The Class of 2015 at Quakertown Community High School consists of 379 seniors and, according to administrators, about one-third of those students are in danger of failing one or more courses.

        With the end of the school year quickly approaching, administrators fear as many as 56 students may not receive their diplomas.  That's roughly 15 percent of the class.

        Dr. Rachel Holler, the district's director of educational programs, briefed school board members during their May 28 meeting.

        She explained the list of at-risk students began with 102 seniors. However, after further research into the fourth marking period grades, it was determined some of the failed courses were actually electives and technically did not count towards graduation requirements.

        Holler said, 33 different courses were carrying failures, a grade of 71 percent  or lower, with some being electives such as forensics, sociology, anthropology, and international business. Required courses for graduation with failures proved to be English literature and composition, pre-calculus, and political science.

        Of the 56 at-risk students, Holler explained, "Each one has a story, whether it's mental health issues or homelessness. Guidance counselors have been actively working with them and their teachers, and encouraging them to do what they can to bring up their grades. Final exams are starting and the students are being pushed to not give up and take the exam as it counts for 10% of their final grade."

        While some students are determined to "mathematically be able to pass," others are definite failures, Holler said.

        School administrators are looking to identify the warning signs of possible failures as early as the first marking period.

       Consideration has also been given to mandating teachers to update their electronic gradebooks more often in order for parents and administrators to monitor their child's progress in each course.

        Although administrators did not provide detailed recommendations to the board during the meeting, district superintendent Dr. William Harner said, "At the next meeting (June 4) we'll be discussing secondary grades. And ideas and suggestions will come."

        This school year marks the return of traditional grading for students who previously were taught under the standards-based grading system. That system essentially allowed students to retake tests.

        Administrators did note students who are one class short of graduation requirements may attend summer school but will not be able to attend graduation ceremonies.

        In other business, school board president Paul Stepanoff asked fellow board members what to do next in looking for a resolution of the PSERS (Public School Employee Retirement System) crisis.

        Recently Quakertown school district hosted a joint meeting between Bucks, Lehigh, and Northampton counties' legislative councils, as well as the executive director of PSERS, as a way to discuss possible options to resolve the pension dilemma.

        Over the last few years, pension costs across Pennsylvania have put a damper on school budgets, requiring hefty contributions and subsequently pulling funds from academic programs and causing a rise in taxes for the community.

        Stepanoff suggested by causing a crisis in Harrisburg, attention would be drawn to the problem and require legislators to seriously address the issue.

        Stepanoff's approach is clear: contact the 500 other school districts within the state and ask them to get on board by withholding their PSERS payments due on September 21, put the money aside in an escrow account and issue a press release stating no payments will be issued until the problem is fixed.

        The joint meeting provided an avenue to approach PSBA (Pennsylvania School Boards Association) and ask for support in contacting the 500 school districts; however, Stepanoff said, "PSBA completely washed their hands of this and there's no way of knowing who is joining us and who isn't."

        For now, school board members agreed to work on their own without the PSBA's help and issue emails to as many of the 500 school districts as possible. The district's website will also provide information on PSERS and a potential resolution for the public to read.

        School board member Chuck Shermer added, "I'm very disappointed in PSBA. Their mission and their purpose is to support school boards. But it's not convenient to support us right now. Their priorities are clearly upside down."