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Board Budget Hearing Agenda/Minutes June 4, 2018 and Special Meeting Hearing Agenda/Minutes June 4, 2018
Link to video of meeting through CNET1.org
Attachments in pdf
Agenda
June 4, 2018 Budget Hearing
Meeting Room A - 6:00 p.m.
Panorama Village Building
240 Villa Crest Drive
State College, PA 16801
I. CALL TO ORDER
II. INTRODUCTION and PURPOSE of MEETING
Budget Hearing for FY 2018-2019 School Year (attachment II)
III. PRESENTATION to REVIEW INFORMATION for FINAL FY2018-2019 SCHOOL YEAR BUDGET (Presentation)
IV. PUBLIC COMMENT
V. ADJOURNMENT
Agenda
June 4, 2018 Special Board Meeting
Panorama Village Administrative Center
Meeting Room A - 7:00 p.m.
240 Villa Crest Drive
State College, PA 16801
I. CALL TO ORDER
II. PRESENTATION of INFORMATION for RENEWAL REQUEST WONDERLAND CHARTER
III. PUBLIC COMMENT Each individual will be limited to comments of three (3) minutes as time permits for items on this agenda or related to Board business.
IV. ACTION ITEMS
A. A motion to adopt the resolution to authorize a non-renewal and/or revocation hearing and authorize the appointment of Jeffrey D. Litts, Esquire as the Hearing Officer. (attachment IV-A) (Resolution)
V. FUTURE AGENDA PLANNING
June 11, 2018 Regular Meeting
**Action Items
General Liability Insurance Carriers and Coverages (Routine)
Appoint Tax Collectors (Routine)
Financial Bank and Institutions (Routine)
Municipal/Financial Advisor (Routine)
Bond Counsel (Routine)
Breakfast and Lunch Prices (Routine)
Annual bid award for gasoline, diesel, heating oil, propane (Routine)
Annual bid award for printer cartridges (Routine)
Approve Final 2018-2019 Budget and associated resolutions
Approve Mindful Village Contract
Lease for the Nittany Avenue Parking Lot
Contract for an EFinance Upgrade
Bid award for school buses
Second Foreign Exchange Student for 2018-2019
Third Foreign Exchange Student for 2018-2019
High School Project Change Orders
Elementary Projects Change Orders
Local Auditor - Baker Tilly
Solicitor - Etter Law Firm
**Information/Discussion
STEM Curriculum and Resources
K-5 Counseling Curriculum and Resources
New Textbooks
June 25, 2018 Regular Meeting
STEM Curriculum and Resources
K-5 Counseling Curriculum and Resources
High School Project Change Orders
Elementary Projects Change Orders
**Information/Discussion
High School Project Update
Elementary School Projects Update
VI. ADJOURNMENT
MINUTES
June 4, 2018 Budget Hearing Minutes
Meeting Room A - 7:00 p.m. Approved Minutes
Panorama Village Administrative Center
240 Villa Crest Drive
State College, PA 16801
I. CALL TO ORDER
Ms. Concepcion called the State College Area School District Board of School Directors Budget Hearing to order at 6:05 p.m. She turned things over to Dr. O’Donnell.
A copy of all materials distributed to board members for discussion and/or action is included with the official minutes, unless otherwise indicated.
Board members present: Amy Bader, Lori Bedell, Gretchen Brandt, Amber Concepcion, Dan Duffy, Scott Fozard, David Hutchinson, Jim Leous
Board members absent: Laurel Zydney
Board Secretary: Mary Jenn Dorman
Student Representative:
Solicitor: Scott Etter
Superintendent: Robert O’Donnell
District Personnel: Vernon Bock, Randy Brown, Nabil Mark, Linda Pierce, Chris Rosenblum, Fanessa Thompson, Donna Watson, Will Stout, Nick Zepp
II. INTRODUCTION and PURPOSE of MEETING
Budget Hearing for FY 2018-2019 School Year
Dr. O’Donnell noted the two leaders from our Finance Team, Mr. Brown and Ms. Watson
will provide a walk through the Budget Hearing. He appreciates the finance team for all
their work and working with administrators and many people to get to this point for the Proposed 2018-2019 Final School Year Budget.
III. PRESENTATION to REVIEW INFORMATION for FINAL FY 2018-2019 SCHOOL YEAR BUDGET
Mr. Brown noted that he would review information for the General Fund Budget – accounts for the expenses related to general operations of the District and the other funds that it supports. He reviewed the General Operations Fund Budget is required to be completed and submitted by June 30 each year, the budget development timeline noting the Board approved the proposed final budget for 2018-2019 at its May 7 meeting. Tonight is the Public Hearing for the final budget, and on June 11, the Board will approve the General Fund Budget and Resolution, Homestead and Farmstead Exclusion Resolution, and the Annual Tax Levy Resolution. We must comply with Act 1 of 2006, which provides for tax relief for approved homesteads, and the district will receive approximately $1.4+ million of gambling funds for 2018-1019 school year that means approximately $109/homestead of property tax relief.
Act 1 Index for 2018-2019 is 2.4%, and the District would be eligible for the Exception for
PSERS (pension) costs but the Board chose not to request the exception. There were no exceptions requested for 2017-2018. Mr. Brown reviewed the referendum information and in 2017-2018 the millage rate includes an amount to generate tax revenue needed to fund the referendum debt service payment. There is no change for the referendum debt and will remain level for the rest of the financing period. He reviewed the beginning Fund Balance and showed the ending unassigned Fund Balance. The proposed tax increase in Real Estate Tax is 2.4% with millage 45.206, and the Act 1 Index is 2.4% for 2018-2019. He spoke on what that meant for the average taxpayer increase and reviewed the District’s Historical Real Estate Tax Increase since 2003-04, the Tax Rebate Program with $100,000 set aside for in the 2018-2019 budget, the maximum rebate per household being $650, applications being processed on a first-come basis, one of the three eligibility requirements must be met, the household income does not exceed $35,000, must be registered for Homestead/Farmstead, and claimant received a rebate from the PA Property Tax Rebate Program received after June 30, 2018. Applications may be submitted beginning July 1, 2018 and additional information will be on our website and sent in the 2018-2019 real estate tax bill mailing. This will be the fourth year of this supplemental tax rebate program.
Mr. Brown reviewed the District revenue from local, state and federal sources with percentages and then a further breakdown, the proposed expenses by object and function with percentages and chart, and the budgeted 2018-2019 proposed new positions/proposed additions (both recurring and non-recurring), explained PSERS, the employees’ pension increase from 32.57% to 33.43% for 2018-2019, and the use of $1,207,573 PSERS fund balance strategy to smooth the increases. He spoke on the proposed Final Budget including addition to Capital Reserve Fund of $1,640,000, and noted the projected unassigned General Fund Balance is 7.9%, which is in the allowed limit of less than or equal to 8%.
The Final Budget adoption is scheduled for June 11, 2018, and is required to be passed by June 30 each year. The Board would have the opportunity to reopen the district budget after passage of the state budget, if necessary. For more information on the budget process, go to www.scasd.org/page/34381.
Ms. Watson reviewed information from NW Financial regarding the rating agency, the indicators looked at and explained AAA, AA, and A ratings that are all good. The District is AA1 that is the highest rating due to our Capital Plan and we are in the top 8% in PA. She explained the borrowing at the time of the referendum and the transfer from the General Fund to Capital Reserve was a plus for the District. Ms. Watson spoke on line 6 and line 8 then lines 7 and 9, excluding the Referendum Debt. Board members questioned the ratings to which Ms. Watson explained A is good the AA and AAA is very good; commented on this answering any concerns for anyone questioning the “health” of the District; and the noted the importance of the rating and goal this emphasized for saving taxpayers by having this fund balance.
IV. PUBLIC COMMENT
There was no public comment.
V. ADJOURNMENT
Dr. Duffy moved and Mr. Fozard seconded to adjourn the Budget Hearing. With the motion moved and seconded all board members present voted aye with a voice vote. (Ms. Zydney was absent.) The motion passed unanimously. Ms. Concepcion adjourned the State College Area School District Board of School Directors Budget Hearing at 6:23 p.m.
Submitted by,
Mary Jenn Dorman
Board Secretary
MINUTES
June 4, 2018 Special Board Meeting Minutes
Panorama Village Administrative Center
240 Villa Crest Drive
State College, PA 16801
I. CALL TO ORDER
Ms. Concepcion called the State College Area School District Board of School Directors Special Meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. She welcomed all attending and those viewing from home. Ms. Concepcion announced the Board held an executive session prior to the meeting on student discipline, legal matter and negotiations. With the agenda before them, Ms Concepcion asked if board members had any changes; there were no changes. Ms. Concepcion noted that Public Comment would be held after the presentation and before the Board takes action.
A copy of all materials distributed to board members for discussion and/or action is included with the official minutes, unless otherwise indicated.
Board members present: Amy Bader, Lori Bedell, Gretchen Brandt, Amber Concepcion, Dan Duffy, Scott Fozard, David Hutchinson, Jim Leous
Board members absent: Laurel Zydney
Board Secretary: Mary Jenn Dorman
Student Representative:
Solicitor: Scott Etter
Superintendent: Robert O’Donnell
District Personnel: Vernon Bock, Randy Brown, Jeanne Knouse, Nabil Mark, Linda Pierce, Chris Rosenblum, Sharon Salter, Will Stout, Fanessa Thompson, Donna Watson, Nick Zepp
Guests: Zhanna Aseyu, Larry Assalita, Pamela Assalita, Sydney Assalita, Angel Atwood, Asher Atwood, Emmerson Atwood, Van Atwood, Andrew Backhaus, Melissa Beckwith, Kirk Behrer, Nancy Budd, Jason Carmany, Lacy Carmany, David Cassalt, Chen Chen, Melinda Conrad, Roxanne Corson, John Deffenbaugh, Denise DeSousa, Jerry Dittmann, Kathy Dittmann, Julie Dix, Nancy DuBois, Steven DuBois, Jr., Michael Duminiak, Kelsey Forsberg, Yolena Gevorkyan, Chiara Gillespie, Jeffrey Gregg, Tatiana Gregg, Chelsa Guenther, Shannon Henry, Erik Herzing, Jessica Herzing, Jessica Hesser, Nadine Houck, Zhen Lei, Julia Long, Randy Long, Anna Lozovaya, Corey Lucas, Jenn Malik-Williams, Kelly McClure, Erin Mickney, James Mickney, Emily Mills, Kristin Myers, Hal Ohnmeis, Kelly Raudabaugh, Michael Schafer, Michelle Schafer, Shannon Smith-Janik, Stephanie Snook, Valerie Strohm, Jaimi Williams, Matthew Williams, Rose M. Wongi, Su Yan, Anna Zaltir, Xinhui Zhang
II. PRESENTATION of INFORMATION for RENEWAL REQUEST WONDERLAND CHARTER
Dr. Etter read the following statement that represented the District’s position at this time.
“The District, through its administration, has oversight duties and
responsibilities, and a legal right to review the operations of charter schools,
both at the time of a renewal application, and at any time during the typical
three- and five-year cycles for the initial charter and any renewal. When
Wonderland submitted its request to have its charter renewed, the
administration began its usual and customary review of Wonderland’s
operations. In the midst of that process, the administration received unsolicited
contacts from people who were, and in some cases still are, associated with
Wonderland. Those people included Wonderland Board members, teachers, and
parents. With the information provided by those people, the administration
began to look at some new and different areas, and some areas which had
already been considered in greater detail. What we have found, what we
believe, and what is reflected in the resolution that is before you, is that
Wonderland has not, during the most recent five-year cycle, as well as the
periods before that, complied with the requirements of the Charter School Law,
as well as other statutes, rules, regulations that pertain to it, and its own
policies, procedures, representations, and pronouncements. These failures, in
the area of special education in particular, are systemic, institutionalized, and
long-standing, and were put in place and are enforced by Wonderland
leadership, to include its founder, former CEO, and current business
administrator; its education director; its current CEO; and its other lead
teacher. We believe that these failures are so severe and significant that it is
appropriate to initiate the nonrenewal/revocation proceeding provided for in the
CSL and the Basic Education Circular on Charter Schools. We are continuing to
investigate and gather information, to include meeting with people, and are
being delayed, impeded, and thwarted by Wonderland in doing so, but the
resolution itself addresses the statutes, rules, regulations, policies, and other
authoritative pronouncements which we believe that Wonderland has violated.”
III. PUBLIC COMMENT
Ms. Concepcion announced each individual would be limited to comments of three (3) minutes for those individuals that would like to address the Board. The following audience members spoke on their, and their child/childrens positive experience attending Wonderland Charter School; the opportunity for them to have a choice; and requested the renewal be approved: Chiara Gillespie, Jennifer Williams, Lacy Carmany, Kelly McClure, Roxanne Corson, Melinda Conrad, Shannon Smith-Janik (provided a flash drive to Ms. Concepcion of testimonies for people not able to attend), Michael Duminiak, Rose M. Wongi, and Chen Chen. Hal Ohnmeis spoke on being married to the founder of Wonderland Charter School, following her vision, why Wonderland was opened, and it is all about kids and choice.
Audience members spoke about children already graduated and ask the Board to do the right thing and approve Wonderland, also noted the accomplishments of children: Michelle Schafer and Michael Schafer.
IV. ACTION ITEMS
A motion to adopt the resolution to authorize a non-renewal and/or revocation hearing and authorize the appointment of Jeffrey D. Litts, Esquire as the Hearing Officer. Dr. Duffy moved and Mr. Fozard seconded to approve the motion. There was no discussion. With the motion moved and seconded, all board members present voted aye on a roll call vote. (Ms. Zydney was absent.) The motion passed unanimously. Ms. Concepcion read a statement from Ms. Zydney: Due to a previously scheduled event and not being present, she does concur with the administrations’ recommendation to hold a hearing.
V. FUTURE AGENDA PLANNING
Items were listed for board members to review.
VI. ADJOURNMENT
Mr. Fozard moved and Dr. Duffy seconded to adjourn the meeting. All board members present voted aye with a voice vote. (Ms. Zydney was absent.) The motion passed unanimously. Ms. Concepcion adjourned the State College Area School District Board of School Directors Special Meeting at 7:46 p.m.
Submitted by,
Mary Jenn Dorman
Board Secretary