SB Monthly Update — April 2025

Do you need this page translated to another language? Click the accessibility button (stick-figure) found on the right and select your language.

¿Necesita esta página traducida a otro idioma? Haga clic en el botón de accesibilidad (figura de palo) que se encuentra a la derecha y seleccione su idioma.

আপনার কি এই পৃষ্ঠাটি অন্য ভাষায় অনুবাদ করা দরকার? ডানদিকে পাওয়া অ্যাক্সেসিবিলিটি বোতামে (স্টিক-ফিগার) ক্লিক করুন এবং আপনার ভাষা নির্বাচন করুন।

کیا آپ کو اس صفحہ کا دوسری زبان میں ترجمہ درکار ہے؟ دائیں جانب موجود ایکسیسبیلٹی بٹن (اسٹک فگر) پر کلک کریں اور اپنی زبان منتخب کریں۔

هل تريد ترجمة هذه الصفحة إلى لغة أخرى؟ انقر فوق زر إمكانية الوصول (stick-figure) الموجود على اليمين وحدد لغتك.

Bạn có cần dịch trang này sang ngôn ngữ khác không? Nhấp vào nút trợ năng (hình que) ở bên phải và chọn ngôn ngữ của bạn.

Dear Families, Students, and Staff,

As we move into the final stretch of the school year, the School Board of Directors extends our heartfelt gratitude to each of you for your continued support and commitment to our school community. April is a month of growth, reflection, and momentum. With spring in full bloom, we are inspired by the energy and dedication we see in our classrooms, extracurricular programs, and school-wide initiatives. As a Board, we remain committed to supporting their work and ensuring every student has the resources they need to thrive. Thank you for being an active part of our vibrant school family.

Happy Mother's Day to all of the mothers out there. We are grateful for your continued support at home as we work together to fulfill our shared vision of empowering every student to thrive academically, physically, and socially in the Upper Darby School District.

With appreciation,

The School Board of Directors

We hope you all enjoyed your day on Sunday!

On behalf of the Board of Directors, we extend our warmest wishes to all the incredible mothers and mother figures in our community. Your strength, love, and unwavering dedication inspire us every day. We celebrate you on Mother’s Day and on every day and the countless ways you enrich the lives of those around you.

As part of the Board of School Directors' communication plan, the School Board of Directors sends monthly updates to the school community. Monthly updates include highlights of school board of directors' community engagement and advocacy efforts, important dates, upcoming school district events, updates on any new policies or changes in policies, financial updates, and information on district resources. These updates aim to keep everyone informed and engaged with the school community. The information included in these briefs is not intended to be a complete recounting of Board meetings and do not replace official Board meeting minutes. Official meeting minutes, agendas, reports, and presentations are available at BoardDocs. Also, the Board meetings are live streamed to the District's Official UDSD Board & Board Committee Meetings YouTube Channel. We welcome you to follow the issues the School Board is considering and to attend meetings to stay informed. Thank you for taking the time each month to read the School Board of Directors' Updates!

The Upper Darby School District Board of School Directors believes that all students, regardless of background, economic should have a quality public education and an equal opportunity for success. The Advocacy Corner provides information and resources for parents/guardians with the goal of ensuring that every child has access to the resources and support they deserve through equitable public school funding. Upper Darby School District has historically faced state underfunding while seeing the cost of educating students in Pennsylvania's public schools increasing steadily and an increase in unfunded mandates.

Superintendent Dr. McGarry participated in Advocacy Day on May 6th at the State Capital to advocate for state legislative and budget priorities. Advocacy Day focuses on advocating for equitable funding for public schools, including reforms in Basic Education Funding (BEF), Special Education Funding (SEF), and cyber charter tuition. Activities included legislative meetings and a press conference on the Capitol steps.

"In Your Community" features board members' investment in stewardship and service and their efforts to engage with the community, participate in community events, listen to citizens, promote student achievement, and help community members understand how the school board works to advocate for students and families. Partnering with the community in volunteerism and in service of our community is important to us.

Director Warsavage shared plenty of laughter and joy with students and staff during the high school’s annual April Showers fundraiser.

___________________________

Board members are passionate about serving our students and the Upper Darby School District families and regularly engage in ways that enrich our community. The Board Member Highlight showcases the contributions, experiences, achievements, and insights of individual board members.

This month we are excited to highlight Board member Debra A. Williams. Debra and her family have been residents and homeowners in Upper Darby Township since 2000. She is committed to serving families and advocating for students in meaningful ways. Debra holds a BA in Political Science, an MBA in Management from Eastern University, as well as an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from Eastern University. She is an ESL teacher at the secondary level in the Chester-Upland School District. Debra is an active member of her local church, serving on the Board of Directors as the Treasurer. Debra is the Board liaison for Charles Kelly and Westbrook Park Elementary Schools. She is assigned as the board liaison to the Delaware County Intermediate Unit (DCIU) and is responsible for the Finance and Budget and Food Services board meeting reports. To learn more about Debra, please visit https://www.upperdarbysd.org/Page/9781.

After careful consideration and thorough deliberation, the Board of Directors has voted to close Charles Kelly Elementary School, effective at the conclusion of the 2025-2026 school year. We understand that this news is difficult and emotional. This decision was not made lightly and follows months of careful analysis and open dialogue. We recognize the profound role Charles Kelly Elementary School has played in shaping lives, building community, and serving as a place of belonging and growth. The weight of this decision is felt deeply by all of us. We would like to thank everyone for their feedback and engagement throughout these discussions. Please know that our foremost concern is supporting students, families, teachers, and staff through this transition. We are committed to working closely with our community to ensure continuity of education and to honor the legacy of Charles Kelly Elementary School. We are deeply grateful for the dedication and love that so many have shown to Charles Kelly Elementary School over the years.

The Policy Report informs the public, staff, and stakeholders about key educational policies, initiatives, and decisions made by the school board. Proposed policies are first reviewed by the school board's Policy Committee, then presented to the Board for consideration through a 1st and 2nd reading before being put to a vote. The following policy change(s) were considered:

1. Policy 815 — Acceptable Use of Internet, Computers and Network Resource

This policy went through a Second Reading at the May 13th Board meeting. The changes were approved. Click here to view a summary of changes.

NOTE: As policies are reviewed and updated, gender neutral language is being introduced.

Policy language was added to the Security section as follows: “Staff members may be required to use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to access district provided email accounts and network resources, including but not limited to online learning platforms, administrative systems, and shared file servers.”

The Board of School Directors would like to thank the following organizations/persons for their donations to support our students:

• A donation of $ 2,500 to Primos Elementary School from Cencora Impact Foundation

• A donation of $1,000 to the PBIS Program at Aronimink Elementary School from Mr. Richard Sheibley

• A donation of plants to the Highland Park Elementary School Garden Club from The Green Horn Initiative, Inc.,

• May 13, 2025

If you know a community member who would like to sign up to receive these updates and other important messages from the District, please click HERE or share this link: https://www.upperdarbysd.org/Page/6798.

The regular School Board meetings and the School Board Committee Meetings are held in-person in the board room at 8201 Lansdowne Avenue in Upper Darby and livestreamed to the UDSD Board & Board Committee Meetings YouTube Channel.

• Do you have a question or comment? Click HERE to learn how to participate.
• Click HERE to review the meeting agendas 24 hours prior to the meetings.
• Click HERE to view the 2024-2025 Regular School Board Meetings schedule.
• Click HERE to view the 2024-2025 School Board Committee Meetings schedule. School Board Committee Meetings consist of the Education and Pupil Services meeting and the Finance and Operations meeting.

Click to view the district's master calendar.

2025-2026 One-Page Calendar

2025-2026 Summary of Calendar

2026-2027 One-Page Calendar

2026-2027 Summary of Calendar

to keep up with our official social media!

School Board members are your neighbors and are public servants who make decisions that affect all students. Board members are volunteers and have a deep desire to serve children, a strong belief in the value of public education and a deep professional respect for the District staff who serve our children and their families every day. Serving as a School Board Director requires many dedicated hours of service to our community. Click HERE to learn more about how the Board of Directors serves the Upper Darby School District community.

Email: udsdschoolboard@upperdarbysd.org

School Board of Directors' Webpage: https://pa02209738.schoolwires.net/domain/1733