[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-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",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_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",6083189,"mediaKeyId","2935236-7c9aee9b6c45835bb427339554a982a7","parentId",2935236,"title","District presents Guidance 3-39 career-planning plan and three-year special-education plan for board review","audioSeconds",606,"startMs",8182000,"endMs",8788000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2935236-7c9aee9b6c45835bb427339554a982a7&start=8182&end=8788","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2935236-7c9aee9b6c45835bb427339554a982a7/thumbnail_8182000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6083189/Pennsylvania/District-presents-Guidance-3-39-career-planning-plan-and-three-year-special-education-plan-for-board-review","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6083189-1076a472639dd20af030df3dfd000cfd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136784&Signature=FnadX3yjQsHMokR-oGjTywuySHNVhKW3~f0OhnfFWGyO-1hR7W6FCSfhCmHagRE2S2RFgBSiMrZCXzTjuXyNu41HzGQkhwSUufRJZ9jnCoe8ORT0gHfp5hV0~BmUvS-G8pC9ZgSarvkJBfISS~GowGZ-eygMWthSTQllpUiPyRgV5leJ8yQzxvO-UrI494npiE98XV4H0zeYaI6S8DtpSy-OKNcy~EEoNhx2TRQpKIENOWwq06qP6WaVNfOOUzUJD~Luuomb4B3n~OpvShS~uh9EuUbrtdttDFv9MtE1UA9-r4JOIoWkK94AP1raTAmWoDE78aLRrB~faj8eAiPC1g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Boyertown Area School District","date","2025-04-09T20:27:58.537Z","article","Kristen Horton, director of student services, presented the district's Guidance 3-39 plan (career and technical planning) and described counseling activities that meet the state's career-artifact requirements. Horton said the district uses the Smart Futures platform and reported very high compliance: \"we have a hundred [percent].\" She outlined the plan's components: career-technical curricula and classroom activities, cumulative career-planning goals at elementary/middle/high school levels, occupational resources and transition services including internships and military pathway information via NJROTC.

Horton and board members discussed counselors' workloads and recommended ratios. Horton cited the American School Counselor Association recommended caseload (1:251) as a reference and noted the district is working toward improved counselor coverage; she confirmed some elementary buildings share part-time counselor positions.

Special-education plan: administration reminded the board the district's required three-year special-education plan is posted for the 30-day public review required by policy and will be presented for approval at the April 22 legislative meeting. Mrs. Bartman, director of special education, participated in committee development and is available for questions.

Why it matters: Guidance 3-39 and the special-education plan set the district's approach to career readiness, counseling goals, transition services and required special-education programming; both plans are subject to board approval.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Boyertown Area School Board Committee of the Whole Meeting: 4-8-25","oneSentenceSummary","Director of Student Services Kristen Horton reviewed the district's Guidance 3-39 career-planning (Smart Futures) activities and said the plan will be submitted for board approval; the three-year special-education plan is also on 30-day public display and will come back for approval at the April 22 legislative meeting.","taxTitle","Boyertown Area SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania","taxId",50827,"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},6083192,"Committee reports momentum for full-day kindergarten; administration recommends feasibility study and phased funding",2326,5214000,7540000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2935236-7c9aee9b6c45835bb427339554a982a7&start=5214&end=7540","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2935236-7c9aee9b6c45835bb427339554a982a7/thumbnail_5214000.jpg","/articles/6083192/Pennsylvania/Committee-reports-momentum-for-full-day-kindergarten-administration-recommends-feasibility-study-and-phased-funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6083192-f1b124ff60d892149b1bc5acf903d6e8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136784&Signature=GMhEUNk1teELr0CoA6uuDXu9yJiJtf7aHIfDkYl4MI-EANTmOPYJCLIEe8s9E2ByM2Lr62okBpv4ndcmHl57Ho-zBzeDOO1wL0MtAlIeAGqfwwXSmCi7v0lLOCuVaGHMuJvxQ0fd8b6WW-nc4xsMK1iF4sp8vWabsZoWAUXJlb3N2tsA2whw9JD5-KgWn1aaCVauAHQv7bSgqovd23HISbYRm~doDrVbLQovFk35No7~1mPrZbSVdiGQ54cqftXKBFSFZSWfWZeJg7M9lYGON2OhNAFIpw2A2Ue8D7JnPbv9LULPE0S6uk89-SSdk10aKmtTJi7lWEjUEBieij6a1w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mr. Stout and Mrs. Landis reported to the Committee of the Whole on April 8 the work of an exploratory committee that met multiple times to examine full-day kindergarten (all day K). Committee members included central-office staff (CFO Denicola and HR chief Hahn), special education and pupil services leaders, principals, kindergarten teachers, reading specialists, transportation, food service and other stakeholders.

Stout said the committee's charge was to gather data rather than to deliver a final recommendation. \"We tasked this committee with not coming up with a recommendation for all day K. We tasked this committee with coming up with the data to give the background information to consider all day K as a viable opportunity,\" he said. The committee conducted three smaller meetings and a larger session with kindergarten teachers, reading specialists and intervention teachers and used surveys and schedule comparisons to identify benefits and constraints.

Findings and concerns: participants cited instructional and social-emotional benefits from more daily instructional time and additional play and exploration. Key constraints were staffing and space. The committee estimated district-wide additional teacher needs at about 9.5 FTE to staff a full-day program and noted that two elementary buildings (Boyertown Elementary and Washington Elementary) present the greatest space challenges under current configurations. The administration also highlighted operational issues including schedule changes, potential bus-run adjustments and the need for additional special-area and support staffing.

Options and next steps: the committee proposed (1) seeking board approval to continue planning, (2) commissioning a targeted feasibility study (to be coordinated with an already-approved enrollment study), and (3) phasing budget changes over multiple years. Stout and Landis suggested building modest budget capacity now (the administration has inserted two kindergarten positions in the proposed 2025-26 budget as a planning placeholder) and targeting full implementation \"in fall of 2027\" if the feasibility and enrollment studies support the plan. Stout said a preliminary cost estimate for staffing and associated needs was roughly $1.5 million, to be phased in over multiple budget cycles.

The committee also offered an \"outside-the-box\" configuration idea: reconfiguring grade bands so elementary schools would be K'4, one middle campus would host grades 5'6, another grades 7'8, and the senior high remain 9'12. Stout called that an exploratory option that would require substantially more study; board members raised concerns about transportation time and community reactions.

Board direction requested: administration said it would ask for a motion at the April 22 legislative meeting to continue planning; the feasibility study and detailed enrollment analysis would follow and be presented in more detail for board decisions. No vote on implementation was taken on April 8.","An exploratory committee reported strong internal support for full-day kindergarten and recommended a targeted feasibility study and enrollment study results before the board commits to implementation; administration proposed a phased funding plan that could build to full implementation by fall 2027.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6083197,"District hears $15 million estimate for Boyertown Elementary HVAC, roof and switchgear project; CHAdewey to return with contract for consideration",277,3068000,3345000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2935236-7c9aee9b6c45835bb427339554a982a7&start=3068&end=3345","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2935236-7c9aee9b6c45835bb427339554a982a7/thumbnail_3068000.jpg","/articles/6083197/Pennsylvania/District-hears-15-million-estimate-for-Boyertown-Elementary-HVAC-roof-and-switchgear-project-CHAdewey-to-return-with-contract-for-consideration","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6083197-3f7d04029fdbb825e4e4f054806b24c4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136784&Signature=Yno4xXmyPxp2DV-rxtEv8KJkwArv3PDAryBxBR3DWo2J8~-UgY1HAqiMeYtvEjaJ0fnunJhwhrUWzUMgSsRiuAlGHoadguZOx8Rn6qxfwhmWHAMEZ4k0QeUxcG~i8HcK0PXls8SAcUnBiGKaZj8Ubk8QrlGRHigNljkRZZMQKSN2KU2yvmWZcj5-q~CU47rneFuVHNB2-zOYYPabI8QsKuHhdfI4wpHgICJiJTrd6GX5~qV3nUsJIEtaMmvK36vYURznjJrGh5F-Rez8Ak-azXZn1yuztyY~yAfnIogwMZ1WgXw8gjgMwUenu-BWQlph9CuqdvCap5b42QsMWTp6WQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jamie Lynch of CHAdewey presented an engineering and delivery plan for an HVAC and roof replacement at Boyertown Elementary School and told the board the recommended system is a VRF/DOAS natural-gas-complemented heating approach with a new roof and an upgraded building-management system. The package also includes replacement/upsizing of the building switchgear and a new emergency generator.

Lynch said the team studied alternatives, recommended a single-membrane roof (EPDM with a TPO alternate), and included the mansard metal roofs in the cost but noted they appear to be in good condition and \"hopefully not to have to replace them.\" He said the all-in project budget he presented to the board was \"just over $15,000,000\" and included hard and soft costs, roof, generator, big-box spaces and switchgear.

Schedule and delivery: CHAdewey proposed finishing design in 2025 and publicly bidding the work so construction can proceed in two summer phases (summer 2026 and summer 2027). Lynch cautioned that long lead items such as switchgear and generators can require up to about a year for procurement; he recommended early design completion and rapid procurement to avoid schedule risk.

Project controls and oversight: CHAdewey described a delivery model in which the firm would provide mechanical and electrical design, a resident project engineer on site during construction, third-party testing and balancing (contracted directly by the district), and regular coordination with municipal code inspections. Lynch said the resident project engineer proposed for the work is Mike Hartney, a master electrician, who would oversee contractor work in the field.

Board questions focused on heating backup in extreme cold, third-party testing procurement and who would represent the district on-site. Lynch said the VRF system selected is built to meet heating loads for the region when properly specified and that the third-party testing and balancing agent would be contracted to the district (CHAdewey would prepare the request for proposals and manage procurement on the district's behalf). He said the firm would be the district's design professional and the firm's resident project engineer would monitor contractor work and report to the district throughout construction.

Next steps: Lynch told the board CHAdewey and the district solicitor's office have worked on a proposed agreement and that administration planned to bring a recommended agreement for board consideration at the April 22 legislative meeting.

Why it matters: The proposed work is a major capital project with multiyear design, procurement and construction impacts, significant budgetary implications and operational risks that the district intends to manage through phased summer construction and third-party testing and oversight.","Architect-engineer team CHAdewey presented a recommended HVAC/roof replacement and electrical/switchgear upgrade for Boyertown Elementary, with an all-in cost estimate just over $15 million and a design/competitive-bid timeline intended to use two summer construction seasons (2026 and 2027).",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6083202,"Boyertown proposes 2025-26 budget built on 3% tax increase; board to consider proposed and final votes in April and May",1259,918000,2177000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2935236-7c9aee9b6c45835bb427339554a982a7&start=918&end=2177","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2935236-7c9aee9b6c45835bb427339554a982a7/thumbnail_918000.jpg","/articles/6083202/Pennsylvania/Boyertown-proposes-2025-26-budget-built-on-3-tax-increase-board-to-consider-proposed-and-final-votes-in-April-and-May","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6083202-bf848b0a8e9a1d12eb5119d9417ffa20/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136784&Signature=IC2cCBiNtqd6EhECWPXfsyukeafqf3raVwUNMYrKyFyn9Dsj8cr-aiPV667BpjNFR1mcgrII-I2My8xbdeVCKqrjyyB05mG~Ff-ZRNo3Grk1wIDBh4e2s0exzovxf9-WxP~8kmAAuza~uC-92duDavh9UfFmoHyyZjiX4OOF9dVkohtMHg2P5ZwkQcdN9vihokS2Sm~PnltGQBUDu5zFvLl4dxYbSeXDcTk4YhGPdlNJfAHt1gtPBU4GRb~HKZTkjj8fj9AyO79p~a0kvrIVI5-BVZb1uGhJUxHYXrDmMVp2ZtkZ~iwBjdoIhAVb8Bb6EdpqdPV8dLfdwmmXER8xew__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mrs. Denicola, the district chief financial officer, presented the proposed 2025-26 general fund budget to the Committee of the Whole on April 8. The administration's preview assumes a 3% local real-estate tax increase and total budgeted revenue of $148,750,131 (local, state and federal) and proposed expenditures of $150,604,017.

Denicola summarized revenue drivers and assumptions: the 3% local real-estate tax increase is included in the proposal; the district budget also assumes Governor Shapiro's proposed Ready to Learn increase of about $1.45 million and includes budgeted federal revenue of $867,154. She said federal sources in 2023-24 were higher than budgeted largely because ESSER funds were still available and noted that federal dollars typically pass through to increased expenditures in the same year.

On expenditures, the proposed budget includes 13.5 new full-time equivalent positions described as \"student-centered\" (examples listed by administration: additional learning support, autistic support, emotional support, counseling positions, a financial literacy position and capacity for two full-day kindergarten positions if the board chooses to pursue that). The proposal also includes a $1-per-hour increase for support staff. Denicola said the 2025-26 proposed expenditures are about $5.79 million higher than the current year and that the tax increase would cover roughly $2.6 million of that, with the remainder expected from state funding increases and planned use of fund balance if required.

The presentation laid out the district's fund balance and constraints: fund balance at 06/30/2024 was reported as $29,150,590 (with $10,908,814 unassigned). Denicola reminded the board that policy limits unassigned fund balance to roughly 8% of budgeted expenditures and that the district would use some assigned/committed balance to support the proposed budget if the state budget differs from current assumptions.

The administration also proposed a district-level property-tax and rent rebate that would mirror state eligibility (household income up to $46,250 and other state criteria). The district proposal would provide a smaller rebate than the state amounts (for example, at the lowest income tier the state rebate maxed historically at $1,000 while the district would propose $250). Denicola estimated issuing about 930 rebates at a projected district cost of $257,750; the board would adopt any rebate by single-year resolution.

Debt and long-term obligations: Denicola and other staff said the district's principal balance on bonds and loans is roughly $81 million and estimated net principal and interest (after state reimbursement) of about $101 million. The district's net pension-related liability (PSERS) remained a major long-term factor.

Next steps: administration recommended the board adopt a proposed general fund budget on April 22 (begin 30-day public inspection) and adopt the final general fund budget on May 27. Denicola said the earlier timeline is intended to give administration time to hire for anticipated positions before the next school year. The board did not vote on the proposed budget at the Committee of the Whole meeting; administration said it will bring motions for the proposed and final budgets and for a one-year resolution on the property-tax and rent rebate at the April 22 legislative meeting.

Why it matters: the proposed budget sets tax and staffing assumptions that will shape personnel decisions and program capacity for the 2025-26 school year and affects taxpayers in the district.","Administration presented a proposed 2025-26 general fund budget that assumes a 3% real-estate tax increase, builds in a modest set of new student-centered positions, includes a proposed district property-tax and rent rebate, and relies partly on fund balance if state revenues fall short.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6083207,"Auditors give Boyertown Area SD a clean opinion for year ended June 30, 2024",758,139000,897000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2935236-7c9aee9b6c45835bb427339554a982a7&start=139&end=897","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2935236-7c9aee9b6c45835bb427339554a982a7/thumbnail_139000.jpg","/articles/6083207/Pennsylvania/Auditors-give-Boyertown-Area-SD-a-clean-opinion-for-year-ended-June-30-2024","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6083207-7b95c859a93b646393223e62394c5db1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136784&Signature=Cel4cTw4I91jfttBYy8i8~TmwXM6iilYWkw7QF~FPZ0BESFKygjW14LhRJDSadeTcPbJN1Tohy42FCOTgVjTeS5px5lid4GsDl52AusrOTvIJOBYtZUB-0eWO1GiccwrPt~j~7FMrEAgg7qWze-rbYITjDn7Cbtow7f58~6Tzy8-eX-Zx6JI3O~opCVO8a-IaZAvUvf3ocE6jy-X0HdNV-lrYw~p7zaZDr9UL~YzGhzsgSxURv94MXQ-eOQYn0HjUZ9rUPaCiGhWCFMSFuydnPOprmlkh8e8TfXopyBPjPoz2e7KYucw8BQsoXL40H7jWO8561yz8Mjgp1qdpyuVLw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jeff Hukwalcek, the district's external auditor, told the Boyertown Area School District Committee of the Whole on April 8 that the firm rendered a clean (unmodified) opinion on the financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2024. \"Based on our testing, we found your financial statements to be, fairly presented, where you're showing what's called a clean or an unmodified opinion on the financial statements,\" Hukwalcek said.

The auditor said the district exceeded budget expectations in several revenue areas that boosted the general fund balance: about $7 million of additions to the general fund were driven largely by higher-than-expected earnings on investments and stronger collections of other taxes. Hukwalcek noted federal program testing under single-audit rules (required because the district expended more than $750,000 in federal funds) included IDEA special-education funding and the child nutrition cluster (National School Lunch and Breakfast programs). \"Our compliance testing identified no deficiency, no material weaknesses, significant deficiencies, or other reportable matters,\" he said.

District leaders and the auditor discussed components that affected the entity-wide presentation, including net pension liability tied to PSERS (the Pennsylvania Public School Employees' Retirement System). Hukwalcek said the district's net pension-related liability remained large (he cited about $163 million as the district's proportionate share) and that the entity-wide net deficit improved by roughly $20 million from the prior year to about $57.8 million as of June 30, 2024.

Board members asked about the auditor's selection of accounts for detailed testing. Hukwalcek described a risk-based approach, interviews, analytical procedures and both haphazard and statistical sampling methodologies; he also said certain balances (tax and state balances) are routinely confirmed.

Why it matters: a clean financial opinion means the auditor found no material misstatements in the district's financial statements and no reportable compliance or internal control issues in the major federal programs tested. That result is typically required by lenders and grants and is material to budget planning and public trust.

The auditor's presentation and the audit report were available in the board's public materials; no formal vote was taken on the audit at the Committee of the Whole meeting. The auditor ended by offering to answer additional questions from board members.","External auditors told the Boyertown Area School District board the district's financial statements \"fairly presented\" its results for the year ending June 30, 2024, and the single-audit tests of federal programs found no reportable deficiencies.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

District presents Guidance 3-39 career-planning plan and three-year special-education plan for board review

Committee reports momentum for full-day kindergarten; administration recommends feasibility study and phased funding

District hears $15 million estimate for Boyertown Elementary HVAC, roof and switchgear project; CHAdewey to return with contract for consideration

Boyertown proposes 2025-26 budget built on 3% tax increase; board to consider proposed and final votes in April and May

Auditors give Boyertown Area SD a clean opinion for year ended June 30, 2024