Community members invited to take a survey to help shape the future of the District’s facilities
Abington School District is taking steps to address its facility challenges as part of ongoing efforts to maintain and enhance the quality of education that students receive throughout the District’s nine schools.
Over the past nine months, the District has evaluated the current challenges and future needs of Abington Middle School and the seven elementary schools. Facility assessments and an enrollment analysis conducted by independent experts at the beginning of 2023 found that every school other than Abington Senior High School will likely need significant facility investments before the end of the decade – particularly Abington Middle School, which was built in 1964 and continues to see growth in its student population.
“We are fortunate to be a vibrant and growing school district where excellence in education is a shared priority for our community,” Dr. Jeffrey Fecher, Superintendent of Schools said. “As we plan for the future, we recognize and embrace the need to enhance our learning environments to best support the programs and services that are essential for our growing student population.”
Dr. Fecher said the District has worked hard to manage and maintain its facilities with ongoing maintenance, adaptations, and investments. However, as buildings age, they require more attention, frequent repairs and funding. That is why the District is taking action now to get ahead of any potential issues by conducting a facilities planning process that takes into account community feedback and balances it with the overall needs of the buildings and the educational program overall.
To keep the community informed and involved in the facilities planning process, Abington School District has launched a new website, OneASDOneFuture.org. The website serves as an information hub for the school and broader community to learn more about the district’s challenges, review resources about the facilities planning process, and provide input and feedback to help the District shape the best possible plan for the future.
As part of the planning process, the District has also launched an online community survey to gather community input, including from parents/guardians and residents of Abington Township and the Borough of Rockledge. The survey is open through 6 p.m. on Friday, January 26. District residents can take the survey at bit.ly/APSsurvey2023/.
Additional surveys have been administered to teachers and staff over the past few months, and Abington School District students have also had an opportunity to participate and provide feedback.
“Abington School District is committed to ensuring that all students receive a quality education. The facilities planning process builds on our commitment to provide future-forward learning environments that promote student excellence and achievement,” Dr. Fecher said.