SB Monthly Update—Nov 2025

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¿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.

Universal Children’s Day, observed every November 20th, celebrates children’s rights and well-being worldwide, marking the adoption of key UN agreements in 1959 and 1989. In today’s world, especially given the current political climate and the many challenges facing our communities, it is more important than ever that all children receive our unwavering support, protection, love, kindness, and commitment. Children are the foundation of our future, and as a school board, we are dedicated to fostering a safe and nurturing environment where every child can thrive, regardless of background, circumstance, or belief.

We encourage parents, educators, and community members alike to stand together in championing the rights and well-being of all children. Their safety and happiness are our shared responsibility, and together, we can build a brighter, more compassionate future.

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.

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.

Legislators in Harrisburg are finalizing the state budget, and $526 million in promised adequacy funding for underfunded schools is at risk. This funding — the second installment following last year’s first step investment to fix Pennsylvania’s unconstitutional school funding system — is critical for student success. Without it, districts will be forced to make impossible choices, and student learning will suffer. Your voice can make a difference in this important fight.

Can you record a quick video telling legislators why adequacy funding is important to you, your student, or your school district?

If you’re struggling with food insecurity or have the ability to help, you can find a local food bank here. Feeding Pennsylvania is the statewide association for nine Food Banks in Pennsylvania, a non-profit organization that works to reduce hunger and food insecurity across the state through partnerships, policy advocacy, and direct initiatives. The website, feedingpa.org, serves as a central hub for information on the organization's programs, its partners, and ways for the public to get involved. You can use the website to find local food banks, learn about their advocacy efforts, and get information on how to donate or volunteer.

Students are selected each month to serve as Upper Darby School District Royal Brand Ambassadors, representing both their school and the Upper Darby School District with pride. As part of their role, these ambassadors engage with their peers by posing a series of questions connected to a monthly theme. Through these conversations, ambassadors help spotlight student voices, promote school spirit, and highlight the diverse perspectives that make each school community unique. For November, Garrettford and Charles Kelly Elementary Schools hosted the Royals Brand Ambassadors, exploring the theme “Attitude of Gratitude.” Enjoy!

UDSD Royal Brand Ambassadors Q&A #1

UDSD Royal Brand Ambassadors Q&A #2

UDSD Royal Brand Ambassadors Q&A #3

What does "In Our Community" highlight? — "In Our 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.

Photo Caption: School district administration team members volunteer

at Murphy’s Giving Market in Upper Darby.

Connecting Our Community Through Engagement and Events

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.

Click here to view the November Regular School Board Meeting,

Work Session, and Voting meetings.

The following schools provided updates to the school board on recent happenings, student learning progress, educational programming, extracurricular activities, and other important developments in their schools during this month’s school board meeting. Please watch and enjoy the videos linked below to stay informed and celebrate our schools and our students’ achievements!

Click here to view the November School Board Committee Meetings.

District administration presented a recommendation for adopting new elementary ELA curricular resources. These materials would be implemented in all K–5 classrooms beginning in the 2026–27 school year. The presentation outlined the selection process, summarize feedback from the approved pilot, and review the associated costs and professional development plan, in accordance with Policies 108 and 105. All related administrative regulations have been completed and are available on BoardDocs. The Board approved the recommendation at the December 2, 2025 Board Meeting. View the presentation here. View the administrative regulations and supporting documents here.

District administration provided information on the process for updating the District’s special education plan as required by Chapters 4 and 14 of the PA School Code. The design for meetings, participation, feedback, follow up Committee meeting date, along with submission timeline will be shared. This item is information only at this time, but will require Board action prior to submission to the Pennsylvania Department of Education. View the presentation and supporting documents here. A recruitment flyer will be shared in the Wednesday Folder and on the website.

At the request of the Board, District administration discussed its intent to form a committee to investigate the feasibility and potential impacts of implementing a four-day work week for the school district. The review included Act 80 requirements. The Administration, in partnership with the Co-Chairs of the Education and Pupil Services committee, will form an information gathering team that will comprise of the following: administrators, teachers, support staff, students, coaches, and community members. The formation of this committee comes under the guidance of the School Board and was approved at the December 2, 2025 meeting. An interest form will be shared in the Wednesday Folder and on the website.

District Administration discussed the Act 1 timeline as it relates to both a Preliminary Budget and an Accelerated Opt Out Resolution. Historical data, as it relates to the Act 1 Index was presented. Based on the information provided, District Administration was to ask the Board to move forward with one of the following:

• Resolution Authorizing Proposed Preliminary Budget Display/Advertising

• Accelerated Budget Opt Out Resolution

District administration proposed the District move forward with an Accelerated Budget Opt Out Resolution. The Board approved this recommendation. View the presentation here.

1. 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:

   
   

   1st Reading

   1. Policy 810 Transportation

   
   

   2nd Reading (Approval)

   1. Policy 206: Assignment within the District-Attachment

   2. Policy 626 Federal Fiscal Compliance

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.

The Upper Darby School District calendar includes events, activities and important deadlines for the school year. Updates may be made to this calendar as the year progresses, so please visit the calendar often to stay up-to-date.

School buildings keep their own calendars of events on their webpages that include dates for school-level events. Please visit your school building website for more information. You can also access the district and school-level calendars on the Upper Darby School District mobile app. Visit your App Store to download it today!

Website Online Master Calendar

2025-2026 Year at a Glance Calendar

2025-2026 Summary of Calendar

2026-2027 One-Page Calendar

2026-2027 Summary of Calendar

The 2025-2026 Student Services Mental Health Services Guide is a resource that provides information about available mental health support options, including counseling, therapy, crisis intervention, and community programs. It helps individuals understand where and how to access professional help and what services are offered in the local area.

This resource, created by Pupil Services, offers information about nearby places in Upper Darby that provide assistance with housing, food, utilities, mental health, childcare, and after-school activities. Our team will continue to update this resource as new information becomes available. If you need help locating support services, please reach out to your school social worker.

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.

Click HERE or 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://upperdarbysdorg.finalsite.com/school-board12/about-the-board