Maren Bhalla

The meeting included presentations on achievements at the high school, including National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists. Student representatives reported on fall sports and Hispanic Heritage Month. Committee reports covered personnel matters, finance, and curriculum items, including curriculum mapping resources, health and PE curriculum, textbook disposal, and field trip requests. A significant portion of the meeting focused on the new school building project, including a review of design alternatives and bid results. Reports were also given on the Phoenixville Community Education Foundation, Chester County Intermediate Unit, Legislative Committee, and Phoenixville Public Library. The Superintendent's report included thanks for the ELD night. Public comment included a question about turf field sanitization. The meeting concluded with approvals of personnel, finance, curriculum items, and policy updates, as well as the approval of the new school construction project.

The strategic plan for Phoenixville Area School District focuses on fostering an inclusive, student-focused learning environment with community partnerships. Key areas of focus include expanding equity, inclusion, and belonging to families and community members; reducing competing initiatives to enhance math performance; and providing meaningful professional learning opportunities for staff. The plan aims to improve student outcomes, strengthen community engagement, and enhance staff satisfaction through targeted strategies and resource allocation.

The committee reviewed and recommended approval of personnel actions (resignations, appointments, leaves, and volunteers) and business office items, including the disbursement of school district funds for August 2023 and the receipt of district financial reports for the same period. Discussion items included monthly bank statements for August 2023 from various banks, covering accounts such as money market, business banking, student activities, and capital reserve funds. An executive session was held regarding the sale of the Kindergarten and East Pikeland property.

The meeting included discussions on personnel matters, including hiring and staff changes; building and grounds updates, such as the greenhouse project, modular classrooms, and fieldhouse; policy committee updates, including new and updated policies; a review of the Act 34 hearing; board representative reports; the superintendent's report, which covered district classification, school start dates, and facility updates; the board president's report, focusing on the sale of the Kindergarten Center and negotiations with the borough council; and open public comment periods. A key decision involved extending the due diligence period for the purchase of the Kindergarten Center.

The meeting reviewed and recommended updates to several policies, including Policy 006 (Meetings), Policy 216.1 (Supplemental Discipline Records), and Policy 251 (Students Experiencing Homelessness, Foster Care, and other Educational Instability). Discussions also covered Policy 202.1 (Foreign Exchange Students) and Policy 203.1 (HIV Infection), with suggestions to add verbiage to the website regarding foreign exchange applications and to potentially combine or eliminate Policy 203.1 due to its overlap with Policy 314.1. No discussion or information items were noted.