Support Warwick Schools

🔔Reminder: tomorrow night is the August Voting meeting for Warwick School Board.

➡️One agenda item is the discussion and selection of a firm to support the search for a new superintendent.

The full agenda with the Livestream link can be found here👇
https://www.warwicksd.org/website/board-documents.php

Warwick families received this communication today. 👇

This week, the school board heard presentations from 3 firms offering services to help with the search for a new superintendent:
▪️PSBA: PA School Boards Association
▪️Templeton Advatage, LLC
▪️Albert Educational Consulting
Check out the recordings of these presentations on the district website

The board will discuss the firms and plans to hold a vote to hire one at the August Voting meeting on Aug. 20th

A special voting meeting and Committee of the Whole were also held last night. Minutes should be available soon, but here are some updates:

👮One of the School Security Officers has resigned after just one year at Warwick

📌Resignations from the Education Committee and Student Activities Committee were approved

2️⃣ Coordinator of Student Services positions were filled from within the district

✅️ The Target School Improvement Plan was pre-approved as Warwick continues to monitor the impact of interventions in that plan

Policy Reviews included
🚬 222 & 323 To***co and Va**ng Products
💊227 & 351 Controlled substances and paraphernalia/substance abuse
🏫 707 Use of School Facilities
📁 801 Public Records - where it was noted changes would define how the district determines that a request is legitimate and clarify when the district can deny a request from an anonymous requestor or a person whose identity cannot be confirmed.

☑️ Several service contracts were approved and can be found in the meeting agenda or minutes

🥏Student Activities meeting will be held this Thursday at 6pm

🗓The voting meeting is on 8/20/24

Meetings are in the Middle School Auditorium this month.

☀️It's August already!

🗓Here is the meeting schedule for this month.

📌Take note of the meeting added Aug 5 for PSBA's presentation about supporting the superintendent search.

Head to the district website for agendas and live stream links

⚠️Reminder: If you are interested in serving on a Warwick School Board committee, applications are due tomorrow for the vacancies.
📄 A cover letter and resume can be sent to the superintendent's office.

📌Also, take note that firms under consideration to assist with the superintendent search will now deliver presentations to the board over 2️⃣ days in August.

Info about the committee vacancies and the presentation schedule can be found on the district website.

Last night Warwick School Board held itsJuly Voting Meeting.

All Board members were present except for the Board President

(A full set of notes can be found on our website soon and official meeting minutes and a meeting recording are available on the District site now)

Here are some highlights:

Superintendent Updates
✅️Dr. Steve Szobocsan was named Acting Superintendent
❗️It was made clear that serving as the Acting Superintendent means that Dr. Szobocsan will not be considered for the permanent position
❓️A board Member asked Dr. Szobocsan to state how he will manage the role given his wife’s position in administration
🅰️ Dr. Calender will be responsible for supervision of Dr. Kristy Szobocsan

✅️A stipend agreement to compensate the District CFO for additional duties until a Superintendent is hired was approved.

👩🏽‍🏫Staffing - A full list of staffing changes can be found in the Meeting agenda or minutes posted on the District website
🎉The retirement of Robert Sperry HS Math teacher at the end of the 24/25 school year was approved

⛔️Resignations at the following positions were approved:
Assistant Principal at Bonfield and John Beck HS Emotional Support
Speech and Language Pathologist for WMS and John Beck
HS Family and Consumer Science
6th Grade at Kissel Hill

☑️A new hire for WMS Assistant Principal was approved

🔄 Several changes of status were approved for staff moving from one position to another within the district.

2️⃣ policy 2nd reads were approved including the addition of the Halls of Honor attachment to Policy 715

📝A Memo of Understanding was approved for the MH screening to be provided at the MS and HS by TeenHope

❌️Board Committees did not meet in July

⚖️ A brief legislative update was given higlighting recent Title IX challenges in other states & that the State Budget was passed recently.
🤐No information was reviewed about the increase in funding to public schools including Warwick via the new budget.

August will be a much busier month with more committee meetings held and presentations expected from consultants for the Superintendent search so stay tuned!

⏰️Don't forget applications to serve on board committees are due July 31!

🚨Reminder there are several committee openings for Warwick School Board that are open to community members

Attention Community:

We have openings on the following committees:
- Building & Properties Committee (1)
- Education Committee (1)
- Finance & Legal Committee (2)

The deadline to apply is July 31st.

For more information, please visit our website: https://www.warwicksd.org/website/news.php?id=3532

📢Reminder that tomorrow is the July Voting meeting for Warwick School Board

‼️The agenda includes several staffing updates, including:
▪️Interim Superintendent
▪️HS Assistant Principal
▪️Elementary Assistant Principal
▪️HS Emotional Support

Find the full list in the agenda here⬇️:
https://www.warwicksd.org/website/board-documents.php

📣Warwick families just received this communication.

👤An interim superintendent has been named and the vote to confirm his appointment will take place at the July Voting Meeting on 7/16/24

🙋🏼‍♀️🙋🏿‍♂️Want to lend your knowledge and talents to supporting Warwick School District?

There are 4️⃣ current opportunities to join a board committee as a community representative.

✅️ Many of the recommendations that get voted on each month come through these committees, so they are a great way to serve the district and its students.

📨 To apply, send a letter of interest and resume to the Superintendent's Office by 7/31/24

You can learn more on the district website⬇️
https://www.warwicksd.org/website/news.php?id=3532

⏰️Tomorrow! ⏰️

Come write some postcards for public education with us!

PEAL - Public Education Advocates of Lancaster County will supply the postcards you bring your best handwriting and some messages about why public education is important to YOU!🫵

Last night, the June Voting Meeting for Warwick School Board was held.

Here are the highlights but, for a detailed summary of this and past meetings head to our website⬇️ https://www.supportwarwickschools.org/resources/category/School+Board+Meetings

Prior to the meeting, the board president informed the public that an executive session was held 6/14/24 for personnel matters and that Dr. Hershey requested to be excused for tonight's meeting. Read on for more about Dr. Hershey.

See the meeting minutes or agenda on the district website for a full list of staffing updates, but here are some notable ones:
🎉The retirement of 6th grade teacher at JRB, Bob Locker.
🏋🏽‍♂️He will remain a district volunteer strength and conditioning coach.

👏Congratulations are in order for Megan Demianovich for her promotion to Coordinator of Student Services

Tenure status for 1️⃣0️⃣ staff members

‼️Dr. Hershey was listed for approval as a district volunteer, which is typical for staff leaving or retiring from the district who want to remain volunteers.
Board members discussed concerns that it would be 'healthier' to delay this vote until after a new superintendent is named and can weigh in on this.

❌️Despite the dissent of the board leadership and 2 other board members they voted 5-4 to not approve Dr. Hershey as a district volunteer at this time and may reconsider with the new Superintendent's input.

💰The 24-25 Budget was approved including a 0.75% tax increase

📑Committee reports were sparse because most did not meet in June. We'll cover the legislative updates in a separate post but they are included in the full summary on our site.

🔍At the end of the meeting, the board president shared that they are working to identify an acting or interim superintendent, but it is too early to share this info with the public.

➡️ She also noted that the August Committee of the Whole meeting will include presentations from PSBA and Templeton Advatage about how their services may help the district in finding a new superintendent.

During public comment, one board member read a written statement of apology for his comments overhead on a microphone during a break during the May Voting Meeting. The other two board members involved did not participate in the statement.

🗓 There is no COW meeting in July, so the next meeting is likely the July Voting meeting on 7/16/24

School Board Meetings — News & Resources | Support Warwick Schools News & Resources Warwick in the News 17 School Board Meetings 7 Video 2 SWS Press 14 Action Center 3 School Board Meetings, Video Erin Gibson 6/4/24 School Board Meetings, Video Erin Gibson 6/4/24 [VIDEO] June 2024: COW, Committee & Voting Meeting Summaries Read More School Board Meetings, Video Eri...

⏰️Reminder that tonight is the June Voting Meeting⏰️

💰The agenda includes approval of the 24/25 Budget

👂🏽We'll be listening for any updates on the search for a new Superintendent.

Find the agenda on the district website:
https://www.warwicksd.org/website/board-documents.php

If you can't make it in person here's the
Livestream Link:
https://youtube.com/live/1sUWlzCQaZw?feature=share

🌞 School may be out but the month of June is turning out to be HUGE for public school funding, policy and local leadership.

Bring your favorite 🖊 and meet us at this postcard event presented by our friends PEAL - Public Education Advocates of Lancaster County

✍️We are pleased to sponsor this event where you'll meet other public education supporters and use our collective voice to advocate on behalf of public education!

👋This event is for any Lancaster County school district so invite a friend!

For more details see the event: https://facebook.com/events/s/postcards-for-public-schools-s/980060617005647/

📬 Can't make it but want to participate? Head to the event link above for info on how to get some post cards to do on your own!

📣The June Voting Meeting for Warwick School Board is posted.

⬇️You can access it from the district site:
https://www.warwicksd.org/website/board-documents.php

🔍While the naming of a new or interim superintendent is absent on the agenda, it does include:
👨🏽‍🏫 some notable staff changes
🏫 a vote on updates to Policy 715 Honoring and Naming Rights
💰 A vote on the 24/25 budget with tax increase
📚 vote on 3 sociology textbooks

📍Looks like the meeting will be in the Middle School Auditorium again
@ 7pm 6/18/24

See you there!

If you've been following along, you know that the legislative updates given at board meetings are, well, SPARSE.

🔦Often, they are non-existant and there was that one time board members referred to State legislators as 'the knuckleheads in Harrisburg.'

Well, those 'knuckleheads' have been BUSY and this week and we are asking you to be busy too! ☎️💻🖊

Here's a recap:
PA'S educational funding was determined to be unconstitutional by a judge who required legislators to fix it.

At the same time, PA's State budget had a big surplus -- a HUGE one.

So, for the past year, there have been listening sessions around the state, and A LOT of work has gone into outlining a new education budget, which Governor Shapiro included in the proposed State budget.

🎉Yesterday, that work resulted in the passage of SB 2370 out of our State House by a vote of 107-94!

As currently written, this bill would use some of the budget surplus to do 3️⃣ important things to fund PA Schools fairly over the next 7️⃣ years:
1. Increase the per student funding in general
2. Provide an adequacy adjustment for poorly funded districts
3. Provide a tax equity supplement to districts that spend higher on schools through a high property tax.

But wait, there's more!
🔍The bill also calls for some much needed financial oversight of cyber charter schools AND it caps the per student amount that districts are required to provide when a student enrolls in a cyber charter.

The info sheet below from PA Schools Work projects what funding changes Warwick *could* see if the current bill is passed.
However, there is another hurdle to go ➡️ SB 2370 is headed to the PA senate.

Please consider taking a few moments out of your week to contact State Senator Ryan Aument about this important vote and remind him that Warwick students are counting on him to approve the funding without adding costly vouchers that would drain districts of the additional funding SB2370 provides.
☎️717-787-4420 (Harrisburg) 717-627-0036 (Lititz)
📧 [email protected]
🖊 - stay tuned for details on a post card writing event we're sponsoring with our friends at PEAL - Public Education Advocates of Lancaster County

Last night Warwick School Board held 3️⃣ meetings:

First, Finance & Legal Committee
💰A Final Budget review for 24/25 was presented in this meeting and in the COW meeting

🎤In public comment, the committee heard from a community member that challenged the planned tax increase in the proposed budget.

Special Voting Meeting - 7pm
8️⃣ board members were present while the board VP was absent without explanation to the public.

The meeting began with 3️⃣0️⃣ public comments in recognition of Superintendent April Hershey in anticipation of her resignation under agenda item #4.
Speakers included:
👩🏻‍🎓Current Warwick students and recent graduates recognizing Dr. Hershey for her presence at extracurricular activities and for her accessibility to students
👨‍👨‍👧‍👧Warwick parents expressing gratitude for Dr. Hershey’s leadership and impact on their student’s education
❤️🖤 The pastor of WHS’s neighboring congregation St. Paul’s who acknowledged Dr. Hershey for her leadership and compassion during a time of immense loss
📚The former Lititz Public Library Director who recognized Dr. Hershey for her leadership outside of school in various community arenas
👩🏽‍🏫Current staff - many of whom read the same statement which can be found in the comments.

The board went on to vote without comment or recognition to approve Dr. Hershey’s resignation effective June 30, 2024.

Prior to adjourning the meeting, an assistant superintendent gave a statement of apology to the community for comments from 3 board members that were heard over the recording of the May Voting Meeting.
🤐To date, no such acknowledgment has come from board leadership.
Dr. Calender closed her statement in recognition of Dr. Hershey’s contributions and leadership.

The Student Representative to the Board also gave a heartfelt statement in thanks to Dr. Hershey.

When the community in attendance stood to acknowledge Dr. Hershey after these comments, board members hesitated to stand as well.
📸When board members finally joined the audience to stand, still one board member did not stand up.
A link to the meeting recording can be found in the comments and we encourage you to view this for yourself.

June Committee of the Whole took place immediately after

Changes to Policy 137.2 requested by the Board President were reviewed and will be voted on in the June Voting Meeting

A Walls of Honor attachment to Policy 715 was reviewed with no planned changes to allow for naming of property after living honorees.

🗓The next meeting will be the June Voting Meeting at 7pm on 6/18/24.

A new or interim superintendent must be named by July 1, 2024.

3️⃣ Board meetings tonight for Warwick:
✴️6pm - Finance & Legal in the District Office conference room

✴️7pm COW & Special Voting Meeting - in the Middle School Auditorium
Sign up to speak by *3:30pm* to share thanks or support for Dr. Hershey OR to let the board know what you expect to see in the search process for the new Superintendent.

➡️Agendas can be found here: https://www.warwicksd.org/website/board-documents.php

➡️Livestream Link for COW and Special Voting:
https://youtube.com/live/_IPl29ZeMLY?feature=share

The June Board meeting schedule and next week's Committee of the Whole and Special Voting Meeting agendas are up on the district website here:
https://www.warwicksd.org/website/board-documents.php

‼️Please take note that after directly stating her opposition to contracting with the ILC, the Special Voting Meeting Agenda includes Superintendent April Hershey's resignation.

🚨The full recording of last night's board meeting is available on the district website for the next 30 days 👇

May 2024 Board Meeting For those who cannot attend in person

A full meeting recap will come on our SWS website, but for now, we would like to share some observations on last evening's comments and meeting:
🔦 We know it's hard to feel anything but disappointment right now, but there are some very courageous individuals who spoke last night and they deserve to be recognized:
1️⃣ First and always foremost, current students of Warwick who made clear that the controversy over bathrooms and books is NOT their issue and they have very real concerns within the school that are not being addressed by this board.
🎓The members of the class of 2020, who lost so much in their final year at Warwick and continue to thrive. Many of them honored their classmates who did not get to embark on the next chapter in life with them. ❤️🖤
👨‍🏫The former and current educators of Warwick who made clear that they do not support the vote to contract with the ILC, and they just want to do their jobs with love and compassion for every student.
🏘The 30 business owners of downtown Lititz who lent their names to a statement on how this decision impacts our small town atmosphere and economy.
🌈 The LGBTQIA+ members of our community who reminded us that they are here, they love this community, and they will not be silent.
🐻 The parents of LGBTQIA+ children who demonstrated their fearless and unconditional love in the face of fear.
⛪️The members of a strong and loving faith community who called upon our board to show compassion to our most vulnerable students.
And, the many other community members who sat through an hours long public comment period to voice their opposition to this contract with ILC only to be told that they just need to trust the board as they voted unanimously to approve the contract with ILC.

You can read our full joint statements delivered last night in the comments here.

💻If the district posts a recording, we will be sure to share and encourage you to review it.

https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/warwick-school-board-votes-unanimously-to-add-religious-rights-law-firm-independence-law-center/article_38c85a2a-17e5-11ef-b912-ff1ca5e5c5d6.html?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1SzluEj6DKxEzzTIFhsG4YdbadtpAqSAOTlwvPhbe0h89t8JkeUq2_BFw_aem_AbLkXGtHoPxvcnJGqX3kbcGrb15RwHdCiphU1XAG11LVgbGmJzQAQwRgl6-k_wIzDWnQ97PQJGmCuQgNaYSE3pOu

Warwick School board votes unanimously to add religious rights law firm Independence Law Center Warwick School District’s nine-member board voted unanimously Tuesday to hire a religious liberties law firm — the Independence Law Center — to advise the district on its response to new

‼️Despite numerous, powerful and well-crafted statements against the ILC- including a direct statement against this contract from Dr. Hershey the Warwick School Board has just voted to approve the contract.

⏰️Warwick School Board will vote tonight on retaining the Independence Law Center.

✴️ Please take note of the location of the meeting in the ➡️Middle School Auditorium - doors open at 6:30pm

You can find the agenda with the Livestream Link and a link to the contract with the ILC👇
https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:cec1bfd2-5538-4a0d-a9e0-0c60bac2445b

The Board Agenda for Next Tuesday is posted on the website. https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:123eb737-7497-40fb-8d5a-74f9868717c5

‼️ Two important things:
1️⃣ A ready to sign contract between the Independence Law Center and Warwick School Board is linked under Agenda Item #8

2️⃣ The meeting location is listed as the *Middle School Auditorium* at 7pm.

Want to see what one of Warwick's solicitors had to say recently about Title IX updates?

One of our solicitors guidance to nearby CV is discussed here:

Conestoga Valley again drops talks of changing policy concerning transgender student-athletes Conestoga Valley School District’s board has again dropped discussion of changing its athletic policy to prohibit transgender student-athletes from competing on teams that correspond with their gender identity.

Last night, the Warwick School Board held 3️⃣ meetings.

Cindy attended Finance & Legal Committee, where the general budget and Food Services budget were reviewed:

🍳 Participation in the district's free breakfast program has increased from 9 to 48%

(Remember this program receives state funding outside of the state education budget to provide breakfast at no cost to families.)

👨🏾‍🍳Ongoing vacancies in the food service department were discussed that relate to increased starting wage proposals that were shared with the board later in the evening.

🎉 The price for school lunches will remain the same next year.

📝The committee will recommend retaining the auditing firm that it has worked with for over 10 years.

Then the full Board held a Special Voting Meeting followed by the Committee of Whole.

Cindy, Kellye and Kimberly attended.

WGAL and LNP were also present.

Here is a recap, including updates on proposed changes to district legal counsel and library policy and community response:

❤️🖤 The meetings opened with a moment of silence for retired Warwick educator and coach Maurice Blose, who passed away recently. Our thoughts are with his family.

Staffing updates can be found in the Special Voting Meeting Agenda

👨‍🏫 Assistant HS principal Mark Stuckey’s resignation was approved.

✅️ The District's Special Education Plan was approved.

Moving on to Committee of the Whole:

📑The board reviewed a policy that was just approved last year at the request of the Board president who was on the board when the policy was approved.

She would like to revisit the policy limit that Home Education students can participate in ¼ of the school day which typically amounts to 1 class depending on the grade level so that Home Education students can participate in more time in the school day.

District Administration noted that there are financial and staffing implications to consider but they will draft some updates to possibly make the equivalent of 2 classes a day available per the policy.

💰The budget was reviewed again as final approval will be sought next month.

Information was presented that indicated the .75% tax increase will be mostly offset for median value homes (in the low to mid $200s) by the Property Tax Relief Act commonly referred to as the Homestead Farmstead Act that taxpayers can use to reduce property taxes.

Those with homes above the median value and those with property that don't qualify for the Property Tax Relief Act will experience the increase more.

🪧 The sponsorship program updates were reviewed that allow businesses to have their logo placed on district property like scoreboards or purchase advisements at district events.

🧱 A Walls of Honor process was presented. This was requested by the board recently when naming petitions were discussed for the field house and auditorium.

This process would not replace the current Naming and Honoring Rights policy but would be an additional opportunity to recognize individuals for their contributions to the district with a plaque and ceremony at the field house or in the auditorium.

The naming requests for the turf field and the auditorium remain undressed.

📚 The board discussed changes to the Library Policy (109.1) that was approved last year by the prior board including 4 current board members.

This policy also includes the Library Materials Review Committee, which reviews all newly purchased titles and shares information to the public about new books.

We heard that the Board VP would like to discontinue the Library Materials Review Committee as do several other board members.

🗣 Just one board member questioned how that might limit community input received through that Committee.

🤐 A recommendation from the library materials review committee on improving its process to address concerns about which books received “no” votes made in the Committee’s last meeting was not mentioned until public comment by Kimberly.

Other changes to the Library Policy suggested by board members include:

👨🏼‍⚖️ Making the board the final step in the Book Challenge process.

This is the process by which parents can ask for a book to be considered for removal from the school library.

0️⃣ The board president revealed that this process has not been used since the policy was put in place - meaning that parents have not been moved to bring forth book challenges under the current process.

The board president also indicated that the current policy already allows the board to overturn a decision to keep a challenged book by a ⅔ vote.

📑Implementing an Opt In process where parents would give permission for students to access library books with certain topics.

The prior board considered an Opt In process over several meetings last year but did not include it in the current library policy after concerns were shared about the logistics of needing to categorize all library books based on certain content areas as well as the logistics and financial burden of obtaining, tracking and maintaining Opt In forms.

🔍Board oversight of classroom libraries. A board member expressed concerns about what books a student might access from classroom libraries maintained by trained, board approved Warwick teachers.

👉An important point about the discussions about changes to the Library Policy is that board members do not all agree on the above suggestions and some did not comment at all. Your input on these topics is meaningful and now is the time to share your thoughts as they consider changing policy 109.1

That brings us to the ILC.

👤Only the Board VP spoke about the ILC and he clearly supports them.

📃 First he acknowledged that the board received a lot of communication about the meeting with ILC - both against it and supportive.

9️⃣ He noted that the meeting with ILC was to gather information as the board considers retaining ILC as a special counsel related to updated guidance on Title IX.

➕️ He stated ILC will not replace the 2 district solicitors but would be additional counsel.

⁉️ He expressed confidence that he could contain ILCs input in a way that does not put the district at risk legally.

‼️ Finally, he indicated that in the May Voting Meeting, the Board WILL VOTE on whether to retain Independence Law Center as special counsel.

Then there was public comment:

2️⃣5️⃣ speakers in total gave passionate, well thought out statements clearly opposing ILC involvement in Warwick. Speakers represented many perspectives among them:

Current district parents and grandparents Retired and current district faculty

Former Warwick Superintendent, John George

Several people who expressed firm Christian beliefs, with several pastors among them

Members of the Library Materials Review Committee and the Education Committee

The Warwick Education Association president

Thanks to all who spoke on this topic or to make sure Warwick staff, librarians, and LGBTQ+ students and families know they are supported and belong.

🗓 Please consider making your own thoughts known to the board before or at the May Voting Meeting on 5/21/24.

Those efforts made a difference last night and will continue to be meaningful as the board approaches a vote on retaining ILC.

Thanks for reading or sharing this update for more info, head to the official meeting minutes posted on the district website.

Board meeting is over. Recap to come but for now there's this from WGAL.
https://www.wgal.com/article/lancaster-county-warwick-school-district-considers-change-to-library-policy/60725090

‼️The board will vote on whether to retain Independence Law Center as a special counsel in the next voting meeting on May 21, 2024.

They are considering changes to the library policy:
Possible changes mentioned tonight:
🚫Eliminating the Library Materials Review Committee
🔍Giving the board ultimate authority over book challenges
📚Limiting classroom libraries
🖋Going to an OPT IN policy for library books where parents would sign permission for books with certain topics.

School district considers change to library policy At least one board member wants to have more of a say in what books are allowed instead of leaving the decision up to a review committee.

⏰️Tonight, the Warwick School Board will hold 3 meetings with very important agenda items.

First at 6pm Finance & Legal Committee will meet. (No livestream)

Then, at 7pm, Special Voting and COW meetings will be held.
‼️This is where the public will hear what involvement the board intends to have with Independence Law Center AND it's your chance to ask questions and give your input.

🪑If you plan to attend in-person, arrive early for a seat.

💻The live stream link to watch from home can be found in the agenda as well as instructions to sign up to speak.

🚨Next week's Committee of the Whole agenda and a Special Voting Meeting Agenda are up on the district website. 🚨

📑With a packed agenda featuring:
The Library Policy
Library Materials Review Committee
Budget
Naming Policy
AND a discussion of additional legal counsel on the agenda this is a don't miss meeting for those who want to get/stay informed.

👉Here is the link to where you can find the agenda and recent meeting minutes
https://www.warwicksd.org/website/board-documents.php