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Marple Newtown School District committee meeting, Sep 8, 2026

42 min

AI in schools ▶ 7:59Phones in school ▶ 7:59Reading and test scores ▶ 7:59

This board doesn’t post agenda times. Click a board member to jump to where they first speak; we list only members whose voice our check named. Video length 42 min.

  1. Who spoke · first speaks at
  3. Matthew J. BilkerBoard President
What happened

What happened at this meeting

Administration recommends Calendar A, with students ending school June 8, 2028 24:42

  • In the Budget and Finance Committee, a staff member described a plan to renew a lease of 58 buses through 2 separate agreements of 4 and 5 years. 2:19
  • District staff presented the annual achievements and goals report and results of a calendar survey that drew 1,078 responses, then outlined two proposed calendars. 7:59
  • The administration recommended Calendar A, under which school would begin for students on Tuesday, August 31st, and end on Thursday, June 8th, 2028, and staff said the board could vote on it in 2 weeks. 22:51

Until Nov 4, lines where a board member takes a side don't name the member. Why →

Item by item (8)
  1. Opening and pledge 0:00
    • Matthew J. Bilker called the committee meetings to order and said the board had just met in executive session on personnel and legal matters. 0:00
    • A staff member led the Pledge of Allegiance. 0:19
  2. Bills, financial reports and state index 0:41
    • A staff member reviewed the monthly bills for payment and the monthly financial reports for the '26-'27 fiscal year. 0:41
    • The staff member said the Act 1 index for next year was expected to be 3.6%, and that the board would have to decide whether to approve a resolution not to exceed the index or go through the preliminary budget process. 1:20
  3. Bus leasing agreement 2:19
    • A staff member said the district has 79 buses and the motion would renew a lease of 58 buses, split into a 4-year and a 5-year agreement to move toward groups of 29, 29 and 21 vehicles. 2:19
    • Matthew J. Bilker asked how the rates compared with current payments, and the staff member said the numbers presented would be a decrease but could not be finalized until rates are final in May. 4:26
  4. Donation and special education fund agreements 5:07
    • A staff member presented a donation from the Russell PTO and agreements for general special education funds and early intervention funds. 5:07
    • The staff member said the funds decreased by about $50,000 from 2025⁠-⁠2026 because federal money for IDEA funds has decreased. 5:58
  5. Facilities and public comment 6:33
    • Dave Dezzi said there were no facilities agenda items. 6:33
    • Matthew J. Bilker asked whether there was any public comment and then moved to the Curriculum, Instruction, and Technology Committee. 6:41
  6. Curriculum committee motions 6:53
    • A staff member presented a motion to again make PSAT day a senior project workday so 9th, 10th and 11th graders can focus on the test. 6:53
    • The staff member also listed a request to dispose of outdated materials and a book adoption. 7:27
  7. Annual achievements and goals report 7:59
    • A staff member presented achievements at each school level and said the district is in year 2 of a 3-year comprehensive plan and on track to meet its goals. 7:59
    • Matthew J. Bilker asked about the device-free environment at the high school, and a staff member said students place phones in holders during class and the practice is going well. 18:37
    • A staff member said teachers reported being able to teach and that the district has seen a decrease in bullying and some hallway behavior. 20:59
  8. Calendar survey and proposed calendars 22:20
    • A staff member said the calendar survey drew 1,078 responses, with 72.5% satisfied with the September 1st start and 85.4% satisfied with the 4-day holiday. 23:58
    • The staff member said Calendar B, starting Tuesday, September 7th, would require May 16th to be an asynchronous learning day for seniors to reach 180 days, and the administration recommended Calendar A. 31:49
    • One board member said the board used to set the calendar about 6 months before the next school year, that this was not popular, and that the earlier it is done, the better. 38:53

Written by software from the meeting's transcript and checked sentence by sentence against it.

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Video: posted by the district as “MNSD Committee Board Meetings 9-8-2026”