10 Teachers Let Go by School Board

During what was dubbed a ‘major’ budget presentation, the Upper Dublin School Board makes some cuts ... and hears about proposed cuts.

The Upper Dublin School Board Monday night approved the release of ten professional staff members — four by furlough and six by termination — in an effort to balance the district’s 2013-14 budget by June. By letting go of these teachers, the district will save roughly $620,800. The furloughs and terminations are effective June 30. Those furloughed are: Those not tenured and terminated are: As of Monday, prior to the furloughs, the district was facing a deficit of about $2.4 million — and that includes the use of about $2.6 million in fund balance and a proposed tax increase, which would generate about $1.9 million. The $2.4 million-figure is down about $387,200 from January due salary freezes and anticipated retirements.  The district is …

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David Franklin

12:15 pm on Monday, April 29, 2013

We're at the point where we have to CUT to meet the budget numbers. This day was coming sooner or later. I hope Upper Dublin has the good sense to continue the cuts in staff and programs in order to get us within a figure that allows us to live within our budget.   more ›

School District Gets High Marks … From Pittsburgh

The Upper Dublin School District ranks highly, according to a Pittsburgh publication.

Upper Dublin is a pretty good school district, says the people out in Pittsburgh. “The Pittsburgh Business Times,” in its recently released “Western Pennsylvania 2013 School Guide,” dubbed Upper Dublin the 19th-best top-scoring public school district in the state. To put things in perspective, there are over 500 school districts and charter schools in Pennsylvania.  Superintendent Michael Pladus said he heard the news last week from a colleague at the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit. He added that school district administration had no contact with the publication.  According to Pladus, the rankings are calculated by taking a rolling, three-year average of the PSSA scores for all students in grades three through eight and 11. “The ‘…

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$3M in Cuts Considered for Upper Dublin Schools

The Upper Dublin School Board reviews proposed budgetary reductions for the 2013-14 school year; superintendent calls them ‘not good for anybody.’

Upper Dublin Superintendent Michael Pladus kicked off his budget presentation Monday night by telling parents and those in the audience that they should leave if they didn’t want to hear bad news. “I’m sad to say, the future is here,” Pladus said. The Upper Dublin School District is facing a $2.75 million deficit — and that’s after a proposed 3.04 percent millage increase. As part of a budget presentation, Pladus unveiled a list of proposed budgetary reductions to the tune of about $3 million. Most of the reductions come in the form of teacher demotions, and a portion of the reductions come from eliminating several elementary, middle school and high school clubs and activities. Pladus did say that the district shaved about $400,000 off of …

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‘Major Step Forward’ for School Budget Tonight

The Upper Dublin School Board will meet tonight for its legislative meeting; it will also discuss the 2013-14 budget.

After a dry budget overview late last month, the Upper Dublin School Board will hold a meeting that was dubbed to be “the next major step forward” in the budget process, according Upper Dublin Superintendent Michael Pladus. The school board will meet at 7 p.m. in the high school cafeteria. See the pdf section for the draft agenda. Pladus, in a district-wide email, said the options to be discussed at the March 11 meeting are just that — options. He added that the school board will take more cost-cutting options into consideration next month. More from the email: This Monday night at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria of the high school, the Administration will be presenting to the Board of School Directors the second of three budget presentations that…

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School Budget's ‘Less Controversial’ Aspects Reviewed

The Upper Dublin School District is still facing a budget deficit; big decisions will likely be made next month.

The Upper Dublin School Board held its first budget-only meeting Monday night, but it looks like significant talks, or action, will happen next month. Upper Dublin School District Business Administrator Brenda Bray presented the district’s 2013-14 preliminary budget to the board and to the audience. The dry presentation started at 6 p.m. and ended just before 9 p.m. Boiled down: The school district is facing a budget deficit. Bray’s presentation had a slide that outlined the preliminary budget. The slide showed a total revenue figure of about $84.6 million, and a total expenditure figure of $87.2 million — to close the gap, it assumed the use of about $2.6 million in fund balance, leaving $8,116 in fund balance at the end of June 2014. But…

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School Budget Will Get Public Input Monday

The Upper Dublin School Board will hold a budget-centric meeting at the high school.

The Upper Dublin School Board didn’t go into depth on the budget before it passed the district’s 2013-14 preliminary budget earlier this month, but residents will have a chance to weigh tonight. The Upper Dublin School Board will meet Monday at 6 p.m. in the Cardinal Room at the high school. According to Katie Braun, the school district’s assistant to the superintendent, the community will have a chance to voice concerns over the budget at the end of the meeting; the meeting will start off with a budget presentation from school district business administrator Brenda Jones Bray. See the proposed agenda in the pdf section. There will be another meeting focusing on the budget March 18 at 6 p.m. in the Cardinal Room. The school district is …

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Education Foundation ‘Shouldn’t be a Secret,’ Superintendent Says

The Upper Dublin Education Foundation will be busy in the upcoming days.

Upper Dublin School District Superintendent Michael Pladus said in a recent email to parents that many residents have been asking about the possibility of the district forming a nonprofit organization as a way of raising funds. He said that the district already has a community nonprofit organization in the Upper Dublin Educational Foundation. “Perhaps one of the best kept secrets in the school district (that shouldn’t be a secret) is the Upper Dublin Education Foundation,” Pladus wrote. “The Upper Dublin Education Foundation, under the leadership of President, Art Levinowitz, has been extremely active sponsoring a number of different programs and activities, all in support of our students, faculty, and program offerings within the School …

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'Not a Whole Lot Has Changed,' Superintendent Says of Budget

The school board voted for approval of the preliminary budget at the Feb. 4 meeting.

‘Not a Whole Lot Has Changed,’ Superintendent Says of Budget

The school board doesn't discuss the budget at length ... but it will on Feb. 25 and March 18.

The Upper Dublin School Board recommended board approval of the 2013-14 preliminary budget at its work session meeting last night … but there wasn’t much said about it. About three weeks ago, the school board presented its proposed preliminary budget. The presentation highlighted a budget deficit, a proposed tax increase and likely “broad and comprehensive” cuts. See the initial story, as well as the then-proposed cuts, here. At last night’s meeting, Upper Dublin School District Superintendent Michael Pladus said, “Not a whole lot has changed in 21 days … Behind the scenes, I can tell you, not a day goes by when we’re not spending hours trying to come up with budgetary reductions.” Richard Petruschke, a Fort Washington resident, was the …

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