• Update 3-16-17
     

    The Districts consultants have prepared revised sending boundaries for the district’s four elementary schools: Arrowhead, Eagleville, Woodland, and Worcester. In preparing this map, the consultants considered feedback received over the past several weeks from parents and members of the community. Proposed sending areas and revisions may be viewed here.

     

    A presentation of these proposed final sending boundaries was made at a special work session meeting of the Board on Wednesday, March 15. A special meeting of the Board will take place at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 21 in the auditorium at Arcola Intermediate School for the purpose of considering possible action on elementary school sending boundaries, followed by the Board’s regularly scheduled work session meeting. Public comment will be heard on action items before the vote.

     

    Update 2-27-17 

    A timeline for the Board’s approval of the sending area boundaries has been determined. Feedback on the boundaries received before March 7 will be compiled and considered by the consultants, who will prepare revised sending area maps for distribution to the public on or about March 10.

     

    A special school board work session meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 15. The focus of this meeting will be a presentation of the proposed final sending areas by the Board’s consultants. The finalization of the boundaries with Board approval is planned for a special meeting of the Board to precede the Board’s regularly scheduled Tuesday, March 21 work session meeting. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. and be held at Arcola Intermediate School.

     

    Remember that you may send feedback on the proposed boundaries to boundary@methacton.org so that it may be shared with the Board and their consultants. When sending this feedback, please include your name, the name(s) of your student(s), your current elementary school, and home address. General questions about the transition process or other feedback may be sent to information@methacton.org. As appropriate, questions and answers will be posted to the elementary school transition information section of the website so that all families may benefit from the information shared. 

    Update 2-23-17

     

    Elementary School Transition Meetings
     

    Agenda

     

    Welcome and Introductions–Building Principal
    Presentation – Central Administration Director
    Directions for Boundary Feedback
    Directions for Question Submissions
    Facilities Visit       

     

    These meetings are intended to begin the sharing of information on the transition process and allow for families to submit questions and feedback on the proposed elementary school sending boundaries. While more transition planning is to come, this will serve as the starting point to provide an overview and gather feedback on the transition process.

     

    We will provide access to maps and feedback forms that will be collected and shared with the Board of School Directors and our boundary consultants to further develop the boundaries. This is in addition to your choice to email feedback to boundary@methacton.org at any time through March 7, 2017. To view the proposed boundaries, download the map of proposed sending areas from the district’s website here.

     

    When providing feedback, please include your name, the name(s) of your student(s), your current elementary school, and your home address.

     

    While we will be presenting the transition process, we will also provide families with the option to submit questions and suggestions on comment cards for our review and use in proceeding with our communications and transitioning process.

     

    Following the presentations, we will provide an opportunity for families to visit the facilities.

     

    Meeting Dates and Times – Meetings are expected to be approximately one hour.

     

    Monday, February 27

    •    7 p.m.   Woodland Elementary School
    •    7 p.m.   Worcester Elementary School

     

    Thursday, March 2

    •    7:30 p.m. – Arrowhead Elementary School (Please note change in time.)
    •    7 p.m. – Eagleville Elementary School

     

    An additional meeting has been added for those families whose schedules prevent them from attending the previously scheduled sessions.

     

    Tuesday, March 7

    •         7 p.m. – Arrowhead Elementary School
    Update 2-22-17

    During the February 21, 2017 meeting of the Methacton School District Board of School Directors, the Board voted to close Audubon Elementary School. This decision was made as a result of a process that began in 2014 in response to a decline in student enrollment.

     

    This decision will result in changes to the district. It will have an impact on our families, our staff, and our entire community. While a great deal of time and effort was dedicated to preparing for this decision, we now begin the important work of planning and preparing students, staff, and families for the transition. To begin, allow me to assure you that our students, their needs, and their well-being will be of the utmost priority as we continue this process.

     

    Our next step is to invite families to partner with us, and share feedback that will aid in our planning.

     

    To begin, meetings are scheduled for the purposes of gathering this feedback and providing information. Families are invited to attend a meeting at their child’s proposed 2017-2018 school according to the draft boundary maps found online.  If schedules do not permit, families may attend the meeting of their choosing. The same information will be shared at each. More detailed information about these meetings is forthcoming:

    • 7 p.m. on Monday, February 27 – Woodland and Worcester elementary schools
    • 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 2 – Arrowhead and Eagleville elementary schools

    In addition to feedback gathered at these meetings, specific comments or suggestions on the proposed boundaries may be shared by sending an email to boundary@methacton.org.  All feedback will be shared with the Board of School Directors and the district’s consultants. We ask that you please send feedback prior to Monday, March 6 to ensure that it will be considered by the Board and the consultants in determining the boundary lines.

     

    The school board will schedule public meetings to review and approve the boundary lines that will go into effect starting 2017-2018 school term.

     

    This is the first step in moving Methacton forward. We continue to appreciate the support of our families and wider community as we continue through this transition process.

     

    Sincerely,

    Dr. David Zerbe
    ​​​​​​​Superintendent of Schools

    Update 2-10-17
    The following is an update on the matter of school consolidation.
     
    Recently, Milone and MacBroom (planning consultants) presented several scenarios for the Board’s consideration. In their presentation, each scenario included conceptual maps showing attendance boundaries for the purposes of those discussions. When developing potential boundaries, Milone and MacBroom was given the following direction by the Board:
     
    • Balance enrollments between schools
    • Maintain neighborhood integrity where practicable
    • Place students in neighborhood schools and minimize transportation times where practicable
    • Ensure alternatives are viable long term
     
    In the event that a vote requires a school closure and/or redistricting, the district will seek feedback from stakeholders on the resulting boundaries.
     
    In order to provide our community with an in- depth look at the conceptual boundaries given the scenarios being discussed, we have listed high resolution files for your viewing.
     
    We continue to appreciate our community’s thoughtful questions, discussion, and comments.
     
    The next meeting is scheduled as a voting meeting on the scenarios. This meeting is planned for 7 p.m. at Arcola Intermediate School on Tuesday, February 21. Historical documentation, presentations, and updates can be found on the district’s website at www.methacton.org/enrollment.
     
    Thank you,
     
    Dr. David Zerbe
    Superintendent of Schools
     
    Update 2-7-17

    The Board’s consultants, Milone & MacBroom, presented the Board with information requested from the January 10, 2017 meeting. This information was to be considered the last in a series of meetings where options for consideration were presented and additional education opportunities, costs, and land use could be considered in terms of the remaining potential outcomes. You can find historical documents regarding this process via the links at left.

     

    To understand the process and how the district progressed to this point, it shall be understood that a decline in student enrollment over time; the unbalanced enrollment among elementary buildings; future capital investments in elementary buildings; and budgetary constraints, along with an overall interest in preserving the quality of educational programming in the district; has perpetuated this comprehensive, but important conversation on this matter.

    The Board and administration continue to discuss the scenarios as they look to a meeting on Tuesday, February 21, 2017 for a vote on the preferred outcome. This voting meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at Arcola Intermediate School. During that meeting, it is intended, as with any action meeting, to hear public comments on action items. This meeting’s sole purpose is to address the matter of school consolidation and therefore no other action items are being considered outside of this matter. The agenda with the action items will be posted 72 hours in advance of the meeting. In general, the Board will address a preferred outcome from among the following considerations:

    • Close Audubon or Arrowhead elementary school, or
    • Close Audubon and Arrowhead elementary schools, and address grade reconfiguration options for remaining schools.
    • Redistrict without a building closure for the coming school term.

    Historic information on the matter of school consolidation, including presentations, videos, documents, and other updates, can be found on the Methacton website at www.methacton.org/enrollment. 

    As an update to the previous communication below, if none of the options are voted upon, the Board could consider redistricting. 
     
    Update February 1, 2017

    Dear Methacton Community,

    Please be advised that this coming Monday evening, February 6, 2017 (7 p.m. at Arcola Intermediate School), the Board of School Directors, for what is planned as the last information meeting on school consolidation process, will hear from Milone and MacBroom on remaining matters.

    In general, the options before the Board are as follows:

    • To close Audubon or Arrowhead elementary school
             or
    • To close Audubon and Arrowhead elementary schools and address grade reconfiguration options for remaining schools.
    A vote on the matter of school consolidation is scheduled for Tuesday February 21, 2017 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium of Arcola Intermediate School. This date was originally scheduled as a Board work session, but will now be re-advertised to provide notice to the public that the meeting is now intended to focus on only a vote related to this specific matter.
     
    I want to thank each and every one of you for being patient with this process. While it has taken time, a decision with such potential impact to our district requires a thoughtful process. I believe that we will be well positioned after the meeting on the February 6 to allow for a proper determination of this matter, and begin the important work that will be necessary as a result of a decision.
     
    Dr. David Zerbe
    Superintendent of Schools
    Update - January 11, 2017
     
    The January 10 special meeting of the Board furthered the discussion on school consolidation, as the Board heard a presentation and update from their consultants, Milone and MacBroom.
     
    Milone and MacBroom will present final recommendations during a February 6 special meeting of the Board, beginning at 7 p.m. at Arcola Intermediate School. At that time, several points will be under consideration for the Board:
    • The closure of Audubon or Arrowhead elementary school
    • The closure of Audubon and Arrowhead elementary schools, and potential grade reconfiguration possibilities for Arcola and Methacton High Schools.

    Update - December 6, 2016
     
    Reviews of programming and space requirements at Methacton's elementary schools, Skyview, Arcola, and MHS was prepared and presented to the Board during the November and December meetings. These reports, available for download below, were provided to Milone and MacBroom. A presentation of potential redistricting scenarios is scheduled for January 10 at Arcola Intermediate School, beginning at 7 p.m. Milone and MacBroom will present options for the Board’s consideration in a process that is currently scheduled for final recommendations during a February 6 special meeting of the Board, beginning at 7 p.m. at Arcola Intermediate School.
    Update 11-3-16
    The Board held a special meeting on November 1 at Arcola, during which the enrollment and capacity study was presented. Download this presentation here. A video of this meeting can be seen below. Download a review of this meeting here.

    Update - 10-28-16

    The Board will hold a special meeting on November 1, 2016 at 7 p.m. at Arcola Intermediate School, during which the enrollment and capacity study will be presented. This study is available for download and review by the public in advance of this meeting.

    The Methacton School District Board of School Directors held a town hall meeting on October 27, 2016 to invite feedback that will help guide the Board’s decision making process moving forward, as they consider potential school redistricting, school closures, and full day kindergarten. This meeting was videotaped, and can be seen below. Download a review of this meeting here.
     
     
    School Consolidation Update - 3-17-16
    As directed by the Board of School Directors, the Methacton administration prepared a new Request for Proposal (RFP) to seek proposals from vendors to provide enrollment projection services. This RFP was provided to several vendors, as listed below, and is also available on the district's website to welcome bids from other service providers. 
    • Population & Survey Analysts - College Station, TX
    • Cooperative Educational Services - Trumbull, CT 
    • Statistical Forecasting LLC - New Jersey
    • Ross Haber Associates - Milltown, NJ
    • Montgomery County Planning Commission - Norristown, PA
    • Sundance Associates - Cherry Hill, NJ
    • Citygate GIS LLC - Annapolis, MD
    • Harner and Associates - Austin, TX
    • OR/Ed Lab - North Carolina
    • Berk and Associates - Seattle, WA 
    • Lapkoff & Gobalet Demographic Research, Inc. - Berkeley, CA 
    • Applied Data Services - Flanders, NJ
    • Caliper Corporation - Newton, MA
    • Cropper GIS LLC - Dublin, OH
    • Educational Logistics, Inc. - Missoula, MT
    • Main Street Communications - Washington, DC
    • Davis Demographics and Planning, Inc. - Riverside, CA
    • Bob Schoch - Montgomery County, PA
    • J. Lara Consulting - Washington, DC
    • Decision Insite - Irvine, CA 
    • DeJong-Healy - Hilliard, OH
    • Castallo and Silky - Syracuse, NY
    • Milone & MacBroom, Inc. - Cheshire, CT 
    Update - 2-24-16

    Superintendent Dr. David Zerbe presented the Board with a revised timeline that addresses the district's continued work related to the matter of school consolidation.

    During his presentation, Dr. Zerbe noted three potential outcomes to consider - no revisions to attendance boundaries or school closure, a redrawing of attendance boundaries with a school closure, and a redrawing of attendance boundaries without a school closure - there are several key items that the Board will have to consider in the coming weeks to months: 

    • Timing and Impact on Community
    • Second Enrollment Study, Vendor Selection
    • Educational and Financial Impact of each potential outcome
    • Facilities Assessment
    • Communications and Community Input

    After discussion, the Board directed Dr. Zerbe to prepare a request for proposal (RFP) to solicit vendors to conduct a second enrollment projection and, if needed, use the enrollment projections and initial related data to assist the district with re-drawing of boundary lines.

    The timeline is also designed with a deadline for the Board to make a decision on whether or not to close a school, and finalize any necessary redrawing of attendance boundaries before January 15, 2017 if a change is planned for the 2017-2018 school year. This deadline, while not required by law, is Dr. Zerbe's recommendation in order to allow families and staff ample notice of any changes that are planned for the following school year.

    School Consolidation Update - 1-27-16

    Last evening at their regular monthly meeting, (January 26, 2016) the Board of School Directors determined that the collection of information and the discussion regarding school closing and consolidation shall remain a topic of discussion for the Board. The Board additionally decided to announce that a school closure will not occur for the 2016-2017 school term.

    These decisions by the Board provide thoughtful action that will allow for the administration and staff to prepare for the 2016-2017 school term and to provide current and new Methacton families with appropriate notice to enroll and or prepare for the coming year. In addition, these actions not only continue the information gathering and discussions by the Board, but require me, the Superintendent, to provide a new timeline for the Board’s consideration and information gathering processes to be discussed at the February Board meeting. 

    The decision to act last evening was predicated by many factors including the School Board having recently seated six new directors, each of whom need to become knowledgeable with all aspects of the school consolidation/closing process and available information. An updated timeline will include the establishment of confidence in any resulting data, including enrollment projections. Other considerations will include how the timeline can appropriately involve the community in such an important process and the recent work with Strategic Planning.

    Dr. David Zerbe
    Superintendent of Schools 

    Public Vendor Presentations - www.methacton.or
    Potential vendors that can assist the district in conducting a second enrollment projection and, if needed, use the enrollment projections and initial related data to assist the district with re-drawing of boundary lines have been provided to the district. 
     
    Introduction ~ Dr. David Zerbe, Superintendent
     
     
    Vendor 1 - Citygate ~ Fred Hejazi, Presenter
     
     
    Vendor 2 - Sundance Assoc. ~ George Sundell, Presenter
     
     
    Vendor 3- Milone & MacBroom ~ Mike Zuba, Presenter (While this presenter was unable to be present during the public meeting, the presentation was submitted and will be considered for selection.)
     
     
    No questions or comments were taken during the presentations. The Superintendent welcomes comments or suggestions via email at information@methacton.org up until 12 p.m. on Monday, October 5 for consideration in selecting a final vendor, without expectation for response to questions.

    School Consolidation Update - September 10, 2015

    Please be advised that a meeting of the Consolidation Committee has been scheduled for September 23, 2015. During this meeting, the committee will hear responses to capacity questions prepared by the Enrollment/Capacity/Education Committee from Thompson Associates. Thompson will deliver his responses to the full consolidation committee so that clarity can be achieved prior to releasing such questions and responses to the public.

    The Redrawing of Attendance Areas committee completed their review of the vendor presentation scoring. Please know that there were four vendors that presented to a collective group of 19 school consolidation committee members. Each member scored vendors and scores were totaled. The lowest scoring vendor will not be asked to present again in the future to the School Board or public. The committee recommended that the remaining three vendors present in public. These presentations will take place on Thursday, October 1, 2015 at 6:30 p.m. in the MHS LGI. At this time, school board members and well as concerned citizens can hear the presentations. Once these presentations conclude, the Superintendent will make a recommendation to the Board of School Directors to contract with one of the three vendors for phase one of a two phase project. The first phase will be about conducting an enrollment projection that can be used to compare to our existing PEL projections and the second phase, if needed, will be to use the enrollment projections and initial related data to assist the district with re-drawing of boundary lines. 

    The Methacton Board of School Directors authorized the creation of committees to assist the Superintendent with gathering information relative to the possible closing of Audubon Elementary School. There are 5 committees established. Four (4) of the committees will have members in addition to the chairperson(s). The Communications Committee will not have membership, but will serve an important function in reporting progress of committee work. Each committee has a profile that establishes their basic mission. The 5 committees, combined, shall form the Consolidation Committee. The Consolidation Committee will consist of not more than 25 members total including chairpersons, community and staff. Committee structure and membership will be determined by applications and interest received. The Consolidation Committee will serve the function to hear and review information on matters before each of the committees and to assist the Superintendent when needed.
     
    These Consolidation Committee meetings are not regular meetings of the Board of School Directors and will be open to the public by invitation only. The information gathered and presentations provided will be made available on the district website.
     
    Click the Consolidation Committee Reports Page at left to read the most recent reports of committee meetings.
     Consolidation Committee Information
    • Mary Katona, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
    • Troy Sosnovik, Director of Technology, Student Accounting, and Safety
    • John Andrews
    • Christopher Beck
    • Jeff Dowds
    • Robert Fleming
    • Joyce Magann
    • Andrew Sandner
    • Jenyi Yu
    • Susan Angstadt, Director of Pupil Services
    • Robert P. Harney, Assistant to the Superintendent for Personnel
    • Darlene Balaguer-Piernock
    • Jennifer Cancro
    • Ed Crenshaw
    • Monty Harrison
    • Ashley Power
    • Mark Fretz, Director of Facilities
    • Stuart Whiteleather, Director of Business Services
    • Patricia Alzamora
    • John Kaufman
    • Doug Kenwood 
    • Robert Laws, Transportation Manager 
    • Mary Hull
    • Allison Navarrette
    • Sal Pantano
    • Darline Primavera
    • Jackie Sunderland-Maestrale