The WSSD board held its regularly scheduled meeting on May 24, the video is available on Youtube and the agenda and documentation is on BoardDocs. The meeting was shorter than average, with only a single, short focus topic.

Student representative report

• SRS received thanks from the AHA for its heart challenge event.
• WES is collecting shoes in the lobby for its spring citizenship project.
• NPE is finalizing book selections with the DEI community for use in the classroom next year as part of its teaching tolerance program.
• As it was her final report, the student representative gave an overview of the student council’s major activities over the past year. Elections for next year’s student council officers is underway.

Superintendent report

• The superintendent gave an update on Covid statistics and mitigation measures. The CDC and Chester County Health Department updated recommendations. Rules for quarantining have been relaxed for individuals who are fully vaccinated and show no symptoms. Masks will still be required except for middle and high school students engaged in athletics. Plans are still up in the air for the fall, but current plans are for all students to return to in person education.
• Springfield pharmacy and volunteers from the community ran the second vaccination clinic at the schools giving high schoolers their second shots and middle schoolers their first.
• There were two donations, a piano for the music program and Giant contributed to the food services program.
• 32 policy changes previously introduced were given a further reading with only 1 change from before.
• The school band performed and several student athletes and teams are participating in state and regional finals.
• Litigation continues over King Field with both sides presenting additional documentation in the coming weeks before the judge will rule on the case.

Focus topic

The budget was given another reading and the proposed final budget was moved ahead for a final approval expected on June 28th. There seemed to be only minor updates from the previous budget shared two weeks ago.

Other

• The board passed routine business with 9-0 votes. Matt Sullivan asked if the school had considered a greener alternative for its diesel bus fleet, but there was no further discussion.
• Larry Kutys was appointed board treasurer for another year, Mary Figura was appointed board secretary for another year. New board member Mary Jo Witkowski-Smith was appointed to the DEI and policy committees. The board re-appointed 3 year term DCIU board members, WSSD’s board member appears to be Larry Kutys.

Public comments

Two called in public comments highlighted the problems with the CDCs sudden change in guidance and demonstrated confusion over the new guidance.

A community member from here in Garden City spoke in person directing hateful, misleading statements at the board. Unfortunately, the board did not seek to correct these damaging lies. This community is currently on the edge of the needed vaccination rates to move past the pandemic, and this public comment revealed the challenges that lie ahead in defeating misinformation.