Superintendent's Report
January 25, 2021
Special Recognition for our Board of School Directors
- January is School Director Appreciation Month. Each January we take time to thank our Board of School Directors for their volunteer service to Upper Dublin. Each of our School Directors gives a great deal of their time to the Upper Dublin School District by attending legislative meetings, participating in committees, and collaborating with the Superintendent and Executive Leadership Team. Tonight our Board will once again adopt the Principles of Governance and Leadership (click here to see the document), which will guide their work on behalf of our community.
- Over the past several months the COVID-19 pandemic has made the role of a Board member extremely challenging. School Directors have had to weigh the expert advice of medical professionals, collaborate with the Executive Leadership Team on instructional options, and ultimately work to ensure the health and safety of our students and staff. This has been no easy feat!
- Please join us in thanking our Board of School Directors for their dedicated service to Upper Dublin!
Call To Action for the PA Department of Health
- Vaccinating our school staff is one of the keys to providing more in-person learning days for students at the secondary level. Therefore, we are advocating for all school staff to be vaccinated as quickly as possible.
- Last week I sent a letter to the PA DOH urging them to fulfill three requests: (1) Develop a process to ensure the equitable distribution of the vaccine based upon the population and needs identified in Montgomery County. We have been told by our local health officials more doses of the vaccine are needed based upon the number of front-line workers. (2) Prioritize our front-line workers (our school staff) in the current group being vaccinated. (3) Insist upon a closed Point of Distribution (POD) for school staff.
- This evening we are asking the Board to adopt a resolution advocating for school staff to be vaccinated as quickly as possible. The resolution also urges the PA DOH to secure and distribute vaccines by equitable means to ensure that Montgomery County receives the requisite number of doses to accomplish this task.
MLK Day of Service: Kudos on a Job Well Done
- Members of our Equity and Empowerment Steering Committee and the Faith-Based Subcommittees thank the Upper Dublin community for their generosity of spirit and compassion for those in need! We were truly overwhelmed by the donations and support of the community to support the clubs and organizations collecting for those in need.
- We appreciate the participants, including many students, contributing to the success of this event. We thank the many involved in the clean-up of the high school campus as well. What a fine representation of service to others on MLK, Jr. Day 2021!
- Last week we shared that the upcoming Touch Base Tuesday will include information on the following topics: commentary on student survey results (elementary grades 4-5 and secondary grades 6-12), vaccination updates provided by the MCOPH (if available), updates to the “Resuming Normal Operations” document including considerations for more in-person days at the secondary level, and updates to our FAQ Document (Click here to submit questions.)
- Any questions asked this evening about any of these topics or school operations affected by COVID-19 will be included in our Resuming Normal Operations in UDSD FAQ Document. Additional questions can be submitted by visiting our District's website and clicking on the appropriate button to access the Google form that will be used by our Leadership Team to gather questions and provide answers. The document will be updated at least weekly.
Kindergarten and New Student Registration Begins Online
- As we reach the midway point of the 2020-2021 school year, it is time to begin registration for the fall of 2021. In the fall we will welcome the Class of 2034 to the nest! Click here for registration information.
- Kindergarten and new student registration is completed online. Students must be 5 years of age before September 15th. Our school policy does not allow exceptions to this date. The registration process takes approximately 30 minutes. If you do not have access to a computer there are resources available at the Registration Office or at your local library.
- Please note that registration for the current school year is ongoing. If you are a parent or guardian and would like to register your child, please complete the online registration.
Building our Future: The New SRMS Continues to Take Shape
- Each week brings more progress to the construction of our new SRMS. Just last week we had the opportunity to walk through the new building. Some highlights of the progress include: all of the structural steel for the building is in place, the classrooms are being drywalled and painted, and the library and collaboration spaces are taking shape.
Transportation Facility Feasibility Study
- There is a motion on the Board agenda this evening to approve D'Huy Engineering to conduct feasibility on the site adjacent to Route 309 for the construction of a transportation facility. This motion will not be acted upon this evening. To be clear, a feasibility study still needs to be completed; however, it will be reconsidered in the near future.
Dr. Steve Yanni
Superintendent of Schools
Email: syanni@udsd.org
Website: www.udsd.org
Location: 1580 Fort Washington Avenue, Maple Glen, PA, USA
Phone: 215-643-8800
Twitter: @UpperDubSuper