Parents urge Upper Dublin board to reconsider distant prom venues, present 333-signature petition
December 23, 2025 | Upper Dublin SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania
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Two parents used the board's second public-comment period on Nov. 24 to press the district on prom venues and fiscal transparency.
Michelle Angaro, who said she is a taxpayer and a parent of Upper Dublin students, called the venue choices "a breach of trust," saying prom locations have shifted over recent years (she said the prom moved to Blue Bell in 2022 and to the Hilton for 2023–25) and that a junior prom was held in Bensalem. Angaro told the board she had gathered a petition she said bears 333 signatures and asked the administration and board to work with parents to find a closer, safer location. "Trust comes from collaboration, transparency, but promises have been broken," she said.
Ginny Vitella Ambler, who identified herself as a resident, raised finance questions after reviewing committee materials. She asked whether a $1.4 million furniture line covers four buildings and whether Jarrett Town (referred to during the meeting) is included in that figure or in the larger $70 million project. She also asked for renewed transparency about the high school's activity fund and requested that capital projects such as a long-discussed baseball-field upgrade be incorporated into the capital plan.
The board and administration responded during the meeting. The chair said the RFP for furniture will solicit both combined bids for all four schools and separate bids for each school. The administration noted the district maintains a capital plan and periodically brings updates to the board. During the discussion an unidentified speaker provided preliminary state-funding breakdowns, listing roughly $4.3 million for basic education funding, $2.3 million for special education funding and about $600,000 for transportation subsidy, with a total state budget figure of about $24.4 million; those numbers were presented as approximate and for clarification purposes during the meeting, not as final allocations.
The board acknowledged the parents' concerns and said administration representatives planned to meet with parents the following day to continue the discussion.
Michelle Angaro, who said she is a taxpayer and a parent of Upper Dublin students, called the venue choices "a breach of trust," saying prom locations have shifted over recent years (she said the prom moved to Blue Bell in 2022 and to the Hilton for 2023–25) and that a junior prom was held in Bensalem. Angaro told the board she had gathered a petition she said bears 333 signatures and asked the administration and board to work with parents to find a closer, safer location. "Trust comes from collaboration, transparency, but promises have been broken," she said.
Ginny Vitella Ambler, who identified herself as a resident, raised finance questions after reviewing committee materials. She asked whether a $1.4 million furniture line covers four buildings and whether Jarrett Town (referred to during the meeting) is included in that figure or in the larger $70 million project. She also asked for renewed transparency about the high school's activity fund and requested that capital projects such as a long-discussed baseball-field upgrade be incorporated into the capital plan.
The board and administration responded during the meeting. The chair said the RFP for furniture will solicit both combined bids for all four schools and separate bids for each school. The administration noted the district maintains a capital plan and periodically brings updates to the board. During the discussion an unidentified speaker provided preliminary state-funding breakdowns, listing roughly $4.3 million for basic education funding, $2.3 million for special education funding and about $600,000 for transportation subsidy, with a total state budget figure of about $24.4 million; those numbers were presented as approximate and for clarification purposes during the meeting, not as final allocations.
The board acknowledged the parents' concerns and said administration representatives planned to meet with parents the following day to continue the discussion.
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