SB Monthly Update—Mar 2026

As a reminder, our updates cover activity through the Board Committee meetings held in the previous month. We are sharing the School Board Update with you earlier this month.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE WILL BE NO COMMITTEE MEETINGS IN MARCH.

We look forward to providing the April update following the Committee meetings on April 28th.

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.

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 and community 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!

What is the Advocacy Corner? — The Upper Darby School District Board of School Directors believes that all students, regardless of background and economic status, 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.

The Education Law Center

In 2022, Education Voters of PA filed a Right to Know request to examine how Commonwealth Charter Academy (CCA), Pennsylvania’s largest cyber charter school, spends public money to reimburse families for activities and classes outside of the school day. Visit https://pubintlaw.org/cases-and-projects/establishing-transparency-in-cyber-charter-spending/ for an update on The Public Interest Law Center's fight for Transparency in Cyber Charter Spending

Education Voters of Pennsylvania (EdVoters PA) offers a comprehensive platform for parents across the state to actively engage in advocating for equitable education funding. EdVoters PA (https://edvoterspa.org/) provides an extensive Advocacy Toolkit designed to empower and equip parents with the knowledge and resources needed to effectively influence education policy. Key features include:

• Step-by-Step Guides: Learn how to contact state legislators, organize community events, and utilize social media for advocacy.

• Budget Analysis: Access breakdowns of state education budgets to understand funding allocations and identify areas needing attention.

• Sample Communications: Use templates for emails, letters, and social media posts to communicate with lawmakers and the public.

Empowering Families and Youth with Disabilities Across Pennsylvania

The Royal Scroll is our monthly school community newsletter to provide a brief overview of school happenings, events, activities, and student achievements. It also serves as a connection point, highlighting opportunities for families and the community to engage, celebrate, and support student success. Be sure to check out this month’s edition!

The Upper Darby School District is preparing for several school reconfiguration changes that may impact the building your child will attend beginning in the 2026–2027 school year. These changes are designed to support long-term planning and ensure clear, consistent neighborhood school assignments for families. To help you understand how these updates may affect your family, we have created this resource outlining the neighborhood school assignments.

Connecting Our Community Through Engagement and Events

Applications are now open for the PA House of Representatives Scholarship Program, administered by The Foundation for Enhancing Communities. Each year, the program awards two four-year scholarships to graduating Pennsylvania high school seniors. Each scholarship covers one semester of tuition per year at a State System of Higher Education institution. Recipients are required to maintain eligibility throughout all four years of their scholarship. Applications are due April 15. Requirements and the application form can be found at https://www.tfec.org/scholarships-archive/pahr/.

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) application period for 2025–26 is open! Whether you rent or own your home, you could receive a cash grant from $200 to $1,000 based on your household size, income, and fuel type. Most importantly, this is a grant and does not have to be repaid. To find out if you qualify and for help applying, contact my office. You can also apply for LIHEAP online. Weatherize your home by sealing drafts and replacing your furnace filter, and explore other energy-saving tools. If you’re concerned about paying your heating bill, contact PECO now to ask about their assistance programs or payment plan options.

The PEAL Center helps Pennsylvania families who have children with disabilities and/or special health care needs from birth to age 26. PEAL also educates self-advocates and youth on self-advocacy, self-determination and leadership development.

PEAL, Pennsylvania’s Statewide Parent Training and Information Center, gives families and self-advocates safe and confidential support to help you through any situation. PEAL is an organization of parents of children with disabilities and/or special health care needs who bring knowledge and experience as a resource for education and special health care information and resources in Pennsylvania.

Services available at no cost to you:

• Connect with a Family Resource Specialists who provide individual assistance by phone, email or in-person. Individual assistance is available in both English and Spanish, as well as other languages as needed
• Attend an in-person training, conference or other event to connect with PEAL staff, other families or experts in the field
• Register for one of PEAL’s online trainings, which cover a broad range of topics
• Take part in an intensive leadership development courses for families and caregivers

What is the Board Member Highlight? — 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 and is an opportunity to get to know your elected Board members a little better.

According to the Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA), School Board members are responsible for governing the school district by setting policy, overseeing strategic planning and fiscal matters, hiring and evaluating the superintendent, approving the curriculum and budget, and ensuring that resources are aligned with educational goals. They also act as advocates for public education, engage with the community, and maintain legislative awareness to support student achievement. We will explore various aspects of this work throughout the school year, starting with the Principles for Governance and Leadership — a pledge to school board effectiveness. This month we are featuring the following core competency essential for strong school board leadership:

The board will establish and consistently adhere to clear rules and procedures that guide its operations. It will develop, adopt, regularly review, and revise policies to ensure they remain effective and relevant. All board decisions will be aligned with these policies, maintaining full compliance with the Pennsylvania School Code as well as applicable local, state, and federal laws. In carrying out its responsibilities, the board will remain focused on its governance role, appropriately delegating day-to-day management and administrative tasks to the administration.

REVIEW THE REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING AND WORK SESSION.

Thank you to Westbrook Park and Stonehurst Hills Elementary Schools for updating the school board at the March meeting. Watch the videos below to stay informed and celebrate our students’ achievements!

Congratulations to all of the students and staff who were recognized at this month’s Board meeting for their outstanding achievements.

Congratulations to our UDHS Royals for an exceptional showing at the Pennsylvania Track and Field Coaches Association (PTFCA) Indoor State Championships, marked by podium finishes, new school records, and national-level performances!

Congratulations to Ms. Emily Duncan for her appointment as Supervisor of Transportation.

Congratulations to Khandakar Mahin who was selected for the Disney Dreamers Academy, Class of 2026. He is one of only four students from PA selected this year and the only representative from Delaware County in the program’s history. Khandakar says he applied for the competitive national program to take advantage of its mentorship, leadership development, and career exploration.

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 revisions are up for consideration:

2nd Reading(s):

1. Policy 827 Conflict of Interest

The Board of School Directors sincerely thanks the following organization(s) and individual(s) for their generous donations in support of our students. Your contributions are deeply appreciated and play a vital role in providing resources, opportunities, and experiences that help our children thrive. Supporting our students is more important than ever, and your generosity makes a meaningful difference in their education and growth. To view the full list of contributors, please follow the link below:

LINK TO VIEW THE MARCH DONATIONS REPORT

If you know a neighbor or community member who would like to sign up to receive these updates and other important messages from the District, please do the following:

• Click HERE to sign up

• share this link with a community member or neighbor to sign up: https://upperdarbysdorg.finalsite.com/departments12/communications-media-services/community12/sign-up-to-receive-district-emails.

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.

to keep up with our official social media!

Members of the School Board of Directors are 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.

LINK TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW THE SCHOOL BOARD OF DIRECTORS SERVES THE UPPER DARBY SCHOOL DISTRICT COMMUNITY.

SCHOOL BOARD OF DIRECTORS' EMAIL ADDRESS: udsdschoolboard@upperdarbysd.org

LINK TO THE SCHOOL BOARD OF DIRECTORS' WEBPAGE