[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6522516,"mediaKeyId","5070778-e4dfc9ee61592d5146cf194ef880862a","parentId",5070778,"title","Votes at a glance: East Penn School District Board, June 23, 2025","audioSeconds",5042,"startMs",318000,"endMs",5360000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5070778-e4dfc9ee61592d5146cf194ef880862a&start=318&end=5360","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5070778-e4dfc9ee61592d5146cf194ef880862a/thumbnail_318000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6522516/Pennsylvania/Votes-at-a-glance-East-Penn-School-District-Board-June-23-2025","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6522516-599080cd1c14883ab829372520a5ac14/orig.mp4?Expires=1770549595&Signature=lWprOJHqk0J1a5~TeNMQKCPr8sMU5rhJC6-i37ymZFDAfZEEPmUFge-W4XVAe9rHLLI82YZvmSwBNqmup3eYvzq5M0TlreUMRxNPsUsAbov7cZFU1MysDiZeBcL1wL6POmJ~nk~4nsfUjzdAJyoVKK9lxent9fgFujhppQXUZKM-h8RRp4J5sQRzJfHsrUPU2BqtOI4sw9pn6jHQOXCGjJyE1BDbkytup4VC1IaT0fQjENTVud5Cg0-EkoWcs3XFpc5RJ27-dkf2lPKMHIt4O38X7scCSIEiH5qZqWQ0ty4SMgNGS0A3V55H5~Y3eUXjrp6VJkxFL86EMscNAsvH4Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","East Penn School District","date","2025-06-24T14:15:27Z","article","The East Penn School District Board of School Directors recorded several unanimous roll-call votes during its June 23, 2025 meeting. All votes below passed by a 7-0 tally unless noted.

Approve minutes of June 9, 2025 regular meeting
Motion: Approve minutes from the June 9, 2025 regular board meeting.
Outcome: Approved (7 ayes)
Vote record: Mister Filegi: aye; Miss Ford: aye; Mister Jankowski: aye; Miss Klotz: aye; Mister Smith: aye; Doctor Whitney: aye; Doctor Levinson: aye.

Educational conferences (Curriculum item a)
Motion: Approve educational conferences (item a).
Outcome: Approved (7 ayes)
Vote record: Mister Filegi: aye; Miss Ford: aye; Mister Jankowski: aye; Miss Klotz: aye; Mister Smith: aye; Doctor Whitney: aye; Doctor Levinson: aye.

Correction to final budget resolution (typographical correction)
Motion: Amend previously adopted final budget resolution to correct the mill rate from 21.8 to 21.84 mills per dollar of assessed valuation.
Outcome: Approved (7 ayes)
Vote record: Miss Ford: aye; Mister Jankowski: aye; Miss Platts: aye; Mister Smith: aye; Doctor Whitney: aye; Mister Filegi: aye; Doctor Levinson: aye.

Personnel (including addendum)
Motion: Approve personnel items and addendum posted earlier the same day.
Outcome: Approved (7 ayes)
Vote record: Mister Jankowski: aye; Miss Klotz: aye; Mister Smith: aye; Doctor Whitney: aye; Mister Filegi: aye; Miss Ford: aye; Doctor Levinson: aye.

Business operations items a and b (taken together)
Motion: Approve business operations items a and b.
Outcome: Approved (7 ayes)
Vote record: Miss Platts: aye; Mister Smith: aye; Doctor Whitney: aye; Mister Filegi: aye; Miss Ford: aye; Mister Jankowski: aye; Doctor Levinson: aye.

Procedural notes: Several of the motions were moved and seconded with no named mover/second recorded in the transcript; the meeting used roll-call voting to register each board member\u0000vote. The board\u0000clerk announced each roll-call result and recorded seven ayes on the listed motions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board Meeting - June 23 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The board approved routine items including minutes, educational conferences, a typographical correction to the final budget resolution, personnel actions and business operations items. All recorded roll-call votes were unanimous (7-0).","taxTitle","East Penn SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania","taxId",78424,"location","Pennsylvania","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6522522,"Financial advisers present $95M K—3 realignment and $250M high-school scenarios; board debates referendum path",5067,105000,5172000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5070778-e4dfc9ee61592d5146cf194ef880862a&start=105&end=5172","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5070778-e4dfc9ee61592d5146cf194ef880862a/thumbnail_105000.jpg","/articles/6522522/Pennsylvania/Financial-advisers-present-95M-K3-realignment-and-250M-high-school-scenarios-board-debates-referendum-path","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6522522-f2a1e11acb0dcd2d65f89e71f0182b33/orig.mp4?Expires=1770549595&Signature=fpGyHTOpaSmS1CQmOOlnKtFxutxIY1O7vbq5Q0Ck4IQ5B0kvfR8uSdyKCuNKGxj1X8r5ujEseoKursFG5jYh15fzxqiQQ6ptNjdTnXKaLu-TA4FVpam7LXYPz2h1PCitU-X~x9BZwxiRhHfYyFDSEUQtsam~5eyCvB~YsNLAAowAatNep0p1ih440rOIXP90bwfz72KIarPU5~5VGahs2oHPB-5vAeFoI6lpW54muteMkdYKKpqsGnMMzhn1s4ZGVyqIEWS0-I45LK2om95SWkRn9Z82hyOLgwn6F49iO2ocRbaa07ssZuvkDX6FYYAXmivWiRvRPUahHEplU7v11g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A financial update on the district's facilities planning dominated discussion at the East Penn School District Board meeting on June 23, 2025, where advisers from Raymond James and Public Financial Management outlined modeling for the proposed K\u00003 realignment and compared it with a potential high-school project.

The administration opened the facilities discussion by reminding the board that advisors had returned to respond to questions from an earlier June 9 briefing. Scott Shearer of Public Financial Management and Ali Maki of Raymond James presented scenario analyses comparing three options: the realignment plan (an estimated $95 million construction cost), an immediate high-school project (modeled at $250 million), and a delayed high-school approach that phases tax increases before construction.

The advisers emphasized that East Penn currently holds a strong credit profile in the AA category and that the long-range planning undertaken by the district supports that standing. \"Being able to maintain such a good credit rating is a hard feat,\" Shearer said, noting that the realignment plan was modeled to preserve a healthy fund balance while addressing the district's capital needs.

The presentations included estimated taxpayer impacts. For an average assessed-value home of about $215,000, the advisers' model showed a cumulative total real-estate tax-bill increase of roughly $809 for the realignment scenario from fiscal 2026 through 2031, compared with about $1,100 and change under the early-start high-school scenario. The high-school scenario would require taxes above the Act 1 index and, if pursued quickly, would likely require voter approval via a referendum to be financially viable. \"We feel like $250 million is probably a good proxy to use for this analysis,\" Shearer said when asked about the high-school cost estimate.

Public comment at the start of the meeting asked the board to reassess the realignment. A parent who identified herself as Nguyen said she and other families have concerns about the project given economic and demographic shifts and asked the board to \"please reassess the alignment project of the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth graders.\" Nguyen added she supported reassessment because she did not want the district to spend money on a plan that might not make sense in five or six years.

Board members pressed advisers on timing, the effect on fund balance and the role of a referendum. The advisers said a referendum would ask district voters whether to proceed with borrowing that would permit tax increases above the Act 1 index; referendums are often held as special or general-election ballot questions and historically have mixed success in Pennsylvania. The advisers noted scenario trade-offs: starting a large high-school project quickly would increase near-term tax pressure and require voter approval; delaying a high-school project would push the timetable out a decade but would reduce the need for an immediate, large tax increase.

Board members expressed divergent views. Several trustees said the realignment addresses capacity and equity at K\u00008 for two-thirds of the district's students and is relatively more affordable. Others said concerns at the high school (crowding, aging facilities) warrant more attention and that community communication needs to improve to secure buy-in for any path forward. \"The answer to our high school problem is staring us in the face,\" Board Member Michael Smith said, arguing the district cannot realistically pursue both projects at once without significant long-term tax increases.

Administration and advisers said the district will continue analysis and that the full board will receive additional briefings. The advisers provided detailed spreadsheets and millage studies for board review. The district also noted that a referendum remains an option but not a recommendation at this meeting.

Next steps: administration and advisers to circulate the detailed financial scenarios and continue community outreach; the board will discuss next actions at future meetings.","Financial advisers from Raymond James and PFM updated the board on the K\u00003 realignment financial plan and presented scenarios that compare a $95 million realignment to a hypothetical $250 million high-school project, including tax and fund-balance impacts and the possibility of a voter referendum.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":81,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6522525,"East Penn board hears K–12 \"STEALS\" science curriculum rollout, approves new middle-school math pathway pilot",4668,504000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5070778-e4dfc9ee61592d5146cf194ef880862a&start=504&end=5172","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5070778-e4dfc9ee61592d5146cf194ef880862a/thumbnail_504000.jpg","/articles/6522525/Pennsylvania/East-Penn-board-hears-K12-STEALS-science-curriculum-rollout-approves-new-middle-school-math-pathway-pilot","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6522525-a9a896ac987857eb796f3eff5c5e5348/orig.mp4?Expires=1770549595&Signature=ke2BhaRiu5phKcFqMt37j3pPdGbIpwwDQCZ7qFtzIRm9ENap0AyP5bTBIdSkNArTsZsNHd5W2nU4E7hJECa~X7VKxWEdrsGTYAJATimO4rKLgyy4-P0PjkOFZmguITOMyxPmR21L~wL0sDH1ZBr2F1ABg~BcvLu7Cfi94NvuXDtqosbd2~Ix6gURCYfNiqdJ33HLAoMlhs6GGxVORoWdaim3CjiT7aIb~GqtPYmU-ktaCccx1B1taA92RJPz6-T-LvS-ZIneWcJImluC1rS6LJgQEiJf5w6sSzHU7ZttsQg9JjexDGByi141RJore3MDRuqBnyCcXiFW6kTFodZAhw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","East Penn School District officials and a team of teachers presented proposed K\u0000912 science curriculum revisions and a new middle-level math pathway at the board\u0000meeting on June 23, 2025, describing instructional routines, materials and short-term assessment changes.

The proposal centers on the new STEALS standards\u0000(science, technology, engineering, environmental literacy and sustainability) and an inquiry-rich, three-dimensional approach intended to increase student discourse, hands-on learning and environmental literacy. Board members were told the presentation is informational only; the board will not vote on adoption tonight.

District staffers said the curriculum team of roughly 40 teachers wrote grade-level units and piloted them this year. Teacher Jen Rivera told the board she piloted units in fifth grade and that students liked the interactive elements. District supervisors said the team chose Core Knowledge materials as a primary resource for elementary grades and OpenSciEd for middle-school units; teachers streamlined the materials to keep recurring costs low and to reuse existing kit materials. The district also created common slide decks and e-books to standardize lessons across classrooms. \"We created a fiscally responsible curriculum for both short term and long term that allows for minimal consumables to be repurchased annually,\" a presenter said.

Administrators described the STEALS approach as placing equal emphasis on: disciplinary core ideas (traditional content), science and engineering practices (modeling, analyzing data, designing), and cross-cutting concepts (cause and effect, patterns). The district will administer common performance tasks and formative checks tied to vocabulary and practices; state assessments will be given in fifth and eighth grades in 2026 (the fifth-grade PSSA returns next spring). \"Each grade level has a common performance task,\" a supervisor said, and teachers will use those tasks and embedded checks for understanding as the primary measures of progress.

The board also received an update on middle-level math. District math leaders described two accelerated options for middle school math that the district has piloted: math Course 1 2 (a sixth-grade acceleration option introduced in 2024\u000025) and the proposed Course 2 3 pilot for 2025\u000026 (designed so students are prepared to take Algebra 1 in eighth grade if indicated by placement data). Dr. Thatcher, describing classroom practices, said Course 1 2 gives students a condensed exposure to seventh-grade content without skipping foundational sixth-grade topics, and Course 2 3 would pick up the second half of seventh-grade work and include all of eighth-grade content in a single progression. Screening and diagnostic data from the pilot year showed growth across cohorts, district staff said. Board members asked about placement and movement between pathways; staff emphasized continued flexibility: students may move in or out of accelerated tracks based on data and need.

Teachers and board members asked about classroom implementation, student feedback and digital literacy content. In response to a question about AI in the technology and engineering components, a presenter said AI is not explicitly covered in the STEALS standards but will be considered in district-wide digital literacy work and could be integrated as the curriculum evolves.

The presentation closed with board members praising the team and with the administration noting that the materials will be posted for board preview before any formal adoption vote. The curriculum team will return with an approval item at a future meeting after the board and public have time to review the full documents.

Next steps: the board will consider adoption at a later date after additional review and public posting of curriculum materials.","Teachers and administrators presented a K–12 science curriculum aligned to Pennsylvania\u0000STEALS standards and a new middle-level math course pathway. The presentation was informational; the board will consider formal approval at a future meeting.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: East Penn School District Board, June 23, 2025

Financial advisers present $95M K—3 realignment and $250M high-school scenarios; board debates referendum path

East Penn board hears K–12 "STEALS" science curriculum rollout, approves new middle-school math pathway pilot