The Bermudian Springs school board debated the need of developing committees, including a proposed committee that could pre-approve book purchases for the school library, and heard possible tax increase scenarios during its caucus meeting on Monday evening.
The school board held a caucus meeting on Monday, where the bulk of its discussion took place, and held a voting meeting on Tuesday evening.
Committee, policy changes
Superintendent Shane Hotchkiss provided the board with notice about policies they will review this month with the goal of approving them for a first reading during the February meeting.
The board has been updating and consolidating its policies, tackling at least a few updates most months.
Some updates are due to legislative changes while others, such as a policy concerning bullying and cyberbullying, must be revisited every two years.
The district also considers local administrative needs and recommendations as well as recommendations from the Pennsylvania School Boards Association. Policies go to the district’s legal counsel for additional review and input. The public also has the chance to review and comment on policies following the first reading, which precedes final approval.
Daniel Chubb, the board’s president, first broached the idea of creating committees to take a first look at policy changes or other areas for the board.
Chubb said some districts utilize board committees to help streamline the process. He suggested the board consider whether it could benefit from developing committees.
Secretary Jennifer Goldhahn, who along with board treasurer Ruth Griffie recently created a curriculum committee, appeared to support the idea and asked that the curriculum committee add a third member.
Board member Matthew Nelson questioned the necessity of board committees.
When Chubb said committees could get a look at topics weeks, if not months, ahead of the broader board to provide more notice of issues, Hotchkiss questioned what topics should receive additional notice.
Hotchkiss pointed to the comprehensive plan, which the board reviewed in January but is not due until March, as an example of notice the board receives. The policies up for review, provided to members this month before a first reading in February, were another example. He also noted that the 2024-25 budget is discussed monthly well ahead of voting on it.
“Before you do this, I’m trying to figure out what has been out there that you haven’t been made aware of that we’ve asked you to make a decision on quickly, because that’s not been the goal at all for a caucus meeting,” Hotchkiss said. “So if there is something that has gone through that, we would make that change now without a committee.”
Goldhahn voiced wanting to have the board, rather than solely building principals, review book selections.
Rather than approving book purchases after they are made, Goldhahn said the district policy for purchasing books for building libraries could be modified to allow the board to review the list before any books are purchased.
“The issue is we don’t see what books are being bought, and by process, we’re just rubber stamping the expenditure because we don’t know what books are going in the library,” Goldhahn said.
Goldhahn said her proposed change would not affect other routine purchases.
“I’m coming from the academic type thing with, when you purchase books that are going before students, the board should see which books are being purchased before they are approved,” Goldhahn said.
Chubb used a policy committee as an example for one the board could create.
“I would trust if we had three members sitting on a policy committee to look at those things, right, 10 policies at time, 15, and then bringing them up as a board as a whole that we vote on,” Chubb said. “That would be a perfect example that would cut down and streamline the policies that we’re talking about.”
Nelson pushed back against the addition of a “middle man,” saying the board already hears reports directly from a core group of principals and administration. He questioned whether the board would receive the same amount of information from a committee summarizing the information as it does directly from the department head.
“There isn’t a lot of other people for us to hear from when we have a committee meeting,” Nelson said. “It’s going to be the same presentation that we’re already having.”
Finance
Business manager Justin Peart provided two major updates for the board pertaining to the 2022-23 audit as well as the upcoming 2024-25 budget.
Within the current 2023-24 budget, Peart said the recently-approved federal and state reimbursements for the cafeteria fund provided an extra $59,308.06 for December, helping the fund reach a positive balance.
The process for developing the 2024-25 budget began two months ago when the board approved the Act One Index resolution, essentially agreeing to stay at or under the index amount.
The base index for Pennsylvania is 5.3% while the adjusted index for the district is 7.2%.
Peart presented five scenarios for the board to consider.
– Option A: Raise taxes to the Act One Index with a millage increase of 0.9244 to bring in $1,008,549
– Option B: Raise taxes 5.4% with a millage increase of 0.6933 to bring in $756,411
– Option C: Raise taxes 3.6% with a millage increase of 0.4622 to bring in $504,274
– Option D: Raise taxes 1.8% with a millage increase of 0.2311 to bring in $252,137
– Option E: Raise taxes 0% with a millage increase of 0. Doing so would generate no new revenue
Peart said trends look positive for local earned income, with projections showing an increase in revenue.
Peart pointed to special education as an expensive wild card in the budget. The district has had more students requiring special education services, but the exact number of SPED students, and the level of services they require, is impossible to fully predict.
Peart said that while the district has been able to finesse its transportation services to minimize price increases, the district has seen an increase in students requiring speech services and occupational therapy services. The need for substitute teaching services has also risen.
The district’s opening of an autistic classroom will help curb costs associated with the SPED consortium classes previously used at Fairfield and Upper Adams.
Peart reported that the district saw a decrease in cyber-charter school expenses, the first in “a very long time.” Cyber-charter expenses remain a high expense for the district, but Peart said he hopes to see students begin to return to the district, reducing that expense.
Peart said the board can expect budget updates each month.
Peart said the 2022-23 audit showed $51,643 added to the fund balance for the 2022-23 fiscal year. While lower than the initially predicted amount, the savings are still a win for the district.
“At this point, enabled to actually add money to our fund balance is somewhat unheard of,” Peart said. “So I’m very proud of the fact that we were able to add money to our fund balance, which is, like I said, our savings account.”
There were no findings in the audit. Peart praised Jennie Wolf, the administrative assistant for payroll, and Missy Swartz, the administrative assistant for the business office, for handling the audit.
Comprehensive plan
The board approved posting the district’s draft 2024-27 comprehensive plan. The plan was posted to the district’s website on Tuesday for public review. The board will approve the plan in February or March before it is submitted to the state by March 31.
Assistant Superintendent Shannon Myers provided the board an overview of the plan, which is organized into three separate sections. The first section provides information about the steering committee and the guiding principles and educational values that drove the planning.
The second addresses student performance data and insight into areas the district performs well in and topics that need to be better handled. Within the plan, committee members identified graduation cohorts being at 98%, the district’s low teacher-student ratios, and other areas as strengths. Places identified as needing attention include boosting performance in algebra and biology, helping students with disabilities perform better, and reviewing its data collection tools.
The third section takes the summary of strengths and areas to address and prioritizes them even further. It also explains actions the district can take to address weaker areas and improve professional development and communications.
Answering board questions about the data collection tools it uses and gaps in services, Myers said the district takes advantage of both state and locally-used software. Becoming more efficient in using them will help the district.
“Really, just kind of putting a group of people together who can sit down and look at what we currently have and make it more efficient so that teachers aren’t looking in multiple places or don’t even know where to go because it’s not where it needs to be or isn’t labeled the way it should be,” Myers said. “So becoming more systematic and effective with how we’re utilizing what we have is, I think, step one.”
Personnel and board updates
On Monday, Hotchkiss told the board there were a handful of resignations and retirements coming up in the next few weeks.
Dianna Jarema, a high school agriculture teacher, the class of 2025 advisor, and the high school FFA advisor, will resign effective Feb. 19.
Dr. Brian Booher, director of special education, will resign effective March 2.
The board also approved adding one individual to serve as athletic game help and added another as a volunteer boys’ basketball statistician.
Board members also agreed to appoint Peart, the business manager, as the district representative to the York Adams Tax Bureau and Adams County Tax Collection Committee. Goldhahn was approved as the first alternate representative while Shelley Hobbs, a business manger with Upper Adams School District, was added as the second alternate.
Goldhahn was also added to the Lincoln Intermediate Unit for a term through June 30, serving for Bermudian Springs as well as Conewago Valley and Littlestown school districts. Goldhahn will be added to the ballot for the next LIU election and, if elected, will serve through June 30, 2025.
The board informally agreed to add Vice-President Travis Mathna as its representative for the ACTI board. Mathna will replace Chubb. Nelson will remain the alternate representative. The board will add it to the agenda for a formal vote in February.
Recognition
Hotchkiss recognized the board members for their service in honor of School Director Recognition Month.
On Monday, he gave the board a card and cookies sent by the high school social committee.
On Tuesday, he thanked the board members for their service and encouraged the community to do the same.
“School directors volunteer numerous hours monthly, which include adopting policy, voting on budgets, approving contracts, hearing hiring recommendations,” Hotchkiss said on Tuesday. “They take time to learn about the issues affecting public education to seek innovative solutions. During this month of recognition, we ask that everyone please take a moment to show your gratitude for our school directors’ time, dedication and effort year-round.”
Samantha King, president of the Interact Club, and other members of the club, also addressed the board on Tuesday.
King said the club set up drinks and desserts for the board to enjoy following the regular meeting.
Additional business
Given recent winter weather, Hotchkiss apprised the board on Monday that the district will handle severe weather that necessitates school closures by holding asynchronous makeup days.
Hotchkiss said having asynchronous makeup days the past few years has received “very positive” responses from staff, students and parents. Doing so makes it easier for the district and parents alike to plan, and lets students enjoy a “true snow day,” as well, according to Hotchkiss.
Recent snow has also lead to roof leaks at the new middle school. Hotchkiss said the district is working to resolve the issues.
During the time for public comment on Tuesday, a former Bermudian Springs teacher asked the board to add a dedicated mental health professional to the district.
The individual also requested that if the board creates committees the information presented in them be made readily available and transparent for the public.
The board held an executive session prior to Monday’s caucus meeting in order to talk about personnel, according to Hotchkiss.
A buildings and grounds meeting is currently scheduled for Jan. 23, but as of Monday evening, Hotchkiss was uncertain it will be necessary. New board members are asked to attend a training session.
The board scheduled the training to take place at 6 p.m. Jan. 23, the same evening as the buildings and grounds meeting. The meeting will continue to be held if necessary.
The next caucus meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 12.
The next regular meeting will take place at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13.
Both meetings will be held in the administration building board room and will be livestreamed on the district’s YouTube channel.
Imari Scarbrough is a freelance journalist. She was a staff newspaper reporter for five years before becoming a freelancer in 2017. She has written on crime, environmental issues, severe weather events, local and regional government and more.
You can visit her website at ImariJournal.com.