Board of School Directors moves forward with a plan to build a new middle school on the current campus
As part of its long-term facilities planning process, “One ASD, One Future,” Abington School District has taken a key step forward to address the needs of Abington Middle School.
At the Board of School Directors meeting on January 14, the Board expressed a desire to pursue a plan to build one new middle school on the current campus. The District will now prepare a resolution to fund this project through a referendum, which would be voted on by Abington Township and Borough of Rockledge residents. The Board will review and vote on this resolution at the January 28 meeting of the Board of School Directors.
“Through a multi-year process, the District has actively sought input from staff, parents, and Abington Township and Borough of Rockledge residents about the future of our facilities,” said Superintendent Dr. Jeffrey Fecher. “Throughout this process, the community has emphasized that the middle school is the most critical investment and that they want a voice in decisions that affect public education and local tax rates. The valuable feedback we received on the proposed options for Abington Middle School helped guide decision-making on the best plan to meet the needs of our students and staff, reflect our community’s priorities, and provide long-term value.”
The Board meeting also included an overview of results from three recent surveys:
In November, the district conducted a ThoughtExchange survey that was open to all residents and received 1,180 completed responses.
In December, the district conducted two community surveys:
A phone survey of 500 Abington School District residents, using an independent firm to gather information from a statistically representative sample of the district’s adult population.
All residents were also invited to participate in an online survey, which received 1,361 completed responses.
The Board presentation and survey results are available at OneASDOneFuture.org/resources.
“The past few years of facilities planning have culminated in this final decision that reflects the collaborative efforts of our entire community,” said Dr. Fecher. “I am deeply grateful for the important insights from staff, parents and residents, and the dedication of our Board in thoroughly assessing the needs of Abington Middle School, seeking community input, and evaluating options to determine the best plan for our staff, students, and community.”
The District will continue to listen to input and feedback from the community as the process moves forward. For more information, visit OneASDOneFuture.org.