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Colonial School Board approves Opportunity Fund waiver, two union agreements and minor code-of-conduct updates
Summary
The board approved an Opportunity Fund waiver (Title 14, Del. C. §1726), a small tax refund, collectively bargained agreements with the food-service and transportation unions, DSBA dues and minor student code-of-conduct revisions, and planned a signing event for union contracts.
At its June 9 meeting the Colonial School Board approved a set of district actions including an Opportunity Fund waiver, two collectively bargained agreements, a small tax refund, DSBA dues for 2026–27, and minor revisions to the student code of conduct for 2026–27.
Opportunity Fund waiver: Dr. Mets asked the board to approve the Opportunity Fund waiver, which had been posted for two consecutive weeks as required under Title 14, Delaware Code §1726. The waiver permits the district to pool and distribute opportunity funds across schools to better meet qualifying students’ needs. A motion to approve the waiver was moved and seconded and the board approved the waiver.
Red Clay tax refund: The board approved a Red Clay tax refund request from the tax pool. Administrators clarified the Colonial share was small — $37 and $28 (and cents) — and a board member later noted the motion carried "six to one." The board approved the refund.
Collective-bargaining agreements and signing events: The board approved a collectively bargained agreement with the Colonial Food Service Workers Association (CFSWA) and invited bargaining team members forward for a signing event. The board later approved a separately negotiated agreement with the Colonial Transportation Association and recognized members of that bargaining team.
Other approvals: The board approved the Delaware School Boards Association invoice for 2026–27 dues, moved the May 2027 meeting from May 11 to May 4 to accommodate human-resources scheduling, and waived the first and second readings to adopt minor revisions to the student code of conduct. The code changes were described as alignment edits: removing an inconsistent required OSS (out-of-school suspension) entry for subsequent unauthorized electronic-device violations and listing confiscation, disciplinary agreements and in-school suspension as options; attendance and make-up-work language was clarified to be internally consistent. Board members asked how families would receive the code; administrators said it is distributed electronically, with printed copies available on request and translation tools on the district website (Spanish specifically named).
Votes and process notes: Most motions were moved, seconded and called with "motion carries" recorded in the transcript. The only explicit tally provided in the record was the Red Clay tax refund (reported as passing six to one). Several approvals were described as routine and proceeded without extended discussion.
Next steps: The district plans signing events for the newly approved collective-bargaining agreements and will submit the approved Opportunity Fund plan to the Delaware Department of Education this summer as required by statute.
