change as I can.
So thank you for your time. Thank you.
Next, Mr.
Schweiger. Next, we have Jen Hynes. Okay.
Ms.. Hynes.
Hi there.
Good evening.
Can you guys hear me okay? Yes.
Okay.
I'm going to keep it brief.
Just real quick.
I just want to go back a little bit for what Dr.
Cronin was
per her proposed motion,
but she did think I'm just going to kind of
as I say, my in my field put it to a fourth grade language.
I think she was saying call the 1200 kids
in the high school this week.
I'm pretty sure that's what she heard.
Give the families this is what this is just an idea.
Get them all called.
Now that you have your data upfront, you call some.
Now call the other the other 200 next week.
Give them that.
Give 1200 families 48 hours to call back.
Send an email and make the phone calls to each family.
Then you have all the data for the 1200 kids in one week.
Then you can do what you wish with the data.
Roll them in. Dr.
Cronin was trying to say, instead of doing 200 last week
and 200 next week and 200 the following week, do more together.
And I know that mental health concerns keep getting mentioned.
And I know I'm sure, as many of you know, probably
what I do for a living and what I've done for the last 28 years.
But I own a psychiatric company
and I'm probably risking some business here.
But I've sat I've been coming to board meetings since February.
Now, I appreciate board members having mental
health concerns.
I just I just have to say a few things.
My company currently has a contract
with Derry Township to provide the school based outpatient services,
all three buildings to serve 3000 kids in Derry Township.
We currently serve six.
We have six kids
out of 3000 students in Derry Township.
This is a huge concern.
And let me be clear, this is not a business concern for myself
because my company works with surrounding districts
and we serve hundreds of students in each district.
Some districts are smaller than Derry Township.
There is a company board member.
I don't if there's a comment here from a board member
or not.
All right. Well, then we'll see.
If any of the board members would like to learn
more about about our my business
and what we are able to provide to students in Derry Township.
We'd be glad to talk with you.
These issues include depression, anxiety, ADHD, bipolar trauma.
We're here for you guys.
We have licensed therapists available in Derry Township,
so please talk to your guidance counselors, talk to your teachers,
Talk to anybody that can help you get services that you might need.
And one more thing.
In addition
to hiring an athletic trainer, which I fully support for the school district,
I think the administration should consider hiring additional social worker.
In fact, probably three more.
You have 3000 kids and you got one full time social worker working
with a bunch of a whole bunch of kids with a variety of issues.
And she has to go out to their homes and beg them to come to school.
I think you might need
a few more to help with that job.
Thank you. Well, and have a good night.
Thank you.
Thank you. Ms.. Hynes, any folks?
Virtually, Mr. Swiger?
We do.
We have several more hands.
Next, we have Gina Nielsen.
Yes, I'm using my wife's counselor.
We've been to school together. My name is Erica Sullivan.
It's 1250 Stonecrest Drive.
And, you know, the past several weeks, we've been listening to this
and spending many of our hours and does me,
you know, I applaud those who wanted
to take this opportunity to meet board members.
I didn't realize how much time it actually took sitting through.
Meetings. And then doing the research,
the research that I've done over these several weeks.
What I also didn't understand is just how important
the school board and how much power that the school board has.
And how do I know that knowing that I have a 5
to 6 child mentor in the school district, I probably would have been more proactive
because one of the things that I've noticed is
how in fact
the school board can sometimes be.
In a sense.
That it's hard to move things on week to week.
And I understand that because you only need every two weeks.
However, there's a lot of time in between those two weeks where.
You can get. Things done.
You know, personally, in my way, where I come from, a.
Combination of 350.
People, if I waited this long, I would be very unsuccessful.
And it probably fail.
And you're not allowed to fail
because you are a government entity.
But what we have seen and it seems frustrated me
most of all through this, is we have come through a medical problem.
And yet I did not see.
I did not. Hear any
mention.
Of getting together a group of parents or people in the medical field, which.
Is a high. Percentage of people.
In the.
School district to go over the data to look at things.
How are things going here within.
This school district?
You can all. The stuff from national.
You take all the stuff from state that you want to, but
really you should look at it from a district level.
The fact that you did not.
Form a subcommittee and those who were experts in that area
is kind of disturbing.
To be quite honest,
as it's tonight.
This issue.
Is kind of been put to rest with the exception of
we should be moving forward towards looking towards next year.
However, what it has shown to me these last couple of weeks
is and especially with this vote, a two.
To six vote.
Is that you really are not.
Listening to what the constituents have on board members.
It is the school board's responsibility to act
and as the
community wishes.
Especially the fact that this community is more
highly educated than you people that are sitting in.
That room
now going through what is going to happen.
Is that not I'm not here for this.
I'm not here for this
to show.
Can you wrap up on jobs?
So let me continue, please.
I have the floor.
What's going to happen now?
Yes, sir.
Just just try to be respectful of the folks on the board.
I'm sorry.
I will. I will.
I will take you back a little bit.
But what's going to happen is parents are going to start going together.
We're going to meet up with groups and we're going.
To start.
Taking surveys amongst amongst ourselves.
And what we would like you to do is to do the same going forward.
You need to get more input from the community
and not from just small groups.
I thought it was great that you sent out survey a couple of weeks ago,
but the more needs to go out and to be quite honest,
if you talk to many people who did those surveys, that survey was
very slanted and very pointed.
And really a lot of people were kind of offended by how that survey was written.
I can't say that that was the case for me.
But that's what I heard from many people.
There's things that you can do better.
And the most important thing that you can do is to start
coming to the community members who are intelligent.
30 seconds remaining.
And if you. Don't do.
You're doing.
The kids, you're doing the teachers, and quite honestly.
You're doing yourselves.
A disservice if you don't reach out to us.
We're ready to help and willing to help.
Thank you, sir.
Next, just longer.
We have Lisa Wideman.
Okay.
All right.
Go ahead, ma'am.
If you can identify yourself by name and address.
Okay.
She's still muted
in the case.
No, she's not.
Can you hear me now? Yes.
Okay.
Members of the board, my middle school son, an identity.
I was told at the beginning of the shutdown that my son
didn't qualify to remain in school in person.
He was failing four subjects.
The change to hybrid.
No one from the school ever contacted me.
I had to contact the school and make the request.
They were able to place my child back in school four days a week.
However, I had to take the leave.
Your statement that your staff is contacting parents is false.
Our most vulnerable children.
Those with IEPs, social and mental health
disorders are at serious high risk.
Your board is doing nothing to help them.
In addition, after what I have listened to this evening
and in prior meetings, it is clearly evident that you had no plan
of effectively and safely returning our children to school.
Are you aware the families are planning on selling their homes
and completely leaving the school district?
Why should we believe that you have a plan for returning in the fall?
Thank you. Did you.
I'm sorry, ma'am Could you. I don't know how to.
Because you give us your name and address, please.
It is Lisa.
Wait a minute.
719 Lexington Avenue in Hershey.
Okay. Thank you,
Mr. Swiger.
Yeah. We have one more hand raised.
Paige Risinger. Okay.
Now, if you could please identify yourself by name and address.
Hello.
I'm Pedro Singer, and I live at 120 East Caracas Avenue.
Hershey.
Um, I just wanted to thank Dr.
Cronin and Dr.
Shaw for trying to help us.
Seniors have the best last two months.
The administration said in previous emails
that you would do everything in your power and everything in your power
to ensure our senior experience would be the best.
And that has been a lie as shown and talked about tonight.
Now you're completely shutting us out and not thinking about our best interests
and feelings.
Many of my friends have been struggling with mental health issues
because of not being able to see our friends.
I have only been able to see half of my friends out the year,
which is completely unfair.
When we have the opportunity to social distance and wear masks,
they send out a daily email to our seniors every day.
So a survey stating if we want to come back or not
is realistic in a timely manner.
I really would appreciate if you guys would consider our feelings
and bring us all back together.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Schwager.
Anyone else?
Yes, we have Corey Schaffer.
Okay.
If you could identify yourself by name and address, please.
Good evening.
This is Corey Schaffer, 1778, Upper Darby Road.
Can everyone hear. Me? Yes, we can.
All right.
Thank you.
I would like to read to you in Derry Township School District.
We foster a sense of community,
certainly by the survey standards and results we have at Foster
and the sense of community we need as our community is divided.
And you continue to support one area of the community
and not the entire communities needs.
We take advantage of opportunities.
I've heard in this meeting, in prior meetings, had we done this, had we known?
Hindsight is 2020.
We missed our opportunity to plan and prepare and execute on getting
our students back in an environment in which everybody can succeed.
We demonstrate citizenship.
Citizenship means being good stewards of the community.
You haven't been good stewards of our children's academic needs.
You take ownership.
You assume ownership.
You haven't own any of this process.
It's continuing be excuses.
It's the teachers this week.
It's an attestation the next week.
It's we don't have space.
Another week is the desert to close and another week.
Excuses after excuses after excuses
and no ownership of what we're going to do to accomplish what we need to do.
And lastly,
and most importantly,
we do what it takes to be successful in academics.
And we've heard time and again tonight
about students failing and students being average.
And that's not who we are and what we strive to be.
The cocoa.
Embody a. District wide culture of.
Community opportunity, citizenship, ownership and academics.
And we have failed to do that.
Thank you.
Thank you, sir.
Mr. Swagger.
Next, we have one hand raised.
Tim O'Connell okay.
If you could identify yourself by name, address.
Yes. Hello.
Thank you.
I just wanted to say thank you to the board as well, in particular
Donna Cronan, for speaking up for
the majority.
I feel a lot of citizens parents in the community and students as well
that want to return to full time instruction this year.
I just want to pose a couple of questions.
I know I'm not going to get any answer, but I mean, did you actually reach out
to other school districts in the area and figure out, you know,
kind of what their plans were, how they were making it work?
I know some other schools P.A.
that basically did away with the lunch period,
Give the kids couple of ten minute breaks to have a snack
and just make them an hour earlier and they just go home and eat lunch.
I just think there are so many other opportunities
and avenues that you kind of explore that we're not locked into.
When my my 10th grader was
in the ECAC in 2011,
the entire building was shut down for the entire year
due to damage of the building for one
within two weeks period of time.
They set up classrooms
for every every class that they had in the SCC building,
both first grade kindergarten and first grade.
And obviously it was a different board at that time.
But I was really proud of the job that they did.
And right now I'm just very,
very discouraged and very disappointed that that basically
we we came to this school, this area for the school district.
Thank you for your time.
Thank you, ma'am.
And I just want you're next at this time, Mr.
President. There's no more hands raised.
Is there anything else?
For the good of the order,
If not, the next public board of directors
meeting will be held April 12, 2021, starting at 7:00 pm.
Please refer to the District website for the location as the meeting draws closer.
They have a motion to it.
There's a protest.
Hands were raised.
I don't know if you're not too good right.
I'm being told that there are additional hands by Dr.
Cronan.
Yeah, they were just raised.
Thank you, sir.
We have two people.
With, their hands raised.
We have Brian bolts.
Okay, sir, if you could identify yourself by name and address, please.
Yeah, sorry. Go on.
My name is Brian, one of seven West Governor.
First of all, I'd like to thank you
for taking the time to take my zoom call,
And I just wanted to give a thank you to Austin Kerr.
I believe, as he was the senior. The Colin spoke
is over the great Thank you, leader.
Wonderful job.
And just to remind everybody that
you do represent the constituents of the area
and a 10th grader who is struggling horribly
and there's this there's too many people
that need to get back in school full time,
do what's right for the kids, please.
Not for your own agendas. Thank you.
Thank you, sir.
Okay.
And we have cat English.
Hi. Can you hear me?
Yes, we hear you.
Okay, great.
Thanks. My name is Catherine English.
I'm at five, four, five.
Hill Church Road.
And I can certainly appreciate that this has been a difficult
task for the board, for teachers, for families, for students.
And I want to thank everybody that
took the time to speak up tonight and let their voices be heard.
I tried to listen through the thought process and logic
going on through the meeting tonight, and there seemed to be so many disconnects.
The survey that you're using to substantiate
your arguments was over a month ago, and you claim that there was missing
data from 20% of the students.
But you're avoiding setting a date to obtain
a solid foundation of evidence or data to make determination and plans.
It just it doesn't seem to make sense.
I mean, how can you evaluate any plan or possibilities without accurate
and solid information from your students and the families?
You also stated tonight that there have been accommodations
made for children having social and emotional issues,
but I've only heard from parents that have said that their
communication to the district
about emotional or wellbeing problems have been left unhurt.
So if there's any parents out there that can substantiate that they've
actually been accommodated for any mental or social issues
that their kids have been having, I would love to hear from you.
There just seems to be a big disparity
and statements and testimony versus what was said tonight
as if these accommodations had been made available
throughout this process.
And I haven't felt it as a parent, nor have I heard anybody else
with their statements of how district has acknowledged the mental.
Or. Social strain on the kids and they were
willing to make accommodations in those cases.
So that's all I wanted to say thank you for taking my call.
Thank you, Mr. Swire.
We have a man to book. Can
you identify yourself by name and address?
Hi, my name is Amanda, but can you guys hear me?
My address is 458.
Stop is Church Road.
And I just want to say, I want to give a shout out to the seniors who spoke out.
I also want to give a shout out to the seniors
that are listening that that are scared to give their voice.
I am sitting in my car, I'm shaking.
I'm so disturbed by what I've heard over the several meetings.
And I want to say, Don, I forget your name,
your last name at the moment because my nerves have kicked in.
But I just want to thank you so much for fighting for for the seniors.
I want to thank each of the board members.
I hear that you're saying that you're fighting the kids.
I have to tell you on this
and there are so many parents who are not we are not seeing that.
We are not seeing a lot.
I liked hearing that about the mental health
that was talked about tonight.
There are so many kids in our district that are are struggling.
But you know what?
Every single child matters, whether they're getting great or terrible grades.
Each kid deserves the best.
And this does it.
This district is supposed to be the best like we are.
Hershey, VA.
We're supposed to be the best and we are robbing the children.
So I just I really hope that I can see unity.
I want to thank each of the board members for giving their time.
And I just I want I really want you to ask yourself
if you are doing what's best for the children
or are you doing what's best for the agenda.
And I hope that you guys spend the money very wisely that that comes in
because it's a lot of money and you can do a lot of great things. It.
So thanks again. Thank you, ma'am.
Fire.
We have Stacy Doherty.
MAN Identify herself
by name and address, please.
She's still.
Muted. At this point.
Can you can you unmute yourself?
Can you hear me now?
Yes, we can.
Yes. My name is Stacy Daugherty
at 90 Jacob's Creek Drive in Hershey.
I have three boys, Karter, Jett and Grayson.
I have a high schooler, a middle schooler and a elementary schooler.
All of my kids had straight A's prior to the pandemic,
and unfortunately, my middle schooler is failing.
I have sent multiple emails to counselors,
to the principal and to the superintendent.
What's zero response?
My child is suffering.
He is on antidepressants.
He is seeking counseling and he is failing.
And after 3 to 4 emails and still zero response, it's very troubling to me.
I live in this
school district because it was a great school district.
My husband's job is 2 hours away
and we live here and he commutes 2 hours every day.
So it's troubling to me.
How I. Have received zero response.
I don't understand.
You're doing a disservice to our family and to our children.
And if things don't change, I will be sending my children.
To private school.
Thank you, ma'am.
Okay.
Next we have Jennifer Shrader.
Good evening.
My name is Jennifer Shrader.
At 1125 Stone Gate in Hummelstown.
I really could just say ditto
to so many who have spoken before me,
but I really, really wish that
I could ask each of the board members who voted no tonight.
Why our kids?
I pray every morning that I wake up that my son is still might.
This has been the most
devastating thing that has ever occurred in his life.
There has not been one single moment of success,
this child for the past year.
We moved here from out of state.
We chose Hershey just like so many other people said
because it was supposed to be the best.
Every day I get an e-mail from a teacher,
from a counselor, from somebody telling me
how my child is not being successful.
So I really, really wish
that you guys would have been more progressive,
thought Outside the Box, collaborated with other districts,
found out what they were doing and how you could implement a cure.
I don't care if my child is in a tent outside learning.
Just point.
We are blessed to have the resources to have him
in constant counseling on medication.
But at this point we are considering signing over guardianship to my parents
and sending him back to Michigan so that he can attend school full time.
And I just
implore you to think about white,
what the lack of progressive
thinking over the past three months
is dying
and how devastating.
I don't know what this means for him as he grows up.
He's in eighth grade.
I don't know that he'll ever get over
the devastation that is caused,
how he feels about himself right now.
So thank you for standing up for those kids.
Donna Karan and Dr.
Shah, you Guys, just.
But please, please, please
think about all those kids that are suffering.
They may be in domestic violence situations.
They need to be back in school.
Thank you.
Good night.
Thank you, ma'am.
And I want to be mindful of what we.
So was the 45 minute limit.
I think my record is we started around ten.
This portion of the program. So.
Okay, we have one more hand.
We lost a time there in between speakers,
so I don't have to lay it out, but we'd like to be mindful of that.
So, Mr..
Do we have we have Jill McGroarty.
Okay, sir, if you can identify yourself by name and address, please.
Hi. I'm talking to my parents.
The Voice on Air McGroarty on 1874 Pullman Way, Stone Creek Park.
And I just wanted to thank the school board members,
giving the people a voice to speak.
But I just feel as a student
that no matter what the people say, there just won't be a change.
I'm currently a sophomore
and for the most part of my two years, I have too much trouble.
But along with a lot of my fellow students, being at home
and online has been. A terrible struggle.
And I just feel terrible for all the upperclassmen
and the seniors that lost the last few years of high school,
and they're being destroyed by this disease.
Thank you for giving the people a voice.
And I can speak for everyone watching this that I hope there's change soon.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr.
Snyder.
At this time, I see no hands raised.
All right.
So we are at eight.
Item number nine, the German.
I was beginning to say that the next public board of directors meeting
will held April 12, 2021, starting at 7 p.m.
Please refer the district website for the location as the meeting draws near.
May I have a motion to adjourn the meeting please?
So moved. Maria. Mimi. Is there a second?
Second, Lyndsey Drew.
All those in favor signify by saying I want a opposed motion carries.
Thank you.
On my way.
Let me give them a reading.