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Abington voters approve $285 million middle school; board, residents praise turnout and urge continued engagement
Summary
Voters in Abington Township and the borough of Rockledge approved a $285 million referendum to build a new Abington Middle School. School leaders and residents at the May 27 Abington Board of School Directors meeting described the vote as historic and urged continued community involvement in the design phase.
Voters in Abington Township and the borough of Rockledge approved a $285,000,000 referendum last week to build a new Abington Middle School, Superintendent Dr. Fetcher told the Abington Board of School Directors at its May 27 meeting.
“This outcome is [the] direct result of members in our school community being civically engaged and going to the polls,” Dr. Fetcher said, thanking residents and noting the district will gather community input to inform the design process.
Board members and several public commenters framed the vote as unusually high-turnout and community-driven. “It was an incredible honor to serve with some of the hardest working, most dedicated… people,” said John Spiegelman, a Ward 11 commissioner who spoke as a private citizen and a member of the local Vote Yes group. Spiegelman urged residents who became involved for the referendum to remain engaged during the next phases: “Public participation, openness, and transparency are incredibly important. So we are…going to be there through this whole process.”
Multiple residents who spoke at the meeting described volunteering for the Vote Yes campaign, bringing family members to the polls and attending outreach events. Ashley Grama Johnson, who identified herself as a parent and Vote Yes volunteer, said she was “so happy that we don't have to face the many potential consequences of a failed referendum” and looked forward to the planning stage.
Board members used their opening remarks to thank voters. Miss Brown said the referendum was a “community effort,” and Miss Eisenhart called the outcome “historic.” Several directors described the campaign as generating vigorous, respectful local debate and encouraged that engagement to continue as the district moves into design and construction phases.
Superintendent Dr. Fetcher and district staff said they will keep historical materials from the referendum available online and notify residents about how to participate in design input. The district’s 1asd1future.org microsite will be maintained and archived as the design process begins, Dr. Fetcher said.
Residents and board members also raised maintenance issues and broader concerns in public comment—among them the condition of some elementary playgrounds and other facilities—questions that the superintendent and operations staff said they will continue to track and address alongside the new construction work.
The board did not take a vote related to the middle school at the May 27 meeting; the referendum outcome was presented as background for upcoming planning and outreach activities. The district said it will provide more information about public engagement opportunities and the design timeline on its communications pages.
