Upper Darby staff propose reconfiguring Garrettford Elementary to add neighborhood kindergarten

Administrators told the Education & Pupil Services Committee they are recommending a reconfiguration of Garrettford Elementary to include neighborhood kindergarten starting in the 2026-27 school year.

Presenting the staffing review, the administration said review of enrollment projections and class-size averages suggests Garrettford can absorb approximately 80 kindergarten students in four sections (AM/PM) using two teachers "so they could absorb more students," and that two current kindergarten-center teachers would be reassigned to Garrettford. The presenter said the change would make Garrettford a "true neighborhood school" and ease capacity pressures at the centralized kindergarten center.

To create space, the district proposed shifting a third-grade autistic-support program from Primus to Westbrook Park Elementary, which administrators said would balance specialized services across buildings and free classroom space for general-education sections at Primus.

Board members raised questions about sustainability if birth rates change and about childcare/aftercare logistics for families who use the kindergarten center. A parent and board members said the YMCA currently provides before-and-after care with transportation arrangements; an administrator said families would likely continue using existing daycare slots and, where needed, students could be bused to aftercare centers.

The committee did not take final action on the reconfiguration at the meeting; members indicated agreement to move the staffing and reconfiguration recommendation to the March board voting meeting for a formal vote.

If approved at the voting meeting, the change will require state-level approval because altering grade spans must be submitted for state review, and the district indicated it will follow that process before implementation.