[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6365496,"mediaKeyId","2160127-464c44897eb93c26fe57c8c4ae15b07f","parentId",2160127,"title","Upper Darby Finance and Operations Committee reviews five policy updates for board action","audioSeconds",198,"startMs",6646000,"endMs",6844000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2160127-464c44897eb93c26fe57c8c4ae15b07f&start=6646&end=6844","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2160127-464c44897eb93c26fe57c8c4ae15b07f/thumbnail_6646000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6365496/Pennsylvania/Upper-Darby-Finance-and-Operations-Committee-reviews-five-policy-updates-for-board-action","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6365496-f2789d1a34d856a64a682fd5333587ca/orig.mp4?Expires=1771189681&Signature=gc40UFpkoNVR13lLUJi9~ckGcXQUJsaektx9bg8yMD3wc9nwrJdiibibYUhZYzjzZVmE5lWM-qtaMU3PURGYBJTQffpH94J-JoaZap3ULGxkGZdgmhAhNqzuAAyG7Rh~bNBbON7gF8M6cJ-NogRSbUJXVaZzvs5~ScT02M1QF04-AiLWeR5f2Vp-UAtAFcmAx2uAhW2PiWpJ8z-jLqIYf~8~lc9-J~y~ITHsfzm9urLSZKsDJG-HSaHehPSHaaHIyEEfQIwzWwKtxVh48EmPXaxvlQo9y1KqPHskmzMVFv2ttRD2NfOESOBwJU9ydeLjbOSFpdHD0~NDUapYA5ycug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Upper Darby School District","date","2025-01-29T11:46:04Z","article","The Upper Darby School District Finance and Operations Committee reviewed Jan. 28 proposed revisions to five district policies and recommended moving them forward for a second reading and board action.

Mister Rogers (board secretary) and Director Warsavage presented the proposed changes, which were based on Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA) recommendations. The policies under consideration were: Policy 610 (Purchases Subject to Bid/Quotation), Policy 611 (Purchases Budgeted), Policy 801 (Public Records), Policy 807 (Opening Exercises/Flag Displays), and Policy 823 (Opioid Antagonist).

Presenters said Policy 610 and 611 require updates to the dollar thresholds at which the district must obtain competitive quotes or bids to comply with state law. Policy 801 clarifies public-records request procedures; presenters noted that anonymous Right-to-Know requests are not permitted and requesters must have a physical presence or identifiable contact information. Policy 807 was updated to reflect a new section of the Pennsylvania School Code that provides flexibility for observances such as moments of silence and handling Sept. 11 commemorations. Policy 823 refines language related to opioid antagonists (for example, naloxone) and aligns the district's approach with current statutory guidance.

Committee members were told summaries and full policy drafts are available on BoardDocs. Presenters asked the committee to authorize forwarding the policies to the board for a second reading and eventual adoption at a subsequent meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","UDSD School Board Committee Meetings: January 2025 (LIVE STREAM)","oneSentenceSummary","The Finance and Operations Committee reviewed proposed changes to five district policies (610, 611, 801, 807 and 823) based on PSBA recommendations and recommended moving them toward a second reading and board action.","taxTitle","Upper Darby SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania","taxId",14584,"location","Pennsylvania","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6365501,"Upper Darby administrators propose SmartPass digital hall-pass pilot at high school",244,3290000,3534000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2160127-464c44897eb93c26fe57c8c4ae15b07f&start=3290&end=3534","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2160127-464c44897eb93c26fe57c8c4ae15b07f/thumbnail_3290000.jpg","/articles/6365501/Pennsylvania/Upper-Darby-administrators-propose-SmartPass-digital-hall-pass-pilot-at-high-school","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6365501-7767ebc8ce30dcc116f250fd6bc8f491/orig.mp4?Expires=1771189681&Signature=OrKPN7nh1u1sh3lOJ4kuK-HEWDGjR9LodLvGH7O7dr4CrS75H41HFUo-YgdAQ0PQwhtJF3F8ZemtUuDQjuA8d~jpk57xN5ZZzVjEjrXzejC8kpoPhmRIUCrh1A07~8mPAKXlT5FSNp6RzV3VJ4gKZ2~l59vf6dDIO7QCpshyJd1rZ-JaxoXczy2R~o-wPUngCfBQHTnhP~BSCC2ouxv5Uo4tzioUpjGxuTRG-o8cQZqDIg~FePrZB-aH99YK9bN6XgMkpUwpDlfnsDtNCXmBtcsTljQG0V8jvAAedM~m1Z2arjIytF0lVOB0eVZMv7G~HDlod6wgQZbWrrPOnc7ZWA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Upper Darby School District administrators on Jan. 28 proposed a pilot of SmartPass, a digital hall-pass and real-time student tracking platform, at Upper Darby High School as part of the district's security and student-movement efforts.

Mrs. Kelly Simone and Dan Kitchen presented the proposal to the Education and Pupil Services Committee, saying SmartPass would allow students and staff to create and approve hall passes through district devices, provide administrators and hall monitors with a dashboard showing who is out of class and where they should be, and generate reports to identify problem areas. The presenters said SmartPass integrates with the district's student information systems and works on existing devices (iPads, laptops and Chromebooks). Training and prerecorded tutorials are included in the pilot cost and available throughout the contract.

Mr. Kitchen said the pilot would focus first on equipping hall monitors at the high school to use real-time tracking so staff can identify students in hallways who lack approved passes. The initial pilot term presented to the committee would run from February through June 2025; administrators said the pilot is contingent on legal review of the contract.

Administrators provided cost context. During the meeting Mr. Kitchen stated a pilot cost figure that appears in the record as \"1,600,391\"; the number as spoken in the transcript is unclear and may reflect a transcription error. Administrators later offered an approximate annual cost for full implementation at all three secondary schools of about $32,000. The committee discussed default and teacher-set pass durations, the ability for teachers to create passes if students cannot access devices, and the role of hall monitors in interpreting dashboard information and approaching students out of assigned locations.

Board members and committee chairs asked for clarification on practical use: how a student would request a bathroom pass, how hall monitors would identify students in the hallway, and how the system would avoid escalating routine interactions. Administrators said teachers can create a pass on the student's behalf, hall monitors would see a student's picture and authorized pass destination in real time, and the initial pilot would limit deployment to hall monitors to minimize unnecessary confrontations.

Administrators said the pilot would allow staff to evaluate key features, address issues and determine whether to scale the system to other secondary schools. The committee asked that administrators provide demonstrations and video tutorials to the board; presenters said they have shared videos and would provide additional materials. If the committee recommendation advances, the board would consider pilot authorization at its February meeting.","District administrators proposed a SmartPass pilot for Upper Darby High School to track hall passes in real time and support hallway monitoring; pilot would run Feb\t6, contingent on legal review, and administrators cited a full-year cost estimate of about $32,000 to scale to all secondary schools.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6365506,"Upper Darby committee recommends Bedford, Freeman and Worth textbooks for new AP African American studies course",3072,3075000,6147000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2160127-464c44897eb93c26fe57c8c4ae15b07f&start=3075&end=6147","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2160127-464c44897eb93c26fe57c8c4ae15b07f/thumbnail_3075000.jpg","/articles/6365506/Pennsylvania/Upper-Darby-committee-recommends-Bedford-Freeman-and-Worth-textbooks-for-new-AP-African-American-studies-course","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6365506-0f1c990cc40864392097adfffb978683/orig.mp4?Expires=1771189681&Signature=B3sP0fKdwqwt12T319b4gaHP7~MJXeGG42DvOKK~l7WHArZgUqx7YWCPe5sjz6SZKoSw~3WXwy7WIwF7GQiEgXArfEOoYcSBJUipfKdlkJIVXZfBIaGCAe43tmw~rXZMih2AaSh8b-QNz-shdF5CDrL4SuOtplNt0i2jB7ZLwfJzHAf7IMxPUu-ijMTfnH7SamKcjn284blTH1ATXm80C9XiiCnoRipUBGmaYqcScdZddlq21uYnUdExYAhkdxCGSjfuXcifTClsD6ll9DrLVb2YU5n0T6EQWnfPN9iyjwpz-0g8knqjthnHVWVFA-NHZd-bV0c-X9BC~de8GJQn4A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Upper Darby School District's Education and Pupil Services Committee recommended Jan. 28 that the board adopt Bedford, Freeman and Worth print and digital resources for an Advanced Placement African American Studies course slated to begin in the 2025-26 school year.

Director Brittney Williams asked administrators to present the recommended curricular materials. The committee reported that the textbook selection followed Policy 108's textbook-adoption procedures: a small committee reviewed materials from at least three publishers (Bedford, Freeman and Worth; McGraw Hill; Pearson Education), evaluated readability, teacher resources, primary-source inclusion and alignment to AP standards, and completed required administrative paperwork. The committee recommended purchasing 70 print textbooks and six years of digital access; the committee presented an estimated upfront cost of approximately $12,000 for the 70 textbooks and an annual digital cost of about $2,000 over six years. The publisher's quote includes teacher resources and professional development at no additional charge.

If the board approves the committee's recommendation at its February meeting, the district said it would purchase print and digital licenses for the 2025-26 school year and maintain the resources for six years. Committee members emphasized the decision followed the district's standard review process and noted the materials were selected for comprehensive content coverage, primary sources, and alignment to AP exam standards.

The recommendation will be placed on the board's February agenda for formal action. The committee presentation and slides referenced Policy 108 as the governing adoption process; administrators said supporting materials and the committee's evaluation are available in BoardDocs.","An Upper Darby committee recommends adopting Bedford, Freeman and Worth print and digital materials for the district's new AP African American Studies course; the board will consider a six-year purchase at the February meeting.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6365511,"Upper Darby holds public hearing on possible closure of Charles Kelley Elementary School",2211,1419000,3630000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2160127-464c44897eb93c26fe57c8c4ae15b07f&start=1419&end=3630","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2160127-464c44897eb93c26fe57c8c4ae15b07f/thumbnail_1419000.jpg","/articles/6365511/Pennsylvania/Upper-Darby-holds-public-hearing-on-possible-closure-of-Charles-Kelley-Elementary-School","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6365511-5fe33533bd93ce00f24b6dd03a0e1fdd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771189681&Signature=bA67aIwFXpFdSG508XfGILyjPvZxQQTTRUYky2ajxwP1URbpdWuOl4OL6RKLQe-2r9BZ02ZGvWDXAyJHtXijHcewjgS4oQOg~3gIbC1C3Eu6-Infkztg--v9yLLnJYFUviAUfe7fpMo8OMtbBKtt6DsUMh75iobsGU7FJk0GB4AO9O1fvliNt7UybnKKS~~SMiEra-a61xMn-VYLuLxS1IvCdiN0kToJRVUqastmRLqeLqEo3GpFn8DhI1piRHiNv0cdxOaW6RWjG2a4JYO148X3ud~CO7WN5tjPjLbYcXA7CASOYXMKilxutJgl0tJlfnVNmFCiY8fdbXG~s1p6bg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Upper Darby School District held a public hearing Jan. 28 to gather community feedback on a proposal to close Charles Kelley Elementary School and reassign its students to district-owned schools.

The hearing, presided over by Kyle Berman, the district's general solicitor, was convened under Section 780 of the Pennsylvania Public School Code of 1949, as amended, and is part of a process that requires the Board to allow a comment period of at least three months before any final decision. Berman said the board will not take a final vote at the hearing and that written comments will be accepted through April 29, 2025; potential board action is scheduled for a publicly advertised meeting on or after that date.

District administrators presented the administration's rationale for \"sunsetting\" Charles Kelley, saying the building is leased (the lease expires June 30, 2025), not owned by the district, and was opened in 2007 to ease overcrowding. The administration listed five factors driving the proposal: the building's leased status, limits on improving physical space, anticipated lease expiration, the opportunity to assign students to schools closer to home, and funding uncertainties for public education. The administration proposed reassigning grades 1\t6 students from Charles Kelley to Highland Park and Stoner's Hill elementary schools (with kindergarten pupils remaining at the kindergarten center) and outlined related changes to elementary and kindergarten catchment areas, feeder patterns and contingency plans tied to the planned opening of Clifton Heights Middle School.

Administrators described transportation and facilities impacts. The district estimated a net reduction of about 55 transportation-eligible students, which could free capacity for special-education transportation but did not characterize that as an immediate financial savings. The district estimated roughly $460,000 in annual savings from eliminating the lease payment and related costs (insurance, cleaning contract, repair and maintenance). Officials said all Charles Kelley students currently are bused and that stop-arm violations have been detected at above 20% in the Charles Kelley catchment area; the district said it may need additional crossing guards if students shift to neighborhood schools.

Administrators also described transition activities they would consider: virtual meet-and-greets, joint home-and-school association meetings, in-person tours and social events, and a timeline that begins with the hearing (Jan. 28), a written comment period through April 29, potential board action on April 29, staff meetings beginning April 30, and building-level transition planning from April 30 through August 2025 if the board directs implementation.

Members of the public spoke during a scheduled public-comment period. Linda Fox, president of the Upper Darby Education Association, read a statement from Charles Kelley faculty asking the board to \"consider merging Charles Kelley versus redistricting and closing the community\" and urged that any closure be planned for the 2026-27 school year to reduce disruption. Mary Jane Durso, a Clifton Heights resident and longtime district employee, said the plan was \"rushed,\" described Charles Kelley as providing smaller class sizes and strong staff continuity, and urged the district to complete current capital projects before closing any elementary school. Parent and resident Feefe Guyan said the school community learned of the proposal with inadequate notice, warned that students with high needs would be moved into larger classes without additional support, and asked that, if students are relocated, they move as a group to preserve relationships with staff. Other residents raised concerns about walking distance and safety to reassigned schools, bus routing, potential conflicts between neighborhoods, and the absence of a new elementary school that some speakers said the district previously promised.

Berman reiterated that the board will review the record, including written comments submitted through April 29, before any decision and that no final action can be taken until that time. The hearing record includes a Board resolution (Exhibit A) authorizing steps including this hearing (adopted Dec. 17, 2024), proof of publication of the hearing notice (published Jan. 6, 2025; Exhibit B), and certified notice to planning commissions (Jan. 21, 2025; Exhibit C). The hearing concluded with an adjournment after public comment.","The Upper Darby School District held a public hearing under Section 780 of the Pennsylvania Public School Code to solicit comments on a proposal to close Charles Kelley Elementary School and reassign its students; public comment period runs through April 29, 2025.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Upper Darby Finance and Operations Committee reviews five policy updates for board action

Upper Darby administrators propose SmartPass digital hall-pass pilot at high school

Upper Darby committee recommends Bedford, Freeman and Worth textbooks for new AP African American studies course

Upper Darby holds public hearing on possible closure of Charles Kelley Elementary School