Upper Dublin reviews options for Jarrett Town Elementary after staff survey; open house March 27

Consultants from ICS and district staff presented results of a Jarrett Town Elementary planning effort on March 19, 2025, reporting staff survey findings, next steps and an open-house schedule ahead of a June decision.

The consultant team said the district collected 57 responses to a 10-question thought-exchange survey of Jarrett Town staff — 37 teachers, 18 support staff and 2 administrators — that flagged small common spaces, insufficient gym and cafeteria areas, special education space concerns, and problematic site circulation and drop-off as the highest priorities. The team said HVAC and aging building systems were recurring issues.

District staff and ICS emphasized the survey is intended to inform, not decide, and described the answers as validating previous observations about capacity and space needs at the building. An open house was scheduled for Thursday, March 27; the administration reported nearly 100 people signed up for tours and public drop-in time, with about 20 tour slots remaining.

Why it matters: Jarrett Town’s future — options range from targeted system upgrades and renovations to an addition-and-renovation approach and a full rebuild — could shape capital budgeting and long-term facilities planning for Upper Dublin School District. The committee was told a decision on which option to pursue is expected around June 2025 and that any design work and user-group engagement would follow that decision.

Key details from the presentation and committee discussion: - Options under consideration: small renovation(s), renovation with addition, and new construction. The consultants said an intermediate option is under development to bridge cost/benefit between renovation and replacement. - Survey results: 57 respondents (37 teachers, 18 support staff, 2 administrators). Top concerns were common spaces (cafeteria/ gym), special education spaces, and parking/drop-off circulation. The consultants said comment boxes were summarized with AI and a fuller report will be provided to the board. - Accessibility and code questions: Board members pressed whether Option 1B (major renovation) can realistically meet ADA/accessibility requirements without extensive reconfiguration; consultants replied that a major renovation would include code- and accessibility-related upgrades (restrooms, doorways, turning radii) though further study is required. - Timeline and engagement: If the board directs a design path after the June decision, typical schematic-design user-group sessions would follow; consultants said block-diagram visuals could be produced earlier to gather user feedback before schematic design. - Open house outreach: The district said communications for the event included targeted email, website posts (Jarrett Town page reported over 1,200 views), district newsletters, social media, the township listserv and a library posting. Stephanie Yoder (district communications) was credited for outreach work.

Next steps: Consultants recommended continuing stakeholder engagement (including possible student focus groups if the district requests them), developing an intermediate option that addresses the highest-priority needs and returning refined options and cost estimates in the coming months. The finance committee members asked for clearer option nomenclature (Option 1, 2, 3, etc.) and for the consultants to overlay the new stakeholder data on the December comparison matrix prior to the June decision.

Ending: Committee members said they expect further design-stage user-group sessions if the board directs a path forward; the administration and consultants said they would return with more detailed reports, block diagrams and cost scenarios to inform a June decision.