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It BEARS Repeating!
BASD - Home of the Bears
Tuesday, January 30, 2024
A Special Announcement
T-shirt Designs by Luis
Our Board of School Directors
Anthony D. Panarello, President - Region II - Term Expires: 2025
Finance Committee Co-Chairperson
Jeffrey Zawada, Vice President - Region III - Term Expires: 2025
Finance and Policy Committees Co-Chairperson
James H. Brophy - Region II - Term Expires: 2027
Board Appointed BCIU Representative
Ruth A. Dierolf - Region I - Term Expires: 2025
Wendy S. Kratz - Region III - Term Expires 2027
Education and Student Services Committee Co-Chairperson
Student Board Representative Liaison
Christine M. Neiman - Region I - Term Expires: 2027
Board Appointed BCTC Joint Operating Committee Board Member Alternate
Facilities Committee Co-Chairperson
Marianne Scott - Region I - Term Expires: 2025
Policy Committee Co-Chairperson
Brad A. Updegrove - Region III - Term Expires: 2027
Education and Student Services Committee Co-Chairperson
Roger A. Updegrove - Region II - Term Expires: 2027
Board Appointed BCTC Joint Operating Committee Board Member Representative
Facilities Committee Co-Chairperson
All board members were present for this meeting.
The Roman Numerals above indicate the member's voting region. Our voting regions include:
- Region 1 – Borough of Bally, the Borough of Bechtelsville, Colebrookdale Township (Voting precincts 1 and 2), Earl Township (Voting precincts 1 and 2), Washington Township (Voting precincts 1 and 2), and Borough of Boyertown (Voting precinct 1).
- Region 2 - Borough of Boyertown (Voting precinct 2), Douglass Township (Berks County – Voting precincts 1 and 2), Douglass Township (Montgomery County – Voting precincts 1, 2, 3, and 4).
- Region 3 – New Hanover Township (Voting precincts 1, 2, and 3) and Upper Fredrick Township.
Recognition Showcase
School Board Member Recognition - Month of January 2024
January is School Board Appreciation Month. Mrs. Torchia, Superintendent, thanked our Board Members for their service. She presented each Board Member with a slate of the "old building" at BASH on behalf of the Administrative Cabinet. The slates were featured as part of Mr. Cherkasky's recent Board presentation and are made using slate from the original chalkboards in that portion of the building. The stands that were gifted with the slates were created using wood from the building as well. #BASDSchoolBoardAppreciation
BASH Senior - Rowyn Deininger
Rowyn Dininger is a senior at BASH. She is part of our gifted program and a talented art student. She especially loves drawing and painting using acrylics, oils, and watercolors. She is an Advanced Placement Psychology student. She is considering Art Therapy as a possible career goal.
When Rowyn arrived for her first day of senior year, she was to have Open Campus during the 7th period of her first semester. After several days, she realized her time could be spent working on her art. She contacted Mr. Dareneau, BASH art teacher, who agreed that she could come to his room instead. He shared that he would simultaneously teach an adaptive art class to special needs students.
In Mr. Dareneau's words…
When she first came and met the students, I think she was a little overwhelmed. This was not a population that she was used to spending time with. After the first class, she said she was glad she came down. She said she had always seen those students in the hall and felt nervous around them. I was impressed when she asked if she could keep coming down to work with them. I think this experience has been both positive for Rowyn and the students. One of the aides told me that not only Rowyn but many of Rowyn's friends will stop and talk to the life skills in the halls. She went from wanting more time on her assignments to making friends and breaking down barriers in our school. I'm incredibly proud of her.
Rowyn stayed until the end of the semester.
Her second-semester schedule had her taking an additional art class. But she had something else in mind. She dropped her weaving course and asked for an internship in adaptive tech ed with Mr. Valick. Why? Not because she is a member of a club or outside organization that requires volunteer hours. Instead, she had grown to love the students and their support team and couldn't imagine not staying with them for the remainder of the year.
On a side note, Rowyn has bonded with a set of twins with both physical and cognitive needs. They are non-verbal, and she is learning sign language independently to form a better connection with them.
Student Representative Report
Lexy: Good evening board members and meeting attendees! We will share recent BASH news and events tonight, with plans to hold another high school luncheon next month.
Liliana: To begin, we would like to highlight Luis Maradiaga, a 6th grader at Middle School East. Luis was recently diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor, diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma. To support Luis & his family, please consider purchasing a T-shirt featuring artwork by Luis or supporting their GoFundMe. T-shirts can be purchased at https://miracle4luis.cheddarup.com.
Lexy: We want to take the time to thank the Student Council for all their efforts in making the holidays even more magical with Wish Week. A lot of planning and budgeting went into this event, and members certainly were busy, so thank you so much!
Liliana: On January 20th, BASD welcomed the Harlem Wizards, thanks to the support of the Foundation for Boyertown Education! We thank the Harlem Wizards, FBE, and our all-star staff team for putting on an engaging and entertaining show!
Lexy: Students were busy this month with the midterm season being upon them. It felt like a long week and a half, but they are finally over, and we appreciate all the studying and hard work students put into them!
Liliana: Tickets for BASH’s Spring Musical, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, are now on sale! Tickets for Thursday, February 29 – Sunday, March 3, can be purchased online at the Boyertown Music Website. We encourage you to get your tickets now before they sell out!
Lexy: With senior year comes college applications (for some!), which can be stressful. However, we are in the final stretch of application deadlines, and I want to remind students to fill out any remaining financial aid or scholarship applications.
Liliana: The BASH Counseling department has announced the opportunity for 90 Juniors to attend the Spring Berks County College Fair taking place at Alvernia University on March 5th. All students interested in attending must submit the Google form that was sent out this month.
Lexy: Thank you all so much for listening, and we hope you all have a great rest of your night!
Public Comment Period #1 - Agenda Items
There were no speakers registered for Public Comment Period #1.
Finance Reports
Treasurer's Report - DRAFT December 2023
Presented by Mrs. Fox, Accounting Manager
Superintendent's Report
Consent Agenda
A. BASD 2024-2025 School District Calendar
B. Middle School Program of Studies
C. Health and Safety Plan
D. Settlement Agreement for Student #105583
E. Settlement Agreement for Student #101174
F. Settlement Agreement for Student #100162
Itemized Agenda
A. 2024 Fall Athletic Bids
B. Devopar Consulting Service Proposal
C. Personnel
All voting items were approved/ratified.
Public Comment Period #2 - Other District Business
There were no speakers registered for Public Comment Period #2.
Board Comments
The following Board Members spoke during Board Comments: Mr. R. Updegrove, Ms. Neiman, Mrs. Kratz, Mrs. Scott, Ms. Dierolf, and Mr. Zawada. They spoke in the order listed.
Upcoming Meetings
Committee of the Whole Meeting - Tuesday, February 13, 2024
7 PM at the Education Center
Board of School Directors' Meeting - Tuesday, February 27, 2024
7 PM at the Education Center
Committee of the Whole Meeting - Tuesday, March 12, 2024
7 PM at Middle School East
Email: communications@boyertownasd.org
Website: https://www.boyertownasd.org
Location: 911 Montgomery Avenue, Boyertown, PA, USA
Phone: 610-367-6031
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BoyertownASD
Twitter: @BASDNews