School Board Meeting Highlights
9-15-15
Agenda:
For a complete agenda, please visit us at:http://www.boarddocs.com/pa/parkland/Board.nsf/Public
All motions were approved.
Workshop Meeting
Budget Timeline in Preparation for 2016-17 General Fund Budget
Mr. John Vignone, Director of Business Adminstration, gave an update on 2016-17 budget timeline plans. The timeline can be found here.
Early Childhood Literacy Committee
Kelly Rosario, Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Professional Development and Diane Neikam, Supervisor of Elementary Education, gave this PowerPoint presentation which discusses the need to implement full day kindergarten to help provide a strong foundation for learning, especially among our neediest population. The goal of the program is to ensure all Parkland students are reading on a third grade reading level by third grade because students need to read to learn after that grade. Prior to that, students are learning how to read. A full-day Kindergarten program will help the District reach that goal. On October 27, 2015, Stantec will deliver the results of a Feasibility Study they have performed over the last six months to discuss the ways we will be able to offer full-day Kindergarten in the years ahead.
Business Meeting
Delay in Payment of Charter School Tuition - The Board authorized the Administration to delay payment of tuition to Charter Schools until a Commonwealth Budget for 2015-16 is approved and Commonwealth funding is once again provided to the Parkland School District. To read the full press release, click here.
Roundtable
Bob Bold gave a report stating that it is day 76 of the budget impasse with no end in sight, however, there may be a stop gap budget approved, but he stated that this releases the pressure on the legislature to pass a budget. Bob Bold and the whole Board wished the staff well in the upcoming school year.
Rob Cohen said it was an honor to be at the Superintendent's School Opening Convocation when all staff came back from summer break to prepare for the start of the school year and he highlighted that there were 15 honored with the Superintendent's Parkland Pride awards and he congratulated the winners, which included Roberta Marcus. Lisa Adams and David Hein echoed these sentiments.
Mr. Cohen recommended that Education & Athletics Committee be changed to Academics, Athletics and Arts Committee.
Barry Long said that the Building and Grounds Committee meeting at Kratzer included a tour last week and he stated how impressed he was with the school renovations citing that it is a wonderful atmosphere that is conducive to learning.
Mrs. Marcus thanked everyone for making the start of the school year successful. She believes the this year's theme portrays that we are one incredibly blessed and incredibly excellent school district. She was honored to speak at the Opening Day ceremonies to encourage the District's progress moving forward.
Mr. Sniscak and the whole board welcomed Emily Giordano, new student rep, to the Board table. He also thanked Tony Galucci for serving as head baseball coach in Parkland.