UD UNITED'S PLATFORM
WE ARE running for Upper Dublin Township Commissioner as NON-partisan concerned citizens and parents who LOVE UD and support saving open space, great schools, student achievement, fiscal responsibility, transparency, and a vision for long range plans in development, academics, budgeting and facilities. Our hope is to open communication between the township, school board, administration and the community as it is essential for the success of our township as we work toward common goals of the people of our beloved community, Upper Dublin.
UNITED WE WILL:
Pursue Open Communication
and Transparency
while working toward common goals of the School Board, Administration and Our Beloved Community as it is essential for success.
Promote Fiscal Responsibility
while prioritizing education and being mindful of all residents and stakeholders. We will respect the financial implications of using the public’s money both now and in the future, along with a sensitivity to increasing taxes and debt. WE NEED BALANCE.
Utilize Our Diversified Experience
by uniting our professional backgrounds (Accounting, Entrepreneur, working with seniors, working with children, budgeting, marketing, extensive volunteerism) to work together with Our Community to explore various aspects of all issues.
Exercise Due Diligence
by asking the tough questions, doing the research, exploring alternatives, and finding efficient and effective solutions for each challenge. Our vision is to respect and openly consider community Task Force research and advice.
Advocate Free Thinking
with diverse points of view drawn from practical experience while working together without prior endorsements or agendas.
Represent Our Community
with board members who are aligned and deeply involved with Our Schools and Community.
Unite Dialogues
between all things Upper Dublin by fostering a supportive relationship between the School District and the Township.
Make Student Mental Health a Priority
After a year of Covid, with virtual learning from home and the many pressures on our students in today's world from peers, social media, work loads, jobs, activities and so on. As we talk about schedule changes and later start times, we must also re-write our health curriculum to include best practices when it comes to electronic and social media health.
The district survey concluded, that while students and parents would enjoy later start times, the bigger problem seemed to be a general lack of knowledge about how students should wind down at the end of the night. The district should also provide learning opportunities for parent/guardians to learn about social media, cell phones, blue lights, and a general over all awareness of over-scheduling our kids.
When asked what the number one safety concern is for students, we believe it is the overall health and wellness of our students.
Strive for Student Equity
Student equity continues to be a concern for Upper Dublin. In an effort to bring lower achieving students up, and also provide equitable opportunities to students, the district began the process of detracking a few years ago, or as it was later called, restructuring. So far, we have not seen a real robust follow up about student achievement and performance as a result of our efforts. Is it working for our high achieving students as well as our lower achieving students? Is it working for our teachers? If not, what kinds of supports are still needed. Do we have the financial resources to fully fund those needed supports? Upper Dublin United candidates believe new programming needs to be thoroughly researched. Was the achievement gap widened during the quarantines and virtual education since March of 2020?
Aside from in the classroom opportunities, the district needs to reach out and help families who are disconnected from the rest of the community due to financial constraints, or lack of resources, or language barriers. Many hurdles that some of our students face happen outside of school hours. Not all families in Upper Dublin have the same resources. Some families struggle with food, clothing, and shelter. These stresses undoubtedly affect student performance in the classroom. Several community groups have been formed by volunteer parents to try to help bridge the gap, including Peace and Shake, which handles Jarrettown Elementary and Upper Dublin High School, Rise and Shine for FWES, Cheetah Cares for Thomas Fitzwater, The Giving Tree at Maple Glen, Sandy Run Cares at the middle school and UD H.O.S.T (Helping Our Students Together program) to help food insecure families by providing food packs for the weekends. The district needs to spend/offer resources to help support these organizations that our guidance departments heavily rely. Beyond financial supplements, food and clothing we must remove barriers like transportation, homework, tutoring and access to enrichment activities.
The Consent Decree Impacting SRMS
The school district has systematically failed our students when it comes to equal access to our facilities. As a result, the district was sued, and is now bound to an ADA decent decree. The district knew the middle school was not ADA compliant for decades. Instead of being good stewards for ALL students, they systematically chose to ignore the issues at our buildings. Now, after hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees, the district has been ordered by the court to renovate their building, in order to make it ADA compliant, before it is to be torn down. On top of that, the decree puts, limitations on students including limited ability to use some facilities. CLICK HERE to download the Consent Decree. Some of the accommodations that will effect ALL Sandy Run students can be found starting on page 14 of the decree.
Want to help this grass roots effort get these candidates elected?
-
Spread the word. Tell a few neighbors. Ask them to do the same.
-
Volunteer. Distribute literature. Help at the polls.
-
Donate. We aren't backed by a designated party and need help.
-
Become a UD United Ambassador.
-
Vote in the general election on November 7th! Encourage everyone you know to do the same.