RECAP FROM JUNE 2021

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During the June School Board meeting, the Board approved the Final General Fund Budget for the 2021-2022 school year. The budget includes 90,920,061 in expenditures and tax increases of 3.0% in Chester County ( 29.96 mills) and 2.58% in Delaware County (15.4 mills).

The Unionville-Chadds Ford School District has been allocated $737,392 from the American Rescue Plan - Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief Fund (ARP-ESSER). The Board approved the District’s plan for these funds. The plan includes allocating funds for: Summer Academies, Support for the Mental and Behavioral Health Needs of Secondary Students, Special Education Transition Programming Support, and Buildings and Grounds Health and Safety Needs.

The contract with Brandywine Virtual Academy (BVA) was approved. In partnership with the CCIU and BVA, the Unionville Virtual Academy will be available for the 2021-2022 school year for students who wish to participate in virtual learning.

Additionally, 12 retirees were honored during the superintendent’s report with a video recognizing each retiree and their service to the District - WATCH VIDEO

 

 

 

 

RECAP FROM MAY 2021

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During the Superintendent’s Report, Dr. Sanville invited representatives from Patton Middle School to present on the Chestnut Tree Project - CFPMS received a $10,000 grant to create an American Chestnut orchard on the Patton Middle School grounds. They planted 90 chestnut seeds.

Additionally, Unionville High School Speech and Debate students presented on their student-run public speaking club held at Pocopson Elementary School. More than 40 fourth and fifth grade students registered for the eight-week program.

The Board discussed the Proposed General Fund Budget.

 

 

 

 

BOARD MEETING FROM APRIL 2021

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RECAP FROM MARCH 2021

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Based on decreasing COVID-19 numbers, the District revised Health and Safety Plan to invite all students to return for in-person instruction on March 15. The Board approved the revised plan based on new guidelines from the Chester County Health Department allowing schools to reduce social distancing from no less than 6 feet to no less than 3 feet.

During the Superintendent’s report, six retirees were recognized for their years of service at UCFSD. Watch the retiree recognition video here.

A Math and Reading Academy was approved for Summer 2020. The academy will be offered to students who are in need of remediation due to the challenging school year.

The Board approved the rental of several tents, which will be used at each of our schools to provide safe outside areas for lunch and other educational opportunities.

The 6th grade sports club was added to the offerings at Patton Middle School. This club is designed to provide an intro to athletics while providing an opportunity for physical activity outdoors.

Dr. Sanville’s contract was renewed for an additional five years. Highlights of the contract include a five-year term effective January 24, 2022, a pay freeze for the 2022-23 school year, pay increases in the final four years of the contract at the Act 1 Index if his performance is rated at proficient or above, and retention of the benefits in his current contract. The contract agreement with Dr. Sanville is posted on BoardDocs for public review.

The Board also announced their intention to promote Mr. Tim Hoffman, current Director of Curriculum and Instruction, to Assistant Superintendent. Mr. Hoffman is slated to take over for Mr. Nolen who will be retiring at the end of June. The Board will vote on Mr. Hoffman’s appointment during the April Board Meeting.

 

 

 

RECAP FROM FEBRUARY 2021

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The school calendar was approved for the 2021-2022 school year. The calendar includes a change to the first week of school. The Friday before Labor Day will not be a day off for students and staff in 2021 - it will now be a regular school day. Additionally, five Flexible Instructional Days are once again in place for anticipated inclement weather days. Click here to view the calendar.

Antigen testing was approved to begin in our schools. The District is implementing school-based COVID-19 assurance testing through Project: ACE-IT. Project: ACE-IT aims to reduce the risk of in-school COVID-19 transmission and bolster confidence that safe, in-person learning is possible when testing is performed regularly. Click here to learn more about Project ACE-IT. Currently, the testing is for staff on a voluntary basis. Assurance testing is another mitigation measure to have in place to help keep staff and students safe.

The administration presented the most recent Achievement Report, highlighting academic data from 2019 and 2020. Much of the data presented was positive, with indications of where improvement is needed. They provided insight as to the effects of the pandemic on students’ performance. Click here to review the achievement report on the UCFSD Dashboard.

The Board revisited the Winter Sports Health and Safety Plan and made an adjustment to transition wrestling to phase 3 - which allowed the team to resume league competition for the remainder of the season. The Spring Sports Health and Safety Plan was also approved to allow for a full season to begin in March under strict mitigation measures.

In February, the District adjusted the Health and Safety plan to align with the Chester County Health Department. This meant that the District would no longer follow the PA Department of Health attestation that was in place since November 30. The District would now work with the Chester County Health Department in determining when schools should close based on case numbers.

 

 

 

 

RECAP FROM JANUARY 2021

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In January, the School Board approved the new Unionville High School Mascot - the Unionville Longhorns. The new iconography was revealed and the Mascot selection committee shared details about the decision-making process. Visit the UHS Mascot website to learn more about the process and see the high school's new logo.

The Board also approved a return to hybrid for secondary students. In November, the MS and HS reverted back to virtual learning due to the rising COVID-19 metrics. The numbers improved, and by January 19 secondary students were allowed to return to in-person instruction for a few days a week as part of the District’s hybrid learning model.

The 2020 District audit was also shared with the Board.

 

 

 

 

RECAP FROM DECEMBER 7, 2020

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During the reorganization meeting, Mr. Hellrung was approved for another term as School Board President and Dr. Simonson was approved for another term as School Board Vice President.  All committee chairs remained the same. 

Following the Reorganization meeting, the board held a regular meeting with a limited agenda to act on a few timely items. 

On November 30, the PA department of Health Released an attestation outlining several requirements the school district must follow in order to offer in-person instruction during the pandemic. Also the guidelines for when to close down school based on positive cases per building. The Board voted to ratify the District’s adoption of the attestation. 

Additionally, the board discussed revising the kindergarten hybrid schedule including hiring two additional kindergarten teachers to allow for all UCFSD kindergarteners to attend school daily.  This was approved during the Work Session on January 6 and went into effect on January 11, 2021. 

After a thoughtful discussion on student health and safety, the Board approved the Winter Sports season to begin on January 4, 2021. 

Lastly, administration presented the Achievement Report to the Board.  The report focused on the data comparison from fall 2019 to Fall 2020.  The achievement report is presented annually to provide insight into our students academic achievement and social-emotional well-being.  The Board will discuss the achievement report during the February work session.

 

 

 

 

RECAP FROM NOVEMBER 16, 2020

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The administration updated the Board on the current hybrid instructional model and Dr. Sulieman shared that the COVID-19 metrics were trending upward, with an anticipated spike around the Thanksgiving holiday.  With this information the Board discussed and approved 6-12 to return to virtual instruction temporarily while the District monitored the data. 

The Board also opted to table the vote on Winter Sports but approved the plan for voluntary workouts to continue. They planned to discuss the idea of a Winter Sports season during a special board meeting in December.

Facilities gave an update on the progress of the Long Range Facilities Plan. 

The Board approved an agreement with Iris Creative for their services to create branding and imagery for the new UHS mascot.  The new iconography will be shared with the announcement of the new mascot on January 25.  

 

 

 

 

RECAP FROM OCTOBER 19, 2020

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The Board approved the 6-12 hybrid instructional schedule for secondary schools to reopen in a hybrid in-person model beginning October 26.  

In Facilities, the Board awarded the Double turf Field project to the LandTek Group (scope of work presented minus the MS baseball field).  The Board also approved the purchase of  High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) Filter Units for classrooms and small group meeting rooms district-wide using funds from COVID-19 Emergency Grant. HEPA is a designation used to describe filters that are able to trap 99.97 percent of particles.

 

 

 

 

RECAP FROM SEPTEMBER 21, 2020

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In September, the Board approved the District Health and Safety Plan to Reopen Schools. With the Chester County Health Department’s recommendation to start the school year virtually through October 9, the District adopted the health and safety plan and hybrid instructional schedule for when students eventually return for in-person instruction. 

Additionally, the Board approved a Fall Athletics Health and Safety Plan.  They also approved a revision to the K-5 hybrid instructional model to allow elementary students to attend school every day for a half day when the District reopened.  

Following the events of the summer and seeing a need for action, the Board read and approved the following statement -  Condemning Racism, Discrimination and Social Injustice in the Unionville Chadds Ford School District. 

 

 

 

 

RECAP FROM AUGUST 24, 2020

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The School Board voted to retire the UHS Mascot and charged the District with identifying a new mascot in 2021.  A presentation was given by Supervisor of Athletics, Pat Crater and can be viewed here. 

The Board also approved an agreement with the Chester County Intermediate Unit to establish the Unionville-Chadds Ford Virtual Academy which offers virtual learning to students who do not wish to return to brick and mortar school during the pandemic and prefer a fully asynchronous schedule.  

The Board approved the District’s membership in the UPenn Delaware Valley Consortium of Excellence and Equity.  The membership will provide our district the opportunity to continue to build our capacity in the area of supporting all of our students to achieve our district mission of "Empower each student to succeed in life and contribute to society."  The consortium work is aligned with our Comprehensive Plan and with our Social Emotional Learning and Wellness initiatives. 

Lastly the Board approved an agreement to contract with Dr. Salwa Sulieman, a pediatric infectious diseases physician from Nemours, to provide consultation and data analysis of COVID-19 metrics as they pertain to our instructional model.  Dr. Sulieman provides weekly reports for the District and presents to the Board each month on the metrics and what they mean for our community. 

 

 

 

 

BOARD MEETING FROM JULY 13, 2020

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RECAP FROM MAY 18, 2020

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Before the start of the meeting, School Board President, Mr. Hellrung recognized Ms. Winter Elvin, the student representative on the school board, for her two years of exceptional service. He noted her dedication to her role and how the board valued her voice and her surveying of the student body over the years. He shared that Ms. Elvin served on various committees and that she was confident, thoughtful, honest, and forthright with her remarks and insight. He closed his statement wishing her luck at West Chester University.

 

Superintendent’s Report
Dr. Sanville welcomed everyone to the virtual UCFSD School Board meeting. He kicked off the meeting by thanking Ms. Elvin for her outstanding years of service as Student on the School Board.

He shared a virtual congratulations to Patton Middle School’s Mr. Jason Palo who was present at the meeting. Mr. Palo was selected as one of The International Technology and Engineering Educators Association’s 2020 Emerging Leader award recipients. He is one of only four teachers in the world to receive the distinction this year. ITEEA is the professional organization for technology, innovation, design, and engineering educators.

He also congratulated Unionville High School on being named a STEM School of Excellence by ITEEA. ITEEA recognizes outstanding schools for their commitment to providing a robust Integrative STEM education program. Unionville High School was recognized for exemplifying outstanding leadership in the field of STEM education. Dr. Sanville recognized Mr. Mike Berkieheiser, also present at the meeting, for his efforts in securing this recognition for the high school.

Dr. Sanville also shared a video of the UHS Class of 2020 yard sign delivery and commended the high school administration's efforts to recognize the Class of 2020 with this delivery.

 

Student Representatives' Report
Ms. Evanko shared information about the AP testing currently taking place and how tests were changed to online and from 3 hours to 45 minutes. She also shared that applications have been received for next year's Student on the School Board. She continued her report noting that clubs and activities remain active at UHS, the Indian Post is still creating editions, and Mr. Throne will be releasing a virtual choir performance video with the choir. Lastly, she thanked Ms. Elvin for being a great mentor and taking her under her wing.

Ms. Elvin thanked the School Board and Dr. Sanville for their support over the last two years and for the opportunity and experience. She shared that the senior class is petitioning to have finals revoked. She commented that while this is not a voting item, that the board hear the students out and question the value of the finals. Ms. Elvin shared that the Class of 2020 would like to thank the board for everything and respects their decision.

 

Public Comment
Members of the Class of 2020 called in during public comment to offer commentary on the topic of senior finals. Mr. Darshak Gadagkar shared that there is a petition with over 540 signatures asking to cancel senior finals. Ms. Daisy Qiu thanked the school board for their support and shared her appreciation for how school has been handled during the pandemic. She added that she feels the District should remove finals due to overwhelming student stress. Mr. Declan Boyle also added that there should be a reflection paper in place of the senior final. He gave a description of the proposed assignment as being similar to the SHOC letter written by students. Mr. Boyle felt this would be a better solution as well as a meaningful project.

Dr. Sanville responded to the students’ public comment by offering his appreciation for their commentary. He reminded the public that decisions regarding senior finals were made after discussions with teachers, administrators, and students; and he would not want to make a decision without re-engaging those same groups at UHS. Dr. Sanville shared that he would think thoughtfully on the issues brought up as well as the proposal.

 

Board Comments
Several board members thanked the student callers who offered public comment and commended them for their thoughtful commentary and respectful presentation. The board members also used this time to thank Ms. Elvin for her excellent years of service on the board as the student representative and wished her all the best.

 

 

Action Items and Committee Reports

CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION: 
In Curriculum and Instruction, the board approved a revised professional development schedule for teachers for the 2020-2021 school year to include additional Act 80 days and time for training over the summer.

Dr. Baratta reviewed additional discussion items from the Curriculum and Instruction Meeting held on May 11, 2020 including a review of the Technology Education program at the elementary and middle school (see the video shared at the meeting). She also introduced two new Spanish textbooks for the high school and shared feedback on the District’s Continuity of Education Plan. The feedback was submitted by members of the Curriculum Council, Wellness Council, and Social-Emotional Learning Committee.  

FACILITIES
Mr. Day presented three voting items. The board approved the CCIU custodial bids and the replacement of gym wall pads at Hillendale Elementary.  Additionally, the board approved the cost share with East Marlborough Township for the Route 82 Crosswalks/Traffic Calming Improvements.

FINANCE
There were two voting items presented by Dr. Akki. The board approved to ratify an amendment to Section 125 Benefit Plan and the Paper and Binder/Laminating Bid Awards for 2020-21.

Lastly, Dr. Akki thanked the administration for pulling together the final proposed budget. She added that the presentation was well done and completed with clarity, providing the board with plenty of time to review and ask questions. The Proposed Final Budget was presented on Monday, May 4, 2020 during the School Board Budget Meeting.

 

POLICY
Mr. Murphy proposed several policies for board approval.  The board approved policies: 

• 718.1, 718.1-AG-1, and 718.1-AG-2 - Therapy Dogs
• Policy 816 -  Use of Livestream Video on School District Property
• Policy 821 - Tobacco/Nicotine Control

 

 

Dr. Sanville updated the board on Board Goals and reviewed the prioritization poll results.  He added that administrative liaisons will provide more context on the goals for the board to review.   

 

General updates on Technology, Wellness and Communications were provided during the School Board Work Session on May 11, 2020 

 

LEGISLATION
Ms. Talbert reminded the board of information she shared during the work session regarding potential legislation on property tax relief. 

 

 

CCIU UPDATE
Mr. Hellrung shared that the CCIU board met on April 29 where the main topic was career-readiness programs. He added that they are in a good place establishing good contacts around Chester County and beyond. The CCIU passed their marketplace budget and emphasized that there are no contracts that take place without value and quality. He shared that the CCIU is planning to drop four marketplace programs and add seven new programs next year.

RECAP FROM APRIL 20, 2020

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Superintendent’s Report
Dr. Sanville welcomed everyone to the second virtual UCFSD School Board meeting. He kicked off the meeting with a virtual congratulations to the UHS Music Department for receiving the Support Music Merit Award from the NAMM Foundation for music education excellence.  He stated that this is a reflection of the District's commitment to the arts and the hard work of Mr. Otto, Mr. Throne, and Mr. Zumpetta.

Dr. Sanville also shared the high school's plan to honor the Class of 2020.  He outlined the plan which includes an in-person graduation ceremony on July 25 if the District is in phase zero or phase one.  He added that there is a contingency plan in place,  if we cannot meet in person on July 25 due to continued COVID-19 social distancing restrictions.

 

Student Representatives' Report
Ms. Elvin mentioned that UHS is looking for a new student representative for the school board from the Class of 2022.  Interested students must complete an informational questionnaire, essay, and interview with the UHS administration team using Zoom. 

Ms. Evanko talked about student groups and staying together. She highlighted weekly yoga with Ms. Quinn, a virtual choral performance with Mr. Throne, Active Minds Club creating a Canvas page, and Mr. Conley’s weekly meetings with PAC to discuss how students are adjusting.  She added that Mr. Conley has been collecting feedback from these meetings that have been helpful in the high school’s path forward with distance learning including  creating a new schedule.

 

Action Items and Committee Reports

CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION: 
In Curriculum and Instruction, the board approved a new textbook for AP Comparative Government at UHS and the purchase of SeeSaw, an online learning tool currently being used by our teachers to deliver distance learning. Additionally the board approved the District’s recommendation to add three additional professional development days to the calendar that were needed to provide online learning instruction to staff due the COVID-19 closure. The District will use Act 80 days to account for this additional professional development. 

Dr. Barratta reviewed additional discussion items from Curriculum and Instruction including the District’s Distance Learning Guide and the Continuity of Education Plan. She also shared that Dr. Jenkins provided an update on the blended learning initiative at UHS and Mr. Hoffman provided an update on the UCF Virtual Academy. 

Lastly the Curriculum Council meeting will be held virtually on May 1, 2020. 

 

TECHNOLOGY:
The board approved a motion to allow UCF Administration to approve a contract with the CCIU for ZOOM licenses. Zoom is currently being used by teachers for distance learning including synchronous and recorded asynchronous lessons and by administration to conduct District business remotely. During the Work Session Ms. Anderson shared her gratitude to the technology team for their continued efforts to support distance learning.

 

WELLNESS:
Ms. Brown shared that there will be one more Wellness Council meeting on May 6, 2020.  This meeting will be held virtually on Zoom. She also shared information previously provided by Dr. Reider during the Board Work Session including the District’s continued work with the Penn Consortium, the wellness activity YouTube series produced by UCFSD staff and examples of how our counselors and social workers are provided services to our students during this difficult time.  

 

FINANCE:
Dr. Akki presented several items for board approval:

• 2020-21 CCIU Core & Occupational Education Budgets as presented by Dr. Fiore and Mr.  During the Work Session.
• Three-Year Administrative Fee Schedule – School Districts and Independence Blue Cross (IBC)
• Award bids for CF Patton Middle School Kitchen Equipment purchases to vendors as presented. Mr. Cochran shared that the bids are from three different vendors; we accepted the lowest bid except for faucets.  He commented that the vendors will take care of everything except the plumbing.  Mr. Cochran also pointed out that the bids  came in under the expected cost.
• TruMark Financial Credit Union as a depository for the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District.  

Dr. Akki along with Mr. Cochran shared that the District is fine-tuning the budget. She  recapped a discussion from the Work Session on the impact COVID-19 will have on the upcoming budget.  She mentioned that the Board is reviewing several scenarios and will need to be extremely nimble. The presentation of the Proposed Final Budget will take place on Monday, May 4, 2020.

 

PERSONNEL:
Dr. Simonson shared that items were discussed in the Executive Session and moved to approve Personnel Items 9.2 through 9.7. Additionally, the board approved professional conferences and contracts with Austill’s Educational Therapy Services and SPARC.  

 

COMMUNICATIONS:
The board approved the motion to change April 28 to a full school day and June 2 to a day off for students (and an in-service day for teachers).  While this change was originally in response to the shift in the Primary Election Day, the District expressed that staff will benefit from an in-service later in the year.  Ms. Talbert shared the update provided by Ms. Fazio during the Work Session. She highlighted the COVID-19 web page on the UCFSD website and announced the Communications Department recently received seven awards as part of the Pennsylvania School Public Relations Association Excellence in Education Communications Contest.

 

POLICY:
Mr. Murphy proposed several policies for board board approval.  The board approved Policy 200 Enrollment of Students, Policy 200-AG-1 Enrollment of Students - Proof Administrative Guideline, Policy 220 Student Expression/Distribution and Posting of Materials, Policy 610 Purchases Subject to Bid/Quotation, Policy 611 Purchases Budgeted, Policy 711 Small Unmanned Aircraft, Policy 815.1 Social Media, Policy 913 Nonschool Organizations/Groups/Individuals. 

 

LEGISLATION:
Ms. Talbert reminded the board of recently passed legislation to address the impact of COVID-19 on our educational system - Act 13 of 2020 of the public school code of 1949. The legislation includes waiving the following mandates for all school entities for the 2019-2020 school year: 180 day requirements, assessments, performance data, minimum number of K days.

RECAP FROM MARCH 23, 2020

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Superintendent’s Report
Dr. Sanville shared that we are waiving the requirement of Policy 006.1 and asked Mr. Hellrung to share the details. Mr. Hellrung shared that the board has chosen to waive the requirement of a quorum to be in the room due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Sanville recognized the UCF community for all that they have accomplished. He shared that everyone is participating from home and expressed his deepest gratitude for all they are doing.

Dr. Sanville congratulated Dr. Clif Beaver, Pocopson Principal, for recently earning his doctorate.

Dr. Sanville shared that the District is still focusing on returning to school on April 14, based on the Governor's additional two-week shut down and our Spring Break. He noted that there is a chance that the April 14 date may not happen in which case the District will adapt and continue distance learning.

 

Student Representatives' Report
Ms. Evanko shared that Mr. Conley held his Principal's Advisory Council (PAC) meeting on Thursday, March 19, 2020 via Zoom, where students discussed their transition to distance learning. Ms. Evanko shared that students are adjusting very well and that they are using teachers' office hours.

Ms. Elvin spoke of a survey she sent to the student body measuring attitudes toward Blended Learning courses and School Start Time. She discussed the results from the blended learning survey, noting that it was relatively popular amongst underclassmen but that there were responses reflecting a neutral perspective but not really any negative feedback.

The School Start Time survey asked five questions measuring students’ feelings on the current start time, past start time and any changes to the start time in the future. Ms. Elvin shared that the majority of students approve of or feel neutral about the current start time. When asked how they would feel if the start time was later, the student body was split: 27% strongly approved while 27% strongly disapproved (the remainder fell in the middle). When asked if they felt like they got more sleep since the change, 40 percent of the students answered yes, 35 percent answered no and 25 percent answered “somewhat”.

She shared that she believed it was valuable to present these survey results to the School Board because it’s important to move forward with things other than COVID-19. She also added that the PAC meeting went very well.

 

Action Items and Committee Reports

CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION: 
In Curriculum and Instruction, the board approved the formation of a committee to study school start times. Dr. Sanville shared that he believes given the framework presented at the Work Session regarding the style of the committee that the District can get this done and noted that we'll update the board monthly as we adjust to our changing circumstances.
 

TECHNOLOGY: 
Ms. Anderson shared her gratitude to the technology team for how quickly they evolved with distance learning.

WELLNESS: 
Ms. Brown shared that there will be one more Wellness Council meeting this spring. Ms. Anderson shared that she was able to participate in the recent Penn Consortium meeting and how she was impressed by the team's work.
 

FACILITIES: 
Mr. Day presented the following items for board approval: Toilet Room Renovations at Unionville High School, Library Modernization at Chadds Ford Elementary and Hillendale Elementary, Summer Painting at Chadds Ford Elementary and Unionville Elementary School, and Gym/Cafe Flooring Replacement at Hillendale Elementary. All four items were approved by the school board.
 

FINANCE: 
Dr. Akki shared that the bid awards for Kitchen Equipment at Patton Middle School will be tabled as recommended by legal counsel.  The District will rebid utilizing an online bid service to send and receive electronically.

Dr. Akki proposed a motion to authorize the Superintendent to maintain hourly support staff employees on current wages and benefits as the District explores utilization of a continuum of educational approaches to the extent school remains closed due to the Coronavirus Crisis. In authorizing the Superintendent, it is understood he will remain in direct consultation with Board Leadership and any decisions by the Superintendent will be ratified by the Board of Directors at a subsequent meeting under the School Code. This resolution sunsets at the conclusion of the 2019-20 school year. The school board approved this motion.
 

PERSONNEL: 
Dr. Simonson shared that items were discussed in the Executive Session and moved to approve Personnel Items 9.1 through 9.8 and 9.10. Summer Staff Hourly Rate was approved with New Summer Staff at $12/hour and Returning Summer Staff at $13/hour. 

COMMUNICATIONS: 
Ms. Talbert shared an update on the Wall of Honor program, reporting a record number of nominations have been received. The Nomination Committee has met, and a group of nominations will move onto the Selection Committee. Ms. Talbert also thanked Ms. Fazio for her work and pointed to the new COVID-19 web page on the UCFSD website.
 

POLICY: 
There were no policies up for vote this month but Mr. Murphy brought attention to policies up for vote next month including: Policy 200 Enrollment of Students, Policy 200-AG-1 Enrollment of Students - Proof Administrative Guideline, Policy 220 Student Expression/Distribution and Posting of Materials, Policy 610 Purchases Subject to Bid/Quotation, Policy 611 Purchases Budgeted, Policy 711 Small Unmanned Aircraft, Policy 815.1 Social Media, Policy 913 Nonschool Organizations/Groups/Individuals. 

LEGISLATION: 
Ms. Talbert proposed to approve the Charter School Funding Resolution. The school board approved this motion. 

Ms. Talbert also shared that legislation could waive the District’s 180-day requirement and that the Commonwealth has waived PSSAs and Keystone tests for 2019-20; AP testing will take place online.
 

CCIU REPORT: 
Mr. Hellrung noted that there were a few significant action items beyond routine business passed at the regular monthly meeting last Wednesday, March 18, 2020. These items included: refinancing of the 2015 Bond Issue was passed which is now expected to save over $990 thousand to the CCIU, core and occupational budgets, and a motion for the Executive Director to be authorized to make administrative decisions on behalf of the CCIU during the closure period. A memorandum of understanding to pay CCIU employees was also passed. Mr. Hellrung noted that this is similar to the UCFSD motion passed earlier in the evening.

 

RECAP FROM FEBRUARY 18, 2020

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Watch the 2/18/20 meeting here!

Superintendent’s Report

Dr. Sanville welcomed everyone to the meeting and congratulated student Board representative, Winter Elvin, on being named the Longwood Rotary Student of the Month. Ms. Elvin was recognized at a recent Longwood Rotary meeting for her outstanding dedication to service in her school and community. Dr. Sanville also reported on his recent attendance at the AASA conference, where he presented How Museum-District Partnerships Improve K-12 Education with the Science of Learning. He partnered with the Franklin Institute and Centennial Superintendent, Dr. David Baugh on the presentation. Dr. Sanville shared a video with the board that was produced for their presentation and included interviews from our Franklin Institute Master Educators.

 

Student Representatives' Report

Ms. Evanko reported on several events happening throughout the District. TEDx Unionville, the UHS PTO Book Sale and STEM Day at Patton will all be held on Saturday, February 22. The UHS musical production of Into the Woods will be on March 19-21. The MORP dance will take place on March 6. She also shared that UHS senior diver Hunter Smith broke the school record and qualified for districts.

Ms. Elvin reported that she will be sending out a student survey regarding Lunch & Learn. She also announced that they are beginning the process to find the next student on the school board (current Sophomore, rising Junior); this candidate will be voted on by our students.

 

Action Items and Committee Reports

CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION: 

In Curriculum and Instruction, the board approved the UHS Choral Department field trip to Disney World planned for December 2020.

 

FACILITIES: 

The board approved two carpet replacement projects at Chadds Ford Elementary and Unionville Elementary. They also approved the replacement of the existing track surface at the UHS stadium. The track work is slated to occur this summer.

 

FINANCE: 

Dr. Akki presented the bids for purchasing new school buses and vans. The board approved the bids as presented.

 

PERSONNEL: 

The board approved the creation of the Capital Projects Coordinator position. This position will assist the Supervisor of Facilities with managing the various capital improvement projects that are needed throughout the district. Additionally, the board approved the reclassification of Food Service Leads to Cafeteria Managers. This change will better assist the Food Service department in fulfilling the leadership roles needed to run the Food Service programs at each school.

 

POLICY: 

The board approved two policies: Policy 004 Membership and AG-701 Project Change Orders.

 

LEGISLATION:

Ms. Talbert shared that at the Work Session she gave a report of Governor Wolf's budget as it related to education. She commented that the topic of charter school funding reform is an area that is becoming increasingly important to districts throughout the Commonwealth. PSBA has called on its members to adopt a resolution calling for charter school funding reform. Ms. Talbert stated that this is not a referendum on school choice, but a call to have charter and cyber charter schools using funding formulas that are closely aligned with actual expenses, rigor, and accountability of brick and mortar schools.

She proposed that the Board give this resolution some thought and revisit at the March Work Session with a broader discussion.

RECAP FROM JANUARY 21, 2020

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Watch the 1/21/20 meeting here!

Superintendent’s Report

Dr. Sanville welcomed everyone to the meeting and handed the mic over to Patton Principal Mr. Steve Dissinger. Patton hosted the meeting and took the time to recognize several student initiatives and achievements. Mr. Dissinger first highlighted the school’s efforts on MLK Day and how Patton students and staff continue to put service above self. Former Patton student Aria Zutshi continued with the theme of service and presented on a civics service project she began as an 8th grader. Daniel McDonald presented his Digital Story using Spark, Katharine Cotrotsio, Christopher Arriviello, and James Burns reported on their 6th grade Literacy Heritage Day Projects. Mr. Dissinger also recognized the Science Fair participants, Math Madness team and 8th-grade Girls Volleyball team, all who had great success this year!

Retiree Recognition
Mr. Doug Henderson was recognized for his years of service as the school counselor at Pocopson Elementary School. Pocopson Principal, Mr. Clif Beaver, shared that Mr. Henderson will be deeply missed at Pocopson and read statements from students, parents, and staff highlighting the tremendous impact Mr. Henderson has had on the school and in the lives of students.

School Board Appreciation Month
Dr. Sanville concluded his report by recognizing the school board for School Board Appreciation Month. He read a resolution and shared a video to show the District’s appreciation for all they do.

Student Representatives' Report

Ms. Elvin reported on the Holiday Extravaganza at the high school, updated the board on Midterms and announced the upcoming Student Council wellness week.

Ms. Evanko reported on the Student Council 2nd annual school-wide scavenger hunt called U-Quest. She also highlighted the recent success of the vocalists who qualified for the District PMEA concert. She shared the high school’s participation in MLK Day of Service and announced that the next TedX Unionville will be held on February 22, 2020.

Action Items and Committee Reports

CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION: 

In Curriculum and Instruction, the board approved a German exchange trip for the summer of 2020 and course name change. Dr. Baratta reminded the public that there is a wealth of information on the Future Ready PA Index on the District’s website under the UCF Dashboard.

WELLNESS: 

Ms. Brown announced that there will be a Wellness Council meeting on February 12, 2020. She also announced that the SEL (Social Emotional Learning) Committee will meet on January 30, 2020.

FACILITIES:

Mr. Day proposed one voting item - Ratification of the supplemental agreement with K&W for additional GeoTech work. This item was approved by the board.

FINANCE: 

Dr. Akki presented three voting items - Liquid Fuels joint purchasing ratification, the adoption of the 2020-2021 Preliminary General Fund Budget, and the 2020-2021 Act 1 Exception Application. All items were approved by the board.

COMMUNICATIONS:

Ms. Talbert proposed the approval of the 2020-2021 school calendar. The calendar was presented by Ms. Talbert in detail during the January work session. She also stated that the calendar was emailed to our community and she shared some of the feedback that was received. The 2020-2021 school calendar was approved by the board.

LEGISLATION: 

Ms. Talbert shared information with each Director for the CCIU School Director & Legislator Annual Briefing. She shared that she plans to attend and hopes others will as well. Ms. Talbert commented that information will be coming regarding the PSBA Advocacy Day on March 23, 2020.

CCIU REPORT: 

Mr. Hellrung gave an update on the CCIU including highlights from their Audit Report, Long Range Facilities Plan, and Safety and Security Report. He reported that the CCIU board has 6 new board members.

 

RECAP FROM NOVEMBER 18, 2019

Click here to view the full agenda and all documents.
Watch the 11/18/19 meeting here!

Superintendent’s Report

Dr. Sanville welcomed a room full of guests who were present in support of the outgoing board directors and a retiring bus driver.

Mr. Cochran and Ms. Wickersham both recognized retiree, Mr. Don Courson. Mr. Courson has been a bus driver with the District for 6 years.

Dr. Sanville used the rest of his report to recognize the departing board members and highlight the achievements of the school board over the past eight years. He concluded his remarks by introducing a video showcasing these accomplishments.

At the end of the report, Ms. Daniels, Mr. Dupuis, Mr. Lindner, and Mr. Sage were presented with a crystal apple in recognition of their service and dedication to UCFSD.

Student Representatives' Report

Ms. Evanko announced that UHS will be having their 2nd annual UFest, a creative scavenger hunt in which students may participate. She also shared that there will be a winter spirit week leading up to winter break.

Ms. Evanko also reported on fall sports achievements and announced that auditions for the UHS musical production of Into the Woods will start on Wednesday, November 20.

Ms. Elvin reported on the food drive that the UHS student council organized. On November 15, students packed up and delivered over 2,000 lbs of food to the Kennett Food Cupboard.

She also thanked the departing board members for each contributing to her personal growth as a student representative on the board.

Action Items and Committee Reports

CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION: 

Ms. Anderson reported that the Board had received presentations on the five voting items during the Curriculum and Instruction Meeting held on November 11, 2019.

The Board approved a new Accounting II course at UHS, an International Club field trip to Europe planned for the summer of 2021, a World Language field trip to France, and the UHS Indoor Drumline’s participation in and travel to the 2020 WGI in Dayton, OH.

The Board also approved the contract with the Brandywine Virtual Academy to be the official cyber school option for UCF students. The BVA is offered through the CCIU and will allow Unionville students enrolled to receive a Unionville diploma. Additionally, it will allow the District to have more direct engagement in the academic rigor of the curriculum.

FACILITIES: 

Mr. Gregg Lindner reported that Mr. Whitesel, Supervisor of Facilities, provided the Board with the information pertaining to the five voting items during the Work Session held on November 11, 2019.

The Board approved a replacement work truck, a Facility Condition Assessment of the District’s elementary schools, an upgrade to the light fixtures in the UHS gymnasium and hallways.

The Board approved the deeds and additional costs associated with the development of the Deed of Right of Way between the District and East Marlborough Township.

Lastly, the Board approved the renovation of the Patton Middle School cafeteria and kitchen. This work was previously outlined as part of the District’s Long Range Facilities Plan.

FINANCE: 

Mr. Day gave the Finance report and presented the voting items. The Board approved a service agreement with HealthEquity, Inc for a Health Savings Account.

The Board also approved an optional Qualified High Deductible Healthcare Plan through IBC.

Additionally, the preliminary budget for 2020-2021 was approved. This is the first draft of the budget, which will undergo several revisions before the Board will vote on the final version of the budget in June 2020.

PERSONNEL: 

Dr. Simonson gave the personnel report. The Board approved several personnel items discussed in executive session. Dr. Simonson presented one additional voting item. The Board approved contracts with the Southeastern Pennsylvania Autism Resource Center (SPARC) and Pediatric Therapeutic Services (PTS).

Additionally, Dr. Simonson shared that the Board completed evaluations for the Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent per district policy. The Board has rated Dr. Sanville’s and Mr. Nolen’s performance as distinguished. 

POLICY: 

Mr. Murphy presented several policies and administrative guidelines for Board approval including policy on foreign exchange students, nondiscrimination, and crowdfunding.

The Board also approved Policy 217 which will modify graduation requirements for future UHS graduates.

COMMUNICATIONS:

The 2019 UCF Holiday Card Design Contest was announced during the Communications report at the Work Session on November 11, 2019. Students are encouraged to submit their original artwork to the UCFSD District Office by December 2, 2019.

RECAP FROM OCTOBER 21, 2019

Click here to view the full agenda and all documents.
All board meetings are filmed and may be viewed on the District’s YouTube channel.
Watch the 10/21/19 meeting here!

Superintendent’s Report
The October meeting was hosted by Unionville Elementary School, therefore Dr. Sanville yielded his report to Dr. Lafferty, Principal at UES. Dr. Lafferty recognized three exceptional UE Stars who inspire others.

Clare Voss - Advocate for Change
Clare was recognized for her passion project to help educate her peers on Victoria’s Law, a bill supported by Sen. Tom Killion. She invited Sen. Killion to speak with her class and share the importance of ending puppy mills.

Lincoln Farkas - Web Designer
Lincoln was recognized for his desire to help others navigate the difficult waters of technology. Lincoln created a website to help people better understand how to use technology.

Josi Patti - Entrepreneur
Josi was recognized for her entrepreneurship. Her love for baking sparked her interest in creating a baking service where she makes cakes, cupcakes and other goodies. She even provided a sweet treat for the Board Directors.

 

Student Representatives' Report
Ms. Evanko spoke of UHS fall sports teams going into playoff competition. She also mentioned that UHS will be collecting canned goods for the Kennett Food Cupboard at this Friday's football game.

Ms. Elvin spoke of several UHS events:
• Homecoming in September
• Spirit week leading up to Homecoming
• Hygiene drive for Kennett Food Cupboard

She reflected on her participation in a presentation given at the PASA-PSBA Leadership Conference in Hershey, PA. She presented alongside Dr. Sanville, Mr. Conley and Mr. Hoffman on Policy 218 - Code of Student Conduct.

She also shared survey results from Lunch & Learn. She received positive feedback from the approximate 300 responses. She shared that students appreciate the chance to decompress and hang out.
 

Action Items and Committee Reports

CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION: Mr. Dupuis reported that the Board had received an excellent presentation by the 8th grade Civics program in regard to incorporating community service into the curriculum. During the October C&I Meeting, the Board received a presentation from the CCIU on the Brandywine Virtual Academy and discussed a potential partnership with the BVA as the District’s designated cyber school option. This option would allow Unionville students enrolled in the BVA to receive a Unionville diploma. Additionally, it would give the District the ability to negotiate competitive pricing for cyber education, and allow the District to have more direct engagement in the academic rigor of the curriculum. Mr. Dupuis also mentioned the Question Persuade Refer (QPR) training District faculty and staff received. QPR training is a resource for suicide prevention.

FACILITIES: Mr. James Whitesel, Supervisor of Facilities, presented an update on the Long Range Facilities Plan to the board during the October Work Session.

FINANCE: Mr. Day gave the Finance report. The Board approved to renew the agreement with the District’s auditors, BBD, LLP, for three years. The Board also approved the proposed 2020-2021 per pupil building allocations.

PERSONNEL: Dr. Simonson presented personnel items. The Board approved a proposal for the CCIU to conduct an audit of UCFSD Human Resources services.

POLICY: There were several Policies for First Reading. The Board publicly discussed in detail Policy 217 in regards to Keystone exams as a graduation requirement during the October Work Session and Regular Board meeting.

Upcoming Meetings

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Curriculum & Instruction Meeting - November 11 at 4:30 PM

School Board Work Session - November 11 at 7:00 PM

School Board Meeting - November 18 at 7:30 PM

 

RECAP FROM SEPTEMBER 16, 2019

Click here to view the full agenda and all documents.
All board meetings are filmed and may be viewed on the District’s YouTube channel.
Watch the 9/16/19 meeting here!

Superintendent’s Report
The September meeting was hosted by the high school, therefore Dr. Sanville yielded his report to Mr. Conley, Principal at UHS. Mr. Conley shared stories from the high school that reflect growth. Several student groups were present to be recognized for various achievements, but also to showcase some examples of positive growth at the high school.

Mr. Conley first recognized the group of 22 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists, the largest group in school history. He then had representatives from the Girls' Golf team discuss how they have grown the program and share their recent accomplishments as a team. The Speech and Debate team also presented on their tremendous team growth as well as the community they have built at UHS. Lastly, Mr. Conley recognized TEDx Unionville as an initiative at the high school that has been a huge success and continues to grow in its second year.
 

Student Representative’s Report
Molly Evanko provided the school board with an update on Lunch and Learn. She shared that Lunch and Learn has been a success and that students are happy with the new schedule. She added that students are enjoying the hour to be able to talk to teachers if they need extra help or have an early dismissal for sports forcing them to miss that class.

Ms. Evanko also shared that USAC hosted a teacher appreciation BBQ at last Friday’s football game against Kennett. She pointed out that the student section has been packed this year at home games and has been a positive experience for all students.

Lastly, she mentioned that next week is Spirit Week leading up to the pep rally and homecoming game. During Spirit Week, Student Council is organizing a service project to collect sanitary goods for a local shelter.
 

Action Items and Committee Reports

CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION: In Curriculum and Instruction, the Board approved the contract with Compass Mark for our Student Assistance Program (SAP). They also approved the Extended School Year (ESY) dates for the summer of 2020. •

FACILITIES: Mr. Lindner presented one voting item which was presented to the board by Supervisor of Facilities, James Whitesel during the September work session. The Board approved the proposal for the engineering design and bid services for the replacement of the existing wastewater treatment plant at Chadds Ford Elementary School. The existing plant is approximately 60 years old and in need of significant renovations and upgrades in order to meet current DEP regulations. Options were reviewed including: replacement with a pump station and pumping to an offsite treatment plant, renovations of existing plant, and complete replacement. The most efficient and economical option was to replace it with a new packaged treatment plant facility. •

FINANCE: Mr. Day gave the Finance report and presented one voting item. The Board approved the use of the Reschini Group to complete the District’s 2019 IRS forms for Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting. ACA requires employers that sponsor self-insured health plans and large employers with 50 or more full-time employees to report certain information to the IRS about the coverage that was offered to their employees. •

COMMUNICATIONS: Ms. Anderson reminded the public about Changing the Game author, John O’Sullivan’s presentation on September 23 at 7 PM in the UHS auditorium. Invitations have gone out to neighboring districts and the event is free and open to the public. Mr. Hellrung added that Mr. O’Sullivan is a top-notch speaker and he hopes to see many from our community in attendance on Monday night. •

POLICY: Mr. Murphy gave the Policy report and presented one policy for board approval. The Board approved modifications to Policy 216 Student Records. The following addition in italics was added to the policy: Transferring education records and appropriate disciplinary records to other school districts, with the understanding that the District will not disclose disciplinary records to post-secondary schools, unless a parent/guardian or applicable student with rights under FERPA requests that the disciplinary record be shared.

This topic was thoroughly discussed during the September Work Session. •

Upcoming Meetings

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Curriculum & Instruction Meeting - October 14 at 4:30 PM

School Board Work Session - October 14 at 7:00 PM

School Board Meeting - October 21 at 7:30 PM (Unionville Elementary School Auditorium)

 

RECAP FROM AUGUST 19, 2019

Click here to view the full agenda and all documents.
All board meetings are filmed and may be viewed on the District’s YouTube channel.

Superintendent’s Report
Dr. Sanville welcomed everyone to the meeting and to the end of the summer. He shared some highlights from Convocation and announced this year’s theme - Service Above Self. He looks forward to welcoming back our 4100 students.

Retiree Recognition
Ms. Sharon Baillie was recognized for her years of service at UCF. Ms. Baillie has been the benefits specialist for the past 23 years. Mr. Cochran shared that Ms. Baillie has had a stellar career at UCF and revealed a box of thank you notes from employees who have been impacted by her work.

Student Representative’s Report
The board welcomed Ms. Evanko as the new student representative who will be joining Ms. Elvin at the meetings this year.

Ms. Evanko mentioned that the students have received their schedules and that it is a symbol that summer is quickly ending and the school year is about to begin.

Ms. Elvin shared her enthusiasm for the school year to begin, highlighting the upcoming SHOC event for new students and the highly anticipated Lunch and Learn.
 

Action Items and Committee Reports
In Curriculum, the Get More Math contract was approved. This is replacing the former program used at the middle school, Study Island. The new program allows students to progress independently at their own pace and advance once they master a skill, revisiting that skill periodically to reaffirm competency.

The Board also approved a middle school trip to NYC (March 2020) for Spanish students who wish to take part in an immersive experience in Spanish Harlem. This is an overnight trip and this will be the first year they are offering this trip.

A Blended Learning Professional Development opportunity with the CCIU was also approved. The CCIU will train staff on blended learning in preparation for future blended learning opportunities at the high school.

In Facilities, the board approved the replacement Chiller form Chadds Ford Elementary School. The chiller has already been installed and is currently keeping Chadds Ford Elementary cool!

Additionally, a Supplemental Agreement to K&W's contract for the structural evaluation of the existing barn was approved.

In Finance, the School Board approved an agreement with The Retirement Advantage to provide an actuarial valuation for the district since our prior firm has backed out of GASB 75 reporting. GASB 75 Valuation Services - GASB 75 is an accounting standard released by the Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB) that deals with reporting OPEB (other post-employment benefits) costs (post-employment costs other than pensions).

The District issued new debt and refunded some existing debt this past spring. PDE requires the District to submit a PlanCon Part K package which has been approved by the Board in order for them to make necessary changes to the old debt reimbursements and the new debt reimbursement (refunded debt portion only).

In Policy, 913-AG1 (Commercialism in Schools and on School Property) was approved. This is a new administrative guideline outlining how the District will handle advertising on school property, such as athletic field ads, and scoreboard signage.

Upcoming Meetings

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Curriculum & Instruction Meeting - September 9, 2019 at 4:30 pm

School Board Work Session - September 9, 2019 at 7:00 pm

School Board Meeting - September 16, 2019 at 7:30 pm