Centennial School District — Transcript
Tuesday, September 30, 2025
School Bus Safety Technology Partnership
Centennial School District Financial Audit (2023-2024)
CDL Bus Driver Wage Increase
Special Education Student Placements
Personnel Appointments and Job Description Updates
Board Conduct and Civility
Votes (13)
Approval of Personnel Agenda (General)
Dissent: None
Moved by Mr. Godson [0:23:36] · Seconded by Mrs. Quasen [0:23:59]
The board approved a comprehensive personnel agenda covering various actions such as terminations, resignations, new employments, leaves of absence, changes of status, mentor teacher designations, tenure awards, and co-curricular club additions, changes, and deletions. One specific item, the Executive Director of Student Services, was pulled for a separate vote.
Appointment of Executive Director of Student Services (Dr. Heather Hopkins)
Dissent: Mrs. Crossson [0:24:45] voted 'No'.
Moved by Mr. Godson [0:24:26] · Seconded by Mrs. Quasen [0:23:59] (implicit as part of 3.1 split)
This specific appointment was separated from the general personnel agenda for an individual vote. Following its approval, the new Executive Director of Student Services, Dr. Heather Hopkins, and the new Supervisor of Special Education, Dr. Joshua Fineberg, were introduced to the board and community, highlighting their distinguished career paths and diverse experiences.
Appointment of Adam Matthysse to Citizen Policy Committee
Dissent: None
Moved by Mr. Godson [0:26:15] · Seconded by Mr. Ginhardt [0:26:41]
The board approved the appointment of Adam Matthysse to represent Region 2 on the Citizen Policy Committee.
Settlement Agreement for Student 26-5 (Springtime School)
Dissent: None
Moved by Mr. Godson [0:27:18] · Seconded by Mrs. Carson [0:27:52]
The board approved a settlement agreement for student 26-5 to attend the Springtime School for the 2025-2026 school year and the summer 2026 extended school year. The district's cost for this placement is not to exceed $147,337.76, fulfilling the provision of a free appropriate public education (FAPE).
Service and Tuition Agreement for Student 19-6 (Martin Luther School)
Dissent: None
Moved by Mr. Godson [0:28:23] · Seconded by Mr. Ginhard [0:28:44]
The board approved a service and tuition agreement for student 19-6 with Martin Luther School. The annual cost is set at $75,592.98, plus the cost of additional services as determined by the student's Individualized Education Program (IEP).
Settlement Agreement for Student 23-13 (Comprehensive Learning Center)
Dissent: None
Moved by Mr. Godson [0:29:21] · Seconded by Mrs. Carson [0:29:43]
The board approved a settlement agreement for student 23-13 to attend the Comprehensive Learning Center for the 2025-2026 school year and the summer 2026 extended school year, with a total cost of $128,500, in lieu of FAPE.
Settlement Agreement for Student 18-7 (New Hope Academy)
Dissent: None
Moved by Mr. Godson [0:30:19] · Seconded by Mrs. Carson [0:30:48]
The board approved a settlement agreement for student 18-7 to attend New Hope Academy. This agreement, in full satisfaction of FAPE, covers the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years, with an annual cost of $45,222 plus a potential year-over-year increase of no more than 3%.
Approval of Staff Nurse Job Description
Dissent: None
Moved by Mr. Godson [0:31:26] · Seconded by Mrs. Carson [0:31:51]
The board approved a new staff nurse job description, which will immediately replace the existing health room assistant job description.
Increase in Hourly Rate for CDL Drivers
Dissent: Mrs. Crossson, Mr. Saddowski, and Mr. Martin abstained, primarily due to concerns about the district's deficit, the scope of the raise, and the need for a more comprehensive strategy for all support staff.
Moved by Mr. Godson [0:32:29] · Seconded by Mrs. Crossen [0:32:48]
The board considered and approved an increase in the hourly rate for current CDL drivers by $3.70 per hour and set the new hourly rate for newly hired drivers at $30 (up from $26.30), effective October 4, 2025. The estimated cost to the district is $275,000, with potential offset from Bus Patrol ticketing revenue. The discussion included strong arguments for the raise to address a critical driver shortage and retain staff, and concerns were voiced about the district's $4 million deficit and the equity of not providing similar raises to other essential support staff like bus aids and cafeteria workers. The vote's legality (4-3 with abstentions) was confirmed by the solicitor as passing for a non-union, non-budgetary agreement.
Tuition Agreement for Student 23-13 (Comprehensive Learning Center)
Dissent: None
Moved by Mr. Godson [0:53:06] · Seconded by Mrs. Crossen [0:53:23]
This item, missed earlier in the agenda, was brought back for approval. It concerned a tuition agreement between the Centennial School District and the Comprehensive Learning Center for student 23-13 for the 2025-2026 school year and the summer 2026 extended school year, as outlined in the student's settlement agreement.
Acceptance of Audited Financial Report for Year Ending June 30, 2024
Dissent: None
Moved by Mr. Godson [1:08:44] · Seconded by Mrs. Crossen [1:09:07]
Carl Hogan of Clifton Larson Allen presented the independent auditor's report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024. He noted the report received an unmodified opinion, indicating the financial statements were fairly presented without material adjustments. Hogan apologized for the report's lateness due to firm mergers, clarifying it was not due to district management. The audit highlighted total revenues exceeding budgeted amounts (primarily from local sources and interest income) and expenditures remaining within budget. A $3 million surplus was transferred to the debt service fund. The food service fund showed a positive change, and no significant internal control issues were identified.
Education Committee Approvals (Combined)
Dissent: None
Moved by Mr. Godson [1:07:34] · Seconded by Mr. Ghard [1:08:14]
The board approved several items from the Education Committee: attendance of registrar and child accounting professionals at a conference in Hershey, PA; the 2025-2026 renewal of a student internship agreement with Ants Choice, Inc.; an addendum to the contract from Pediatric Therapy Services (PTS) for occupational therapy services; and the renewal of the Math 180 and Read 180 special education curriculum for the 2025-2026 school year.
Operations Committee Approvals (Combined)
Dissent: None
Moved by Mrs. Panado [1:09:27] · Seconded by Mrs. Crossen [1:09:47]
The board approved a block of items from the Operations Committee. These included retroactive approval for the use of a propane bus for Warminster Township's 'Touch a Truck' event, a contract with Simmons to replace and program HVAC control boards at McDonald Elementary, and a facility use request with a 35% fee reduction for Warminster Symphony to use William Tennant High School's auditorium. Additionally, the contract with Bus Patrol for the stop-arm camera ticketing system (which had been extensively discussed earlier in the meeting for its safety and financial implications, particularly the 'no cost to the district' model and community privacy concerns) was also approved as part of this combined vote.
Notable Quotes (13)
I just wanted to point out there are our our bus drivers absolutely deserve a raise. The the only conflict that I'm having is that we have a $4 million deficit. And not only do our bus drivers deserve it, but our our bus aids deserve it, too. Our our cafeteria workers deserve it. It's a very very fine line as to with our $4 million deficit. They absolutely deserve it cuz they carry the safety of our children.
This is a 15% increase. I don't recall ever giving anybody a 15% increase deserved or not. I think the plan could have been phased in instead of doing it all at once. I also think there are other employees within the transportation department that have been working very hard also to try to meet the needs of getting the children to school on time. Uh this plan does nothing for those folks at this time.
Every district around us is getting paid a minimum, and you can check this, $30 an hour. We're asking for a fair shake.
The increase of the salary allows the transportation department a better opportunity to recruit. If another school system is ow starting people Horscham Abington I don't know what they start at but if they are starting at $30 and they're looking to be a bus driver why would they come work for Centennial? They wouldn't. The number of bus drivers is critical right now. Obviously our mechanics are driving.
I spoke with Kay Weider, uh, one of our solicitors, um, and she indicated that, um, that the, uh, the vote would be good. Um, that it's a majority vote vote. If it was a, if it was a budget vote, you need five members. If it was uh, indebtedness note, if we were looking to take on debt, you'd need five members. Um but in this case you do not need it because it is not it's the support staff is not unionized. Um it is not a union contract. It's a meet and discuss agreement and therefore it would pass.
I just want to make it clear that um the lateness of this audit report is not anything to do with management they were nothing but cooperative provided all the information that we needed in a timely fashion and that this was just a matter of um the transition and getting um um everything transferred over from two firms.
We give uh unmodified opinion on the financial statements for June 30th, 2024. And as in any given year, um those um there's no real adjustments. What you're seeing on an annual basis and what's being reported to you um as a school district board was being accurately reflected within this audit report.
Total revenues 14140 million um.2 2 million were budgeted for June 30th, 2024. They came in at 144 almost $145 million. Um, as you can see up at the top, the biggest variance there is related to your local source revenues.
Just as in previous years, um, reported that the, you know, the business office does do a nice job. they're able to um implement proper internal controls. Um when we come to do the audit, there's no adjustments to the books or records that we would consider material.
Bus Patrol equips our school buses with advanced stop armed camera systems designed to detect and deter drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses. These violations pose a serious risk to student safety, and the use of this technology will help enforce traffic laws, educate the public, and ultimately create safer roads for our children.
There is no upfront cost to the district. Uh, bus patrol covers the cost of the cameras and the system and they're paid back through their share of a collection on uh, fines for those vehicles.
There is no cost to the school district. Right. If if we didn't if we didn't get a single violation there is no cost to the district.
My only concern as a community member and as a parent with a child on a bus is who has control of that footage from inside the bus? Like whose cloud is that on? Who has access to that footage? That is my one concern with that.
Ordinances & Resolutions (15)
Agreement for installing and managing bus stop arm camera ticketing systems, with no cost to the district.
A comprehensive list of personnel actions including terminations, resignations, hires, leaves, changes of status, mentor teachers, tenure awards, and co-curricular updates.
Agreement for student 26-5 to attend the Springtime School for the 25-26 school year and summer 2026 extended school year.
Agreement with Martin Luther School for student 19-6's education, including annual costs and additional services.
Agreement for student 23-13 to attend Comprehensive Learning Center for the 25-26 school year and summer 2026 extended school year.
Agreement for student 18-7 to attend New Hope Academy for the 25-26 and 26-27 school years.
Replaces the health room assistant job description, effective immediately.
Addition to Policy 2011, governing early admission testing for kindergarten and grade 1, clarifying implementation.
Board policy governing early admission testing for kindergarten and grade 1.
Renewal of the internship agreement between the Centennial School District and Ants Choice, Inc.
Addendum for occupational therapy services for the 25-26 school year.
Renewal for the 2025-2026 school year.
Independent auditor's report presented by Clifton Larson Allen.
Contract to replace and program 33 HVAC control boards at McDonald Elementary.
Request with a 35% reduction of fees for using William Tennant High School auditorium.