Colonial School District board approves roof work, tax credits, contracts and budget items

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. — The Colonial School District Board approved a slate of motions at its March 20, 2025 business meeting, including contract awards for roof replacements, a parameters resolution to refinance Series 2017 general obligation bonds, continuation of a property tax rebate program, and implementation of an Act 91 volunteer tax credit program.

The board voted on a large group of routine and substantive items in a single meeting. Board members voted to approve meeting minutes and financial reports for February 2025, personnel recommendations and extracurricular contracts, the district’s 2025–2028 comprehensive plan and summer programming dates, and several policies on first reading or deletion as presented.

Major contract approvals included district roof replacement projects identified as phase 1 of a six‑year program: a $1,282,000 contract for roof replacement at the Jim North locker rooms, pool locker rooms and adjacent classrooms (to be completed before the 2025‑26 school year); a $347,853 contract for the kindergarten wing at White Marsh Elementary; and a $437,665 contract for the kindergarten wing at Bridge Park Elementary. The board approved each project for summer 2025 completion.

In finance actions, the board approved a parameters resolution to refinance the remainder of the Series 2017 general obligation bonds, to be issued as General Obligation Bonds Series 2025. The administration presented an estimate of roughly $700,000 in net savings over the life of the bonds, net of issuance costs.

The board approved continuation of the district’s property tax rebate program at 75% of the Pennsylvania program’s base rebate for the 2025–26 school year. Separately, members approved implementing the Act 91 tax credit program for the district for 2025–26; the motion spelled out local eligibility criteria for active volunteer firefighters, fire police and EMS personnel and stated a maximum credit amount of $500 as included in the motion text.

Education and student services approvals included a tuition placement with Linda Monbell Learning Processes (tuition for one student, March–May 2025, listed at $28,724.50), approvals to contract with MK Therapy Services LLC for related therapy and intervention services, approval of a three‑year contract with Dr. Angela Curry to provide hourly psychological services at $100 per hour plus IRS mileage reimbursement, and approval of a confidential settlement and release agreement that was discussed in executive session due to student confidentiality.

The board approved conference and out‑of‑state student trip requests, including PW High School music teacher Tanya Kaufman to attend the National Association for Music Education conference on April 25, 2025, and a Plymouth‑White Marsh High School computer science team trip to Rowan University on May 2, 2025.

Every motion was presented and adopted by voice vote; the meeting record shows the motions were seconded and then approved with the recurring procedural prompt “All in favor?” and a verbal confirmation of approval. Detailed vote tallies by member name were not recorded in the public transcript.

Votes at a glance

- Approve minutes (items 4b–4gs): approved. - Approve financial reports (items 5b–5ms) for February 2025: approved. - Approve February 2025 Treasurer’s Report: approved. - Approve personnel report and extracurricular contracts (items 9b, 9c): approved. - Approve 2025–2028 Comprehensive Plan and supporting state reports: approved. - Approve 2025 Summer Academy (July 8–31) and Extended School Year ESY (July 1–31): approved. - First reading: Policy 221 Dress and Grooming (new, PSBA recommended): advanced on first read. - First reading: Policy 235.1 Surveys (new, PSBA recommended): advanced on first read. - Delete Policy 254 Removal of Students and Illegal Attendance (language moved to Policy 202): approved for deletion. - Roof replacement — Jim North and adjacent rooms: $1,282,000; approved. - Roof replacement — White Marsh Elementary kindergarten wing: $347,853; approved. - Roof replacement — Bridge Park Elementary kindergarten wing: $437,665; approved. - Parameters resolution to refinance Series 2017 general obligation bonds (to Series 2025): approved; estimated net savings $700,000. - Continue property tax rebate program at 75% of PA base rebate for 2025–26: approved. - Implement Act 91 volunteer tax credit program for 2025–26 (local eligibility criteria specified; motion text lists a $500 maximum credit): approved. - Approve Linda Monbell Learning Processes tuition placement (one student, Mar–May 2025): approved ($28,724.50 listed). - Approve MK Therapy Services LLC for therapy and related LEA services: approved. - Approve three‑year contract with Dr. Angela Curry for psychological services ($100/hr + mileage): approved. - Approve confidential settlement and release agreement (discussed in executive session): approved. - Approve conference request for Tanya Kaufman (NAfME conference, 04/25/2025): approved. - Approve PW computer science team trip to Rowan University (05/02/2025): approved.

Context and next steps

Board members noted the roof projects are phase 1 of a six‑year districtwide replacement plan and that bond refinancing takes advantage of current market interest rates to lower long‑term interest expense. Several items were reviewed previously in committee, including finance committee discussions of the bond refinance and Act 91 program. Where motions referenced eligibility criteria (for example, the Act 91 motion), the text in the meeting record included specific local criteria rather than delegating all definitions to future rulemaking.

Because the transcript records voice approvals without roll‑call vote tallies, the public record does not show individual yes/no votes in the meeting transcript provided.