School Resource Officer Program
Methacton School District has partnered with Lower Providence Township (LP) for a number of years under the School Resource Officer (SRO) Program. Changes in the way the program is funded since its inception and recent budgetary decisions have challenged the district in its efforts to continue the program as it currently operates.
The current program engages two LP officers, one located at the high school and one at Arcola who provide presence, safety, prevention, and security services. The district’s agreement with LP expires at the end of January 2017.
During the October 18 meeting, members of my administration presented to the Board a framework for moving forward that includes similar services at a lesser cost.
School Consolidation
There are two meetings scheduled that deal with the matter of potential school consolidation. The first meeting is scheduled for October 27, 2016 at 7 p.m. at Arcola Intermediate School. This will be in the format of a town hall meeting for the purpose of soliciting input from stakeholders as to the decision making process associated with the consideration of school redistricting, potential school closures, full day kindergarten, and other matters before the Board. No decisions on these matters will be rendered.
Another meeting is scheduled on November 1, 2016 at 7 p.m. at Arcola Intermediate School for a presentation of the enrollment and capacity study from Milone and MacBroom. The enrollment and capacity report will be made available to the public prior to the November 1st meeting to allow the community to be prepared with questions for the meeting on November 1st.
Facilities Assessment Study
The Board accepted the document outlining the recent assessment of district facilities. The study was prepared by AEM Architects with a purpose to provide the Board of School Directors with factual data, analysis, and recommendations required to make capital improvement decisions for each school facility. The study investigated various factors (age of building components, physical condition/deficiencies, building and accessibility/codes, etc.) to be used by the District as a basis for current and future decision-making. The primary goal of this study was to identify capital improvement needs, budget costs, and prioritize them for implementation. A copy of the document will be made available for public review in the Farina Education Center over the coming weeks.
Other Items...
The Methacton School District's Board of School Directors appointed Thomas A. Klaus, Harleysville Pa as Director of Business Services on October 25, 2016.
Prior to this appointment, Mr. Klaus's experience includes work as a governance/risk/compliance consultant, auditor, accountant, and tax preparer. Mr. Klaus also lends his financial expertise in tax return preparation, cash flow management, third party vendor oversight, and payroll supervision as a volunteer for the Harleysville Community Center and Junior Chamber of Commerce.
In his past experience, Mr. Klaus has held several senior positions related to compliance and auditing. In all, he has more than 30 years of experience in the field of audit and finance.
Worcester's Home and School Association presented an overview of their work to support the students and teachers, as well as help contribute to the overall culture of the Worcester school.
Dr. Zerbe noted that work on the high school softball fields will continue with a different contractor, as authorized by the Board at their October 18 meeting. The ultimate goal is to have the field ready for play at the start of the season in early March.
All action items listed on the October 18 and October 25 agendas were approved, with the exception of Board policies 214 - Class Rank and 248 - Unlawful Harassment under item 12: Policy.
