Upper Perkiomen School Board voted unanimously to have a district-wide feasibility study done to appraise each of its buildings to find room for additional students.

        The study, at a cost of approximately $19,700, will be completed by Breslin Ridyard Fadero Architects of Allentown.  It will include updating floor plans for each building, determining the capacity of each building, comparing capacities to projected enrollments, analyze each building's physical condition and to develop options for repairs, renovation and /or new construction.

        The company's proposal also says the study fee will be credited to the firm's standard fee for services should the district pursue significant renovations or new construction.

        The board voted to pursue the study after this year's enrollment numbers left Marlborough and Hereford elementary schools, as well as Upper Perkiomen Middle School, at a loss for space.  A recent enrollment study, performed by the Montgomery County Planning Commission, also forecasted an increase in students over the next five years.

        In other news, Dr. Sue King, assistant to the superintendent for curriculum, instruction and technology, went over the district's scores on both Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) and Keystone standardized tests.

        While Keystone scores were relatively similar, the PSSAs were a different story.  In addition to changes in content for English language arts (ELA) and math, the proficiency bar on the PSSAs was raised considerably, resulting in lower scores across the state.  Those tests are given to third- through eighth-graders.

        Scores at Marlborough were 76.8 and 55.3 for ELA and math, respectively, and 84.3 for science.  The statewide average was 61, 45.3 and 77.3 for those same categories in grades 3-5.  

        Hereford performed similarly at 65.2, 54.3 and 81.1 for ELA, math and science.  Upper Perkiomen Middle School scores came in at 68.8, 35.3 and 68.4, respectively in those categories, compared to the state averages of 59, 34.5 and 58.8.

         "While we did work to prepare for the shift, it was challenging because of the dramatic changes," King said of the district's math performance.

        Kathy Boyle, of Pennsburg, asked what the district had in place to monitor the new math curriculum at the middle school to ensure students' success.  She cited concerns with the new College Preparatory Math (CPM) curriculum which relies on peer learning as well as internet access to perform assignments.

        "What is the long term?  How did the students who had it 20 years ago do?" she asked.

        "There's a lot of data that shows that the students do well, on SATS and beyond," McGloin said.  "There is always an implementation dip in the first year, and then we tweak it."

        McGloin said teachers are meeting regularly, the district is hosting additional staff development days, CPM trainers go into the classroom and give direct feedback to the teachers, and administrators, who are also trained, are going into the classrooms. 

        "I'm very pleased with what I've seen so far," McGloin said.

        The board later accepted King's resignation as she accepted a position with another school district.