Colonial School District board approves budgets, tax relief, contracts and personnel items at May 15 meeting

The Colonial School District Board of Directors on May 15 approved a slate of budgets, contracts, policy changes and personnel actions, including a property tax-relief calculation under state law and a four-year contract for tax-collection services.

The approvals were presented and voted on during the board business meeting after an executive session. Board members moved and seconded each recommendation; each motion was called and the board chair asked "All in favor?" before the item was recorded as approved.

Key approvals included acceptance of $4,756,794.29 in property tax relief under Special Session Act 1 of 2006 and establishment of a $17,703 exclusion per eligible homestead and farmstead assessment to produce a maximum tax reduction of $469.04, approval of the Colonial School District real estate tax installment payment plan resolution, and appointment of Mark Didjian as district treasurer for a one-year term beginning July 1.

The board approved the Central Monaco Technical High School operating budget for the 2025–26 school year, the district's list of banking and investment institutions for fiscal year 2025–26, and a four-year contract with Elite Revenue Solutions to serve as the district's tax collector for Plymouth and Whitemarsh townships from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2029.

The board also approved several educational service contracts and renewals. Items called for approval included speech pathology services (Speech Pathology Consultants, Inc.), out-of-district services and ESY (extended school year) placements and supplements (George Crothers Memorial School and related ESY line items), one-to-one services with Vanguard School, a $255,000 renewal of a Lincoln Center agreement to provide three community counselors (one at Colonial Middle School and two at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School) for 2025–26, a subcontract for the access program for 2025–26, and an MCIU contract to provide BHS program services for 2025–26. The board approved settlement and release agreements discussed in executive session; the minutes note that details are confidential because they involve students.

In labor- and personnel-related business, the board approved the personnel report and extracurricular contracts, ratified a memorandum of understanding with the Colonial Education Association concerning salary schedules (effective May 16, 2025), approved an MOU regarding a teacher on special assignment, and approved a grievance settlement with respect to CESP grievance number 23.

Policy actions included approval (second read) of new board policy 8-28 (fraud) and revised/renumbered policy 8-23 (naloxone) and first-read approval of policy 3-20 (freedom of speech by employee) and policy 3-42 (jury duty).

The board voted to approve a flexible instruction day program for school years 2025 through 2027 and approved two conference attendance requests discussed in curriculum committee: math curriculum supervisor Ed Merc to attend an AI-in-math conference at Rowan University on May 19, 2025, and Plymouth Whitemarsh High School college guidance counselor Beth Lynch to attend the National Association for College Admissions Counselors conference in Columbus, Ohio, Sept. 17–20, 2025.

The board granted the superintendent authority from May 15, 2025, through the district's next regular scheduled board meeting in September 2025 to appoint qualified personnel to vacant positions, contingent on the board ratifying those appointments at the next public meeting.

Votes at a glance — selected items approved on May 15, 2025: - Motion to approve minutes (items 4B–4F): approved. - Motion to approve April 2025 financial reports (items 5B–5M): approved. - Motion to approve April 2025 Treasurer's Report: approved. - Motion to approve personnel report and extracurricular contracts (8B, 8C): approved. - Appointment of Mark Didjian, treasurer (one-year term beginning July 1): approved. - Approval of Beth Petrino as the district's voting delegate for the 2025 PSBA delegate assembly: approved. - Approval (second read) of policy 8-28 (fraud) and policy 8-23 (naloxone): approved. - Approval (first read) of policy 3-20 (employee freedom of speech) and policy 3-42 (jury duty): approved. - Acceptance of $4,756,794.29 property tax relief per Special Session Act 1 of 2006; establishment of a $17,703 exclusion to yield a maximum reduction of $469.04: approved. - Approval of real estate tax installment payment plan resolution: approved. - Approval of Central Monaco Technical High School 2025–26 operating budget: approved. - Approval of banking and investment institutions list for fiscal year 2025–26: approved. - Approval of four-year tax-collection contract with Elite Revenue Solutions (7/1/2025''' 6/30/2029): approved. - Multiple educational services and ESY placements and supplements (various providers and dollar amounts as presented): approved. - Vanguard School one-to-one services for one student ($50,000): approved. - Lincoln Center renewal for three community counselors ($255,000): approved. - Subcontract for the access program for 2025–26: approved. - MCIU contract for BHS program services for 2025–26: approved. - Settlement and release agreements (student confidentiality applies): approved. - MOU with Colonial Education Association on salary schedules (effective 05/16/2025): approved. - MOU regarding teacher on special assignment: approved. - Grievance settlement for CESP grievance #23: approved. - Flexible Instruction Day program for 2025''' 2027: approved. - Conference approvals: Ed Merc (AI in math, Rowan University, 05/19/2025); Beth Lynch (NACAC, Columbus, OH, 09/17/2025''' 09/20/2025): approved. - Superintendent authority to appoint personnel between May and the next regular board meeting (subject to ratification in September): approved.

Ending: The board handled routine governance items and a bundle of contracts and budget items; several student-service and special-education contracts included dollar amounts spelled out in the agenda, and the board recorded motions as approved with no recorded opposition during the public meeting.