The Board of School Directors approved the 2026-27 calendar, which is attached. The 2026-27 school year will begin on Monday, August 24th and will conclude on Thursday, June 3rd. Please note that there are no designated snow days in next year's calendar, which means that on days of inclement weather or other emergencies, school will be held virtually. You may also notice the addition of asterisked dates, which are considered "1502 holidays" per PA school code. These are designated as such so that district can convert these to school days if needed.

The Exeter Township Board of School Directors selected Anne-Marie Grill to fill a vacancy on the board following interviews with 10 candidates. Mrs. Grill, an Exeter Township resident and longtime advocate for children and families, brings decades of experience in youth development, education and community leadership. She holds a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Towson State University and currently serves as elementary director of GT Kids Ministry at GT Church in West Lawn, where she oversees programming for students in kindergarten through third grade and leads community outreach initiatives.

Mrs. Grill previously served as executive assistant to a Berks County commissioner and was a member of the county’s Child and Youth Services board, experiences that strengthened her understanding of government operations and child welfare. She and her husband, Frank, raised five children, all of whom attended Exeter Township schools. Board President Julia Shaffer said the board was impressed with the strength of the applicant pool. “We had a very strong group of applicants, and we appreciate everyone who stepped forward to serve our community,” Shaffer said. “Anne-Marie brings a deep passion for supporting children and families along with extensive experience working with youth, volunteers and community organizations. We are excited to welcome her to the board and look forward to the perspective she will bring.” The appointment fills a vacancy following Allison Wilson’s resignation in February.

Superintendent Dr. Christy Haller and Business Administrator Mr. Brian Feick presented the first in a series of budget outlooks for the 2026-27 school year. This year's budget is currently projecting a $1.9 million shortfall, which the administration said is primarily caused by a 16% increase in the cost of health benefits. "Mostly in everything else we've been able to keep (our spending) flat," said Dr. Haller, when presenting the initial look of the budget to the board.

Over the next few weeks, the administration and board will work together to finalize the proposed budget by the state-required May 31st deadline. This presentation and others that will be presented upcoming board meetings can be found on our website at https://www.exetersd.org/budget-presentations-26-27.

The administration presented its annual academic data presentation to the board, which showed that the district is exceeding the state averages in most areas that as measured by the PSSA and Keystone exams, as well as other criteria. In addition, the administration presented key steps and shifts in instruction/curriculum and professional development it is taking to improve future scores. These strategies have been discussed in greater detail in academic presentations that have been given at monthly board meetings this year, which can be found on our website at https://www.exetersd.org/board-presentations.