Jenkintown School Board Brief

Dear Jenkintown Community:

Happy 2026! January started off strong with winter sports, chorus and band concerts, exams and a middle school career expo. The winter weather and a strong flu season have brought some challenges which our amazing administrative team and school nurse are navigating extremely well. Please keep in mind that there will be one more listening session on the evening of January 20th for our superintendent search, and the community survey will remain open until January 23rd so you can share your thoughts in this important decision.

"If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?" - Percy Bysshe Shelley, Ode to the West Wind

Warm wishes,

Carolyn Riley

At the combined Board Work Session and Business Meeting on Monday, January 12th, Mr. Roller gave a presentation on the various graduation pathways for our high school students. Mr. Van Mater and Mr. Roller gave a presentation on the results of the Fall 2026 Athletics Interest Survey.

In addition, the board reviewed and discussed the regular agenda items and reports in BoardDocs, including the following items:

• Approval of the proposed school year calendars for 2026-27 and 2027-28 with an earlier start date at the end of August.
• Approval of the quote for the playground demolition in the spring.
• Approval of the resolution to accept and use the 2025-26 Ready to Learn Block Grant Tax Equity Supplement.

All items can be reviewed in detail at Agenda - 250 West Avenue | Jenkintown, Pennsylvania 19046 | 215-885-3722 BoardDocs® LT

At the January 12th Board meeting, the school calendars for 2026-27 and 2027-28 were approved with an earlier start date at the end of August. This is a change from the usual post-Labor Day start date, and we want to make sure all of our school families are aware of this change well in advance. As always, please reach out to your building principals if you have any questions about the new start date. Please click on the links below to view the calendars.

As we begin the search for Jenkintown’s next Superintendent, the School Board is seeking thoughtful input from our community.

We want to hear from parents, staff, students, alumni, and residents who know what our district does well, where we can improve, and what qualities and priorities you value in our next leader. Your perspectives will help shape the criteria used in the search and inform the Board’s decision-making throughout the process.

We invite you to share your feedback by completing the survey linked below. All responses will be kept confidential; the survey is administered and maintained exclusively by the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit (MCIU). Please note that this survey will close on Friday, January 23rd.
Jenkintown is a small, close-knit district with a strong sense of identity, and broad community participation is essential to finding a Superintendent who is the right fit for our schools and our values. We hope you will take the time to participate and help guide this important decision.

Monday, February 9th, 6:30pm - Property Committee Meeting

Monday, February 9th, 7:00pm - School Board Work Session

Wednesday, February 11th - Early Dismissal - Teacher In-Service Day

Monday, February 16th - District closed for President's Day Holiday

Friday, February 20th - Best Buddies Polar Plunge at Citizens Bank Park

Friday, February 20th, 7:00pm - Jenkintown Theatre Arts Talent Showcase

Monday, February 23rd, 7:00pm - School Board Business Meeting

July 27th is the date for the new Legacy Park Playground Build! Please visit the Legacy Park website by clicking on the image to the left and sign up for the newsletter for updates on the progress of this important project. Thank you to Kelly Hudson for leading this effort and to everyone on the planning committee.

Please use the links below to access the Jenkintown School District Board webpage, which lists board members, meeting dates, and and board policies. You can also access the public BoardDocs site to review past and current meeting agendas and minutes.