School Board Monthly Update
Board of School Directors' Monthly Update
November and December 2024
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আপনার কি এই পৃষ্ঠাটি অন্য ভাষায় অনুবাদ করা দরকার? ডানদিকে পাওয়া অ্যাক্সেসিবিলিটি বোতামে (স্টিক-ফিগার) ক্লিক করুন এবং আপনার ভাষা নির্বাচন করুন।
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A Message from the School Board of Directors
As we approach the end of the year, the School Board of Directors would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our students, families, teachers, staff, and the entire school community. This has been a year of growth, learning, and collaboration, and we are truly thankful for the dedication and commitment of everyone involved in our schools.
As the holidays approach, we encourage everyone to take time to appreciate the small moments, connect with loved ones, and recharge for the busy months ahead. We hope this winter break provides an opportunity for rest, reflection, and quality time with loved ones. May the holidays bring joy and warmth to you and your family, and may the new year be filled with continued success, growth, and new opportunities.
We are grateful for your continued support and commitment to the success of our schools. Looking forward to a bright 2025 ahead!
Warmest regards,
The Upper Darby School District School Board of Directors
What are Monthly School Board of Directors' Updates?
As part of the Board of School Directors' communication plan, the School Board of Directors sends monthly updates to the school community. Monthly updates include highlights of school board of directors' community engagement and advocacy efforts, important dates, upcoming school district events, updates on any new policies or changes in policies, financial updates, and information on district resources. These updates aim to keep everyone informed and engaged with the school community. The information included in these briefs is not intended to be a complete recounting of Board meetings and do not replace official Board meeting minutes. Official meeting minutes, agendas, reports, and presentations are available at BoardDocs. Also, the Board meetings are live streamed to the District's Official UDSD Board & Board Committee Meetings YouTube Channel. We welcome you to follow the issues the School Board is considering and to attend meetings to stay informed. Thank you for taking the time each month to read the School Board of Directors' Updates!
Advocacy Corner
What is the Advocacy Corner?
The Upper Darby School District Board of School Directors believes that all students, regardless of background, economic should have a quality public education and an equal opportunity for success. The Advocacy Corner provides information and resources for parents/guardians with the goal of ensuring that every child has access to the resources and support they deserve through equitable public school funding. Upper Darby School District has historically faced state underfunding while seeing the cost of educating students in Pennsylvania's public schools increasing steadily and an increase in unfunded mandates.
Please contact your Local Elected Officials to ask them to support public education
Advocating for public education is important because it ensures all children, regardless of background, have access to quality education, which is crucial for individual development, social mobility, and a thriving society by fostering critical thinking, civic engagement, and a skilled workforce, ultimately contributing to a stronger community and economy. Click on the link below to find your local elected officials.
State Funding & Policy (Children First)
On February 7, 2023, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court unequivocally ruled that the state’s current school funding system is unconstitutional. It recognized that education is a fundamental right guaranteed by the Pennsylvania Constitution to all children—and that this right has been denied in low-wealth districts. Now it’s time for the state to do its constitutional duty to ensure that all students have the resources they need to succeed at school.
EDUCATION PRIORITIES
- Improve the education of 1.7 million public school children with $5.1 billion in new state funding to begin to repair the aftermath of chronic underfunding.
- Prepare at least 25,000 high school graduates for real world jobs by tripling access to career-related learning in Pennsylvania with $215 million in new CTE funds.
- Increase the share of Black and Hispanic high school graduates by promoting policies that boost their social and academic success.
- Advance state, local, and school district policies that promote healthy social development, racial equity, and tolerance.
In Your Community
What does "In Your Community" highlight?
"In Your Community" features board members' investment in stewardship and service and their efforts to engage with the community, participate in community events, listen to citizens, promote student achievement, and help community members understand how the school board works to advocate for students and families. Partnering with the community in volunteerism and in service of our community is important to us.
Director Warsavage reads to students at the Kindergarten Center in November.
Director Fields receives the PBIS Golden Spoon award from Hillcrest Elementary School at the November Board Meeting.
Board Member Highlight
What is the Board Member Highlight?
Board members are passionate about serving our students and the Upper Darby School District families and regularly engage in ways that enrich our community. The Board Member Highlight showcases the contributions, experiences, achievements, and insights of individual board members.
This Month's Board Member Highlight:
MOHAMMAD HOSSAIN
Mohammad Arif Hossain serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Upper Darby School District. He has lived in and owned property in Upper Darby for over five years. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Computer Information Systems from City University of New York, and an MBA in Finance from Long Island University. After completing his education, he worked for a variety of corporations as a SQL server database administrator.
Over the years, he has been awarded several commendations for his work ethic, productivity, and willingness to take on new and challenging projects. Throughout his career, he has gained excellent problem-solving skills, as well as administrative experience. At all times, he has had to work and collaborate within a team environment, which required an extensive amount of flexibility and adaptability. Presently, he is running a car dealership in Upper Darby on Marshall Rd and attributes his ability to be available 24/7 to his working and living in Upper Darby. He is an active member of a local Masjid, serving on various committees and organizations.
Mr. Hossain appreciates the diverse community that is the Upper Darby School District. It is his goal to build a bridge between immigrant communities within the school district. Families in the district come from all over the world and he wants to ensure that their cultural needs are brought to the table. Mr. Hossain is multilingual, possessing fluency in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Urdu as well as some conversational ability in Spanish.
Mr. Hossain believes that having a good education is very important in everyone’s life and that educated children are better citizens when they grow up. He would like to help our children to do just that, because children deserve the very best education. He has committed to advocating with state leaders to ensure fair funding for schools, to increase support for early childhood education opportunities, and to provide access to adequate facilities and technologies for all of our children. He also has the goal of supporting the hiring of more quality teachers and staff that he believes will take our school district to the next level.
Mr. Hossain is a hard-working individual who works well under pressure, while still being empathetic towards those he serves. He especially enjoys having the opportunity to learn new things and welcomes professional challenges. He is committed to serving the families of Upper Darby School District and advocating for students in meaningful ways.
Director Hossain is liaison to the Kindergarten Center and Aronimink Elementary School.
District Highlights & Upcoming Events and Activities
Virtual Parent Information Night with the American Red Cross Emergency Preparedness Team
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Topic: Avoiding a Home Fire Emergency and Hands-Only CPR
Date: Tuesday, January 7, 2025
Time: 6:30 - 7:30 PM
Session Description:
Be Red Cross Ready
This program will focus on home fires prevention and preparedness. This will include major causes of home fires, installation of fire alarms, creating an evacuation plan, effective communication to others in the household and other steps to mitigate risks during and after a fire. We will take into account those in the household that have issues with a
disability or require assistance with mobility. This program has proven very effective with saving thousands of lives and has been well received in all areas of our community.
Hands-Only CPR
For anyone who wishes to stay, the fire preparedness presentation will be followed by a program that demonstrates both the concept and practice of saving lives by chest compressions. This covers identifying the need for CPR, calling 911 and the overall process of administering hands-only CPR in an emergency.
Virtual Parent Information Night with Dr. Eran Magen
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Topic: Supporting Your Upset Child
Date: Tuesday, March 4, 2025
Time: 6:30 - 7:30 PM
Session Description:
Foundations of goodwill: less conflict, more cooperation - 03/04/25
Tired of feeling like you’re battling your child to do the right thing? In this highly interactive 90-minute workshop, you will learn and practice conflict-free techniques for boosting your child’s motivation and
cooperation. Reduce your own parenting stress while enjoying a stronger, more cooperative relationship with your child.
CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO REGISTER FOR ALL THE REMAINING TWO (2) SESSIONS WITH DR. MAGEN TODAY!
https://pa02209738.schoolwires.net/cms/lib/PA02209738/Centricity/ModuleInstance/33/AAA.pdf
Academic Calendar 2025-2026 & 2026-2027 School Years Survey
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Attention: UDSD Parents, Students, Teachers, and Staff,
The Upper Darby School District presented a proposal at the December 17, 2024 School Board Committee Meeting. Printer-friendly copies of the calendar can be found on BoardDocs here. We have created a brief survey to capture our stakeholder's feedback regarding the two academic calendar years and encourage you to participate. Your input will be key in shaping the future structure of our 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school calendars. The data from this survey will be presented to the Board of Directors at the regular monthly board meeting on January 14, 2025. The survey closes on Monday, January 6, 2025.
Please click on the link below to access the survey. Thank you in advance for your input.
Regular School Board & Committee Meetings Highlights
Board Reorganization
The School Board of Directors held a reorganization meeting to elect new officers, assign committee and school liaison roles, and fix the date, time, and place of Regular and Committee Meetings. The election took place by nomination and vote. Neil Desnoyers was elected as President. Desiree' Murphy Morrissey was elected as Vice-President. The Board wishes to thank our outgoing President and Vice-President, Don Fields and Debra Williams, respectively, for their service and leadership. Congratulations to Neil and Desiree' for their new Board roles!
2025-26 Budget: Preliminary Budget vs Accelerated Opt-Out — Board Action
District Administration discussed the Act 1 timeline as it relates to both a Preliminary Budget and an Accelerated Opt Out Resolution. Historical data, as it relates to the Act 1 Index was presented. Based on the information provided, District Administration asked the Board to move forward with one of the following:
- Resolution Authorizing Proposed Preliminary Budget Display/Advertising
- Accelerated Budget Opt Out Resolution
The Board voted at the November 26th Finance and Operations Committee Meeting to move forward with District Administration's recommendation for an accelerated budget opt out resolution and voted the resolution into action at the December 3rd Regular Board meeting.
Click on the link below to view the presentation:
Short-term and long-term redistricting elementary and middle school planning — Informational
District Administration reviewed short-term elementary redistricting and future middle school redistricting. The elementary short-term redistricting will involve redistricting students from Charles Kelley Elementary School, Highland Park Elementary School, and Hillcrest Elementary School. The short-term elementary redistricting will also impact the enrollment numbers of Aronimink Elementary School and Stonehurst Hills Elementary School. Based on uncertainties related to public school funding and the need for new and improved facilities, the administration is exploring all options to secure staffing and improve efficiencies. During this presentation, the District also reminded the public of the future middle school redistricting that will take place when Clifton Heights Middle School opens. The administration presented future middle school boundaries, and timelines for the new middle school. This was the first of two presentations that took place during this December Committee Meeting with a follow-up presentation during the January Committee Meeting for potential Board Action in February.
Click on the link below to view the presentation:
Short-term and long-term redistricting elementary and middle school planning
School Closure Timeline and Procedure — Board Action
District Administration reviewed the required timeline and procedure related to the closure of a school building. The Board decided to move forward with the process and a formal resolution was presented for a vote at the special voting meeting held on December 17th, immediately following the Committee meetings that evening.
Click on the link below to view the presentation and additional information:
2024 UDSD Natatorium Renovation
UDHS Pool Summary of Required Investment to Renovate the Pool
UDHS Natatorium Renovation — Informational
District Administration provided an update on the current use and condition of the high school pool facility and the necessary repairs that are required in the near future. Alternatively, they discussed potential options to reconfigure the current space in lieu of the continued operation of the pool. The Board asked that Administration present information in a future presentation on the cost to renovate the pool and the potential of alternative locations for the expanded pupil services support.
Click on the link below to view the presentation:
2024 District Review: The Interconnectedness among Attendance, Staffing, and Student Achievement — Informational
District Administration provided an update on staffing levels in the District, student attendance trends, and student achievement. Throughout the presentation, the administration highlighted strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement in all of the aforementioned areas.
Click the link below to view the presentation:
Transportation Update – Informational
District Administration provided an overview of the Department of Transportation Services. The presentation included an overview of operations, notable trends, and the Department's efforts to address challenges and improve the safety and reliability of transportation services.
Click on the link below to view the presentation:
Transportation Services in Motion: Aspiring for Excellence through Strategy & Technology
Textbook Adoption — Board Action
Middle School Social Studies — District Administration recommended the adoption of My World interactive online textbook published by SAVVAS Learning that will be used for middle school social studies instruction beginning in the 25-26 school year.
Middle School Mathematics — District Administration recommended the adoption of enVisions Math consumable student texts and an online platform published by Savaas Learning that will be used for middle school mathematics instruction beginning in the 25-26 school year.
District administration, building principals or assistant principals, and teachers, selected the curricular resources following the guidelines outlined in Policy 108. All corresponding administrative regulations have been completed and are available on Board Docs. This items are for Board action at the January 14, 2025 Board meeting.
Click on the links below to view the presentation and additional information:
2025-26 and 2026-27 District One-Page Calendars — Board Action
District Administration reviewed the proposed District one-page calendar for the 2025-26 and the 2026-27 school year. The first day of school and other important dates will be presented to the school district community for review. This item is for Board action at the January 14, 2025 Board meeting.
Click on the links below to view the presentation and additional information:
Keystone Exams Winter Administration Window — Informational
District administration presented the annual Keystone exam window, testing requirements, and information for parents/guardians.
Click on the link below to view the presentation:
Proposal for Athletic Program - UDHS Girls Flag Football — Board Action
District administration proposed the addition of Girls' Flag Football as a high school spring sport for the 2025-26 school year. The presentation included the rationale for the proposal, the benefits of Girls’ Flag Football, and the anticipated cost. The proposal followed the guidelines in Policy 123 and will require board action at the January 14, 2025 Board meeting.
Click on the link below to view the presentation:
Donations Reports
The Board of School Directors would like to thank the following organizations/persons for their donations to support our students:
- BACKPACKS and SCHOOL SUPPLIES DONATION to the students of Stonehurst Elementary from SAP, C/O Ms. Jessica Wescott.
- MONETARY DONATION of the balance of funds from the Class of 1960 reunion account in the amount of $1,540.97 to the high school library from the Upper Darby High School Class of 1960 C/O Mr. Fred Krug.
- BOOK DONATION titled Buddy Bench to district students from PSBA C/O Ms. Bessie Dussinger.
- WINTER COATS DONATION valued at $ 13,750 to district students from Springfield Hyundai C/O Mr. Chris Bernicker.
- BOOK DONATION to the Highland Park Library from Mavey Books C/O Ms. Nadia Alawa.
- TRANSPORTATION DONATION ($2,676 value) for the marching band to attend a Camp Out for Hunger event from Krapf Coaches, Inc., C/O Mr. Gary Krapf.
Click on the links below for the November and December Donations Reports:
How to Register to Receive Board Monthly Updates and District Communications
If you know a community member who would like to sign up to receive these updates and other important messages from the District, please click HERE or share this link: https://www.upperdarbysd.org/Page/6798.
Upcoming Board Meetings
The regular School Board meetings and the School Board Committee Meetings are held in-person in the board room at 8201 Lansdowne Avenue in Upper Darby and livestreamed to the UDSD Board & Board Committee Meetings YouTube Channel.
Do you have a question or comment? Click HERE to learn how to participate.
Click HERE to review the meeting agendas 24 hours prior to the meetings.
Click HERE to view the 2024-2025 Regular School Board Meetings schedule.
Click HERE to view the 2024-2025 School Board Committee Meetings schedule. School Board Committee Meetings consist of the Education and Pupil Services meeting and the Finance and Operations meeting.
🟫 01/14, 7:30 p.m. — Regular School Board Meeting
🟫 01/28, 6:00 p.m. — School Board Committee Meetings
🟫 02/11, 7:30 p.m. — Regular School Board Meeting
🟫 02/26, 6:00 p.m. — School Board Committee Meetings
Master Calendar 2024-2025
The Upper Darby School District calendar includes events, activities and important deadlines for the school year. Updates may be made to this calendar as the year progresses, so please visit this page often to stay up-to-date. School buildings keep their own calendars of events on their webpages that include dates for school-related events. Please visit your school building website for more information. You can also access the district and school-level calendars on the Upper Darby School District mobile app. Visit your App Store to download it today!
Click on the image to the left to access the master calendar or click HERE.
For general calendar questions, please contact Aaronda Q. Beauford, Director of Communications, at abeauford@upperdarbysd.org.
2024-2025 STUDENT SERVICES MENTAL HEALTH COMMUNITY RESOURCE GUIDE
VISIT THE DISTRICT'S JOB LISTINGS WEBSITE
CAREERS AT THE UPPER DARBY SCHOOL DISTRICT
GET YOUR ROYALS GEAR TDOAY!
Meet the School Board of Directors
School Board members are your neighbors and are public servants who make decisions that affect all students. Board members are volunteers and have a deep desire to serve children, a strong belief in the value of public education and a deep professional respect for the District staff who serve our children and their families every day. Serving as a School Board Director requires many dedicated hours of service to our community. Click HERE to learn more about how the Board of Directors serves the Upper Darby School District community.
Email: udsdschoolboard@upperdarbysd.org
School Board of Directors' Webpage: https://pa02209738.schoolwires.net/domain/1733
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