Summer's Heating Up with Exciting District News
As summer brings a welcome reprieve from school, it's a wonderful time for families to connect, relax, and enjoy the season. Amidst this, I have some wonderful updates to share with you this month!
Volume #3 - July 2024
Congratulations, Class of ‘24!
As a school board director, I attended the North and South graduations last month. It was an emotional and rewarding experience to celebrate the accomplishments of our students and see their joy and pride as they embarked on the next chapter of their lives. Congratulations graduates!
"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." - Eleanor Roosevelt
Full-Day Kindergarten: A Historic Milestone for Council Rock
I am thrilled to announce our district's approval of Full-Day Kindergarten (FDK) for the 2025-2026 school year! This long overdue decision brings numerous benefits to our students and community. FDK provides enhanced learning opportunities, allowing for a more balanced and comprehensive curriculum. It enables teachers to offer individualized attention and ensures our children are better prepared for first grade. Moreover, it fosters stronger family engagement, creating a more robust school-community bond. This is a significant achievement for Council Rock, and I couldn’t be more excited for our young learners' future.
I want to acknowledge the hard work of our administration, who diligently researched, reported on, and held discussions about FDK. Additionally, I extend my heartfelt thanks to the community for their valuable input in the FDK survey
Watch the full presentation and visit the Kindergarten Information and Resource Hub for more information.
Education Committee Meeting Highlights
During our May 23rd Education Committee meeting, we covered many important topics. We received a $124,180 Ukrainian Refugee School Impact Grant to support refugee families with resources and a new community liaison. Additionally, we were awarded a $226,882 PCCD Mental Health Grant to continue our partnership with K&S Counseling for K-12 students. We’re exploring a Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) program for grades K-8, and we reviewed BCIU's projected $1.4 million costs. Special education is now a regular agenda item (yay!), and a new Supervisor of Curriculum & Instruction for Special Education will be hired. Lastly, we approved new high school courses and textbooks for the 2025-2026 school year.
For more detailed updates, join us at our next Education Committee meeting on September 26 at 7 pm at the Chancellor Center.
Other Highlights
In our recent board meeting, we were delighted to extend Dr. Sanko's contract, ensuring continued strong leadership for our district. Additionally, the board approved the budget for the upcoming school year, which focuses on maintaining and enhancing our educational programs and services.
This budget includes several key points:
Sustainable Funding: Ensures we can continue to provide high-quality education.
Tax Relief for Seniors: Offers provisions for senior citizens to apply for tax relief, helping to alleviate financial burdens. Seniors who qualify for the PA tax rebate program (income limit raised to $45k) can receive an additional match from Council Rock. For more details on the PA tax rebate for seniors and to check eligibility, click here.
Responsible Tax Increase: The administration has proposed a 2.64% tax increase, significantly lower than the maximum allowable increase of 5.3% in Pennsylvania. This careful planning helps us balance necessary funding with the financial concerns of our residents.
Future Preparations: Allocates funds for increasing debt service to prepare for upcoming renovations at our high schools and other buildings.
New and Continued Positions: We are adding new positions, including a math specialist, middle school hall monitors, a STEAM teacher, and an ELD specialist. We will also continue financing positions previously funded through the ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund) established in the CARES Act.
We are committed to advancing our district while considering the financial well-being of our entire community. Thank you for your continued support.
For details, watch the budget presentation by Council Rock’s director of business administration from the most recent school board meeting.
July Meetings
Monday, July 1: Policy Committee
Thursday, July 11: Finance/Facilities Committee
Thursday, July 18: Board of School Directors
All meetings are held at 7 PM in the Chancellor Street Building (30 Chancellor Street, Newtown, PA).
Wishing everyone a joyful and restful summer!
NOTE: The opinions expressed in this newsletter are not official statements made on behalf of the entire Council Rock school board or Council Rock administration. It is for informational purposes, and responses or inquiries cannot be made in an official school district manner.