Marple Newtown superintendent reports annual safety symposium; schools set to open Sept. 2

At its Aug. 26 meeting the Marple Newtown School Board heard a superintendent report that the district’s leadership team met with local law enforcement for the district’s annual safety symposium and that schools and grounds have been prepared for students returning Sept. 2.

Superintendent Tina said, “The purpose of the symposium is to review our safety protocols and establish a shared understanding between both groups, and we do that every year in August.” The report, delivered during the superintendent’s report portion of the meeting, noted that faculty returned the previous week and that operations and grounds staff worked to ready buildings and grounds.

The superintendent thanked the operations and grounds department for preparing schools and buildings for the start of the year and noted the district’s keynote speaker at the faculty event was Phil Martelli, described in the meeting as a local figure who delivered an inspirational address to staff. The superintendent said new-student and kindergarten orientation sessions are scheduled for Thursday, and that the first day of school is Tuesday, Sept. 2.

Board members did not debate or vote on the safety symposium report at the meeting. The superintendent’s update was a briefing item; no formal action was recorded in the transcript related to changes in safety policy or budgetary authority.