Chestnuthill Township is seeking help from the Pleasant Valley School District when it comes to security.

School board President Susan Kresge said at the meeting Thursday night that township manager Dave Albright had reached out to her to see if a security officer from the school district could lock the gate at the Chestnuthill Township Park at 10 p.m. each day.

“They have had increased vandalism,” she said.

Kresge asked the school board to consider helping the township, and noted they have been “very cooperative with us.” She reminded them that they don’t charge the school district to use the park for its cross-country course, and have worked with them on the plans for the high school renovation.

“They have been very fair with us as far as permits and the cost of those items,” Kresge said.

Director Norm Burger said the feedback they got from security was that it wouldn’t be a major issue to close the gates every evening. It is something that the school district has done in the past.

“Working together as a community through our general mutual benefit I think is worthwhile, so I think it’s the right thing to do,” Burger said.

Kresge said that an agreement between the school district and the township would include that in inclement weather, security would not be required to close the gate. And if there are people in the park when they go to close the gate, then they should call the state police who are in charge of handling situations in the township.

Solicitor Mark Fitzgerald said he will have a resolution available for them to approve at the next meeting on April 10.

The school board did pass a resolution about the America250PA celebration coming up on July 4, 2026. This date will be the semiquincentennial (250th) anniversary of the founding of America. For their part, the school district will make an effort to educate, preserve, innovate and celebrate the upcoming anniversary.

Burger requested that the Monroe County commissioners be sent the resolution. The county has a committee that will oversee the celebration there. The celebration was created by the U.S. legislature and adopted by the governor in 2018. It includes events, programs and projects in all 67 counties in Pennsylvania.

Also on the agenda, the school board received the enrollment report, which showed a slight decrease. Since January, the number of students in the school district’s buildings dropped by 75 students. The total number of students eligible for classes in the district also dropped by 34, which reduces the number students who could be attending classes in the bricks-and-mortar schools to 41.

Gains were seen elsewhere. The school district’s Bears Academy gained 29 students, outside charter schools gained 14, and private schools gained one student.

Other items

The school board also approved the following items:

• Appointing director Robert Clarke to representative the school board on the Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 Board.

• Advertise for bids for anthracite coal.

• PV Cub Summer Academy will be held for students currently in kindergarten through fifth grade in reading and math. Classes will be held from 8:30 a.m. to noon Monday through Thursday at the intermediate school. Classes will begin on June 5. Teachers will be paid $92 per day; paraprofessionals, $72; health room technicians, $72; monitors, regular hourly rate; and school resource officer, per contract.

• Field trips — Spring Reading Challenge for middle school students on April 10. The competition will be held at Easton Area High School. The cost is $410.07. Scholastic Scrimmage will take place on Friday to Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 for PVHS students.