School Board Notes
March 2017
Elementary School Consolidation and Transition
The Board's consultants presented sending boundaries for the district’s four elementary schools to the Board for their consideration during the special work session meeting on March 15. On March 21, the Board approved elementary school sending areas effective with the start of the 2017-2018 school year.
These changes, necessitated by the closing of Audubon Elementary School, will now be utilized in transition planning. Principal Melissa Gorla, the district’s Principal in Charge of Transition Coordination, is working with administrators, teachers, and parents as the district continues to plan. Families will receive a more detailed timeline of events during the week of March 27 to help them mark their calendars for important dates to remember, and a bi-weekly newsletter is being prepared for ongoing support and information throughout the transition process. Principal Gorla presented the Board with an update on transition planning to date, and will continue to provide monthly reports at the Board meetings.
The Meetings in Review
During the March 21 work session meeting of the Board, Dr. Mary Katona, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment provided the Board with information about the proposed English Language Arts resources for grades kindergarten through five. The proposed resources, available for review by the public at the district's administration building, will be aligned with the PA Common Core, and reflective of a balanced approach to literacy. Dr. Katona will provide the Board with a presentation on the new resources during the April 18 School Board work session meeting, with the resources scheduled for adoption at the regular meeting on April 25.
The Board of School Directors approved revisions to the 2016-2017 instructional calendar including an additional "Act 80" day on May 30. As a result, there will be no school for students in grades K-4 on May 30; students in grades 5-12 will have a regular school day on that date.
April 12 and April 13 will be regular school days for all students in order to make up for snow closings on February 9 and March 14. Assuming all threat of snow has passed, the last day of school for all students and staff will be Monday, June 12; and commencement exercises for the MHS Class of 2017 will take place on June 9, 2017 at 4 p.m.
Following discussion at the March 21 work session meeting, the Board approved the instructional calendar for the 2017-2018 school year. Both calendars are linked below for download.
All other items listed on the March 28 agenda were approved.
Junior School Board Directors - March
This month's Junior School Board Directors are Arcola students Makena Kumfert and Lena Kimble. Lena opened the meeting and led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance, while Makena spoke about the work of Arcola's student congress, and the positive school culture and climate at Arcola Intermediate School.
Above, left to right - School Board President Chris Boardman, Makena Kumfert, Lena Kimble, Arcola Assistant Principal Ryan Creeden, and Superintendent Dr. David Zerbe.
March 15 Special School Work Session Meeting
March 21 Special School Board and Work Session Mtg.
March 28 Regular School Board Meeting
Board Notes
The Methacton School District's Board of School Directors meets each month. School board work session meetings are generally held on the third Tuesday of the month, followed by the regular meeting on the fourth Tuesday (except during the month of December). Regular Board and work session meetings typically take place in the MHS LGI, and all residents are invited to attend. Committee meetings may take place in the Board Room at the Farina Center, or the MHS LGI. Meeting agendas are posted to agenda manager, and start times and locations are posted on the District's website. Please confirm meeting time and location before attending.
Download the meeting calendar here. Watch the meeting video online.
