By Colleen Cochran
Contributing Writer

Following a presentation by students involved in the creation of a makerspace at Avon Grove High School, the Avon Grove School Board members dove into official board business. The meeting began with committee reports. 

Herman Engel, chairperson of the Education Committee, announced that new earth and space science textbooks have been adopted for the 2025-26 school year and that the Avon Grove High School Course Selection Guide has been updated, with input contributed by students and families. He also announced that the Early Childhood Learning Lab, a tuition-based preschool that will utilize high school students as teachers, thus enabling those students to work toward careers in early education, will be open in Sept. 2025.

Operations Committee Chairperson Mike Woodin reported updates on long-range operations plans. The district is responsible to replace the roof at the Fred S. Engle building, a facility the Chester County Intermediate Unit rents, and the projected cost is estimated at $2.2 million. A data-wiring project is underway at Penn London Elementary. The district will cover 50 percent of the costs and E-Rate program funds, a program under the direction of the FCC, will cover the other 50 percent. Also announced was the fact that installation of the turf field at the high school has been completed.

Dorothy Linn, Ed.D., president of the Avon Grove School Board and chairperson of the Committee of the Whole, provided an update on the work of strategic initiative action teams. The teams, comprised of parents, guardians, faculty, and district community members, are working to create a comprehensive plan that outlines the district’s beneficial programs for students that will be submitted, as required, to the Pennsylvania Department of Education on March 28. 

The Profile of a Future Ready Avon Grove Graduate Action Team continues to outline skills students are expected to master by graduation, including core academic knowledge, critical thinking abilities, and communication and collaboration skills. The Future of Learning Action Team is working to foster new approaches to pedagogy, technology integration, and personalized learning. The Connected, Accepted, and Valued team dedicates its efforts to fostering safe, inclusive spaces. The Health and Advocacy Action team is focused on providing evidence-based, targeted support for students in need. The Systems Improvement Action Team is working to improve operational conditions to support student growth, and the Work Force Development Team continues to establish practices that maximize workforce recruitment and retention.

During the budget portion of the Committee of the Whole meeting, Dan Carsley, the district’s director of business administration/CFO, reviewed the 2024-25 budget. He announced that local and state revenues are performing above budget projections. State revenues are particularly high due to an increase in the Ready to Learn block grant.

In his 2025-26 preliminary budget report, he stated the proposed budget expenditures total $121,493,482 million, incorporating a 3 percent tax increase. Use of the fund balance is at $8,620,720 million, and rising personnel costs are driving most of the budget increase and particular challenges are being presented by rising medical insurance costs. 

The Legislative Committee, a committee that meets at the Chester County Intermediate Unit and is comprised of school board members from throughout the county, report was delivered by Chairperson Bill Wood. He described some of the legislative happenings that committee members are closely watching. 

Wood said the Legislative Committee is following state bills that were introduced to mandate cursive writing, require schools to institute Pre-K programs, and expand penalties for anyone who knowingly and falsely reports a terroristic threat to a school.

He said the state senate has indicated its top priority is to institute some sort of school choice or voucher program and the state house has introduced a constitutional amendment which would require all public funds to essentially follow students to the schools of their choice.

Bonnie Wolff, chairperson of the Personnel Committee, a committee that did not meet this month, read two Resolutions of Tribute in honor of two women who played important roles in Avon Grove School District and in the lives of its students. The first was a tribute to Christine Stourgeon who served the district in non-instructional capacities as a substitute, cafeteria worker, cook, and avid supporter of the Avon Grove schools’ sports and activities organizations. The second tribute was dedicated to Dr. Olivia Spencer who served Avon Grove School District from 1998-2006 and had held the position of assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction.

Both Resolutions of Tribute are now included in the official records of the school board, and sealed copies shall be furnished by the appropriate officers to honorees’ families as a mark of board members’ sympathy and respect. 

Acting Superintendent of Schools, Nicole Harvey, Ed. D., in her report, announced that the month of January marks a time of recognition of the Avon Grove School District board members. She lauded the nine members for the countless hours they spend communicating with the community, participating in meetings, and preparing to make complex decisions, all for no monetary compensation.

Dr. Harvey said, “Their compensation comes in the form of seeing that the results of their efforts have a positive impact on learners.”

She went on to give speeches to recognize each board member separately, and these members included Mike Woodin, Ruchira Singh, and Dr. Dorothy Linn from Region 1, Rick Dumont, Nick Taylor, and Ken Roark from Region II, and Herman Engel, Bill Wood, and Bonnie Wolff from Region III. Dr. Harvey also recognized the two student board members, Abigail Hood, a senior, and Erin Harrington, a junior. Gifts for the board members were made by students at the high school’s applied engineering lab.

During the two public comment sectors of the meeting, community speakers implored Avon Grove School Board directors to provide policy in writing to parents, guardians, and students within district schools that reflects President Trump’s recent executive order “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.” This action states in part that “federal employees shall enforce laws governing sex-based rights, protections, opportunities, and accommodations to protect men and women as biologically distinct sexes.” Those speakers wanted assurance that board members would protect the sanctity of single-sex bathrooms, locker rooms, and sports teams.