When: Warwick School District board meeting, Nov. 21.
What happened: Five school board members said goodbye, taking with them 42 years of collective experience.
Details: President Todd Rucci had served the longest, for 14 years. Nelson Peters served for 12 years and Leslie Penkunas for eight years. Lisa Miller and Vice President Ed Browne each served four years.
Quotes: Speaking to the newly elected board members, Rucci encouraged them to accept the knowledge and support of the administration as they begin their service. “Always keep the students as your North Star,” he said.
Browne said it had been an honor and a privilege to serve. He thanked administrators and educators for their dedicated professionalism to providing quality public education to all students.
Peters said, “Service is not drudgery; it is a joy.” He also reminded the incoming board that, “All students are important people.”
Miller recalled the learning curve when she came onto the board in 2019. She thanked the school board members, administration and educators who guided her through those early years. She said she became a better human when she joined the board, and she remains “passionate about the kids” and serving their needs.
Penkunas said, despite difficult times in the last two years, she did not see her service as a burden. She felt she stood up for what was important when it came to the education of all students. She wished the new board well and urged them to always “put the students first.”
Gift: The four remaining board members presented the Warwick Education Foundation with $500 for educational programs on behalf of the outgoing members.
Public comments: Michael Landis, who previously served as board president, thanked the outgoing members for their service and noted that with more than 40 years of experience, there would be huge shoes to fill. “I pray that the community can come together,” he said.
Personnel: The board appointed Benjamin Long to a new position as assistant principal at John Beck and John R. Bonfield elementary schools. Long comes from Garnet Valley School District, outside Philadelphia, where he has worked for 14 years as an elementary teacher, said spokesperson Carolyn Enigk after the meeting.
Programs: The board approved several educational programs, including the Safe and Healthy Relationships program for students with disabilities at Warwick High School for the 2024-25 school year and a financial literacy course for 2024-25. Board members approved combining two existing courses — Sports and Entertainment Marketing and Marketing and Social Networking — into a new course — Marketing: Sports, Entertainment and Social Media. They also approved a one-credit college preparation elective biotechnology course at the high school for 2024-25.
Details: The Safe and Healthy Relationships program is a partnership with the YWCA and will help mitigate risk, Colleen Heckman, student services director, wrote in the proposal. According to the proposal, “Statistically one in five with disabilities between 12 and 19, are at a higher risk of being victimized in unhealthy relationships. The lessons are based upon a teen violence dating program tailored to students with disabilities. It discusses boundaries, consent, and addressing strong feelings.”
Audit: The board approved the finance and legal committee’s recommendations for the 2022-23 audit report presented by Brown Schultz Sheridan & Fritz, resulting in a clean opinion with no findings or observations.
Budget: The board approved the 2024-25 Act 1 accelerated budget opt-out resolution, meaning the school board will not increase real estate or other taxes for the next fiscal year by more than 5.3%.
What’s next: The newly elected board members will be sworn in Dec. 5 and committee assignments will be established.
