Kathy Alston

The meeting commenced with the election of a temporary president, where Autumn Anderson was nominated and subsequently elected. Following this, the certificates of election for newly elected school directors—Brian Carter, Roslin Copeland, Annie Hughes, Jamie Johnson, and Danielle Robinson—were read, and the oath of office was administered to them. The board then proceeded to elect the president, with Roslin Copeland receiving a majority vote and being duly elected. Subsequently, the board elected Autumn Anderson as the vice president. Finally, the board approved the 2026 school board meeting calendar as an immediate action item before adjourning the meeting.

The meeting focused primarily on the presentation and subsequent approval of the 2025-2026 amended budget. Key discussion points included recognizing additional state funds, specifically $7.4 million from the adequacy supplement related to the fair funding lawsuit, which will be added to the foundation funding. Decreases in revenue were noted, including a $400,000 loss in interest earnings due to delayed state subsidies, lower-than-anticipated IDA allocations, and a reduction in special education subsidy. The impact of state budget negotiations on the district's finances was emphasized. Expenditure adjustments included costs for unplanned repairs at the Scott School (water main break, electrical issues), funding for security upgrades across buildings, bus driver raises and route changes, and expenses for dual enrollment transportation (CAT passes). A significant estimated decrease of $4.2 million was attributed to changes in cyber charter school tuition rates following school code revisions. The board also discussed updates on federal funding, including less Title One funding for CSI schools, and funding allocations for CTE program launches and professional development initiatives.

The meeting commenced with the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence in remembrance of a student who passed away. The board reviewed and approved the minutes from the December 2nd, 2025 reorganization meeting and the December 2nd, 2025 general business meeting, removing one agenda item concerning an appointment to the board prior to approving the final agenda for the January 13, 2026 meeting. The main portion of the session featured a presentation from Effective School Solutions (ESS) representatives regarding their partnership for mental health services. The presentation covered the scope of ESS support across Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 services, including clinical programming and professional development coaching for staff. Data for Marking Period One indicated significant positive outcomes, such as a 100% improvement or maintenance in student attendance metrics. ESS also shared qualitative success stories, including a student making a complete turnaround from intensive support to being on track for discharge, and positive feedback from teachers and principals regarding the impact of the coaching framework on teacher retention and practice.

The special meeting of the Harrisburg City School District Board of School Directors was convened to review options for the William Penn campus. The discussions included the current status of the William Penn property, which has faced issues such as arson, vandalism, and lack of insurance. The board considered various options, including a task force proposal for a career technical center, maintaining the status quo, demolishing the building, and subdividing the land for sale. The financial implications of each option were discussed, including renovation costs, capital investments, and annual operating costs. The need for community partnerships and careful financial management was emphasized, given the district's recent exit from financial recovery and existing debt burden.

The meeting included recognitions and presentations. Highlights included the Harrisburg Mighty Cougars football champions, the Harrisburg Cougar marching band's participation in the city's holiday parade, and Ben Franklin Elementary School students at the city's treelighting ceremony. Roland Academy was congratulated for completing the Governor's School Breakfast Challenge. Champions of Hope were recognized for their support of grieving children. The Harrisburg School District's business office exposed high school students to careers in business administration. The Harrisburg High School's NJRTC unit held its first award ceremony, and the homecoming court was recognized at the Pennsylvania State Capital. Donations to the school district were acknowledged, including support for the adopt a classroom fundraiser and an inkind donation from the Pennsylvania Regional Ballet for Nutcracker performances. Various organizations were thanked for Thanksgiving donations. Harrisburg High School student Lewis Dillard was honored by Omega Sci-Fi Fraternity.