The planned closure of the Main Street bridge in Pennsburg could lead to bus route changes for students in the Upper Perkiomen School District. Last week, its transportation coordinator informed the members that she was working to reroute all traffic away from the work at the structure, located between 10th and 11th streets.

            Jennifer Malone described the entire process as challenging during her presentation. She said during the Jan. 26 workshop meeting that the process has given her agita.

            Parents will have access to the updated routes beginning on Feb. 3 on Skyward, the district's student information system, according to Malone. She said her department will contact any affected families.

           On Feb. 17, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is expected to close Main Street between 8th and 11th streets to replace the structure near the Red Hill border. Alexis Jenofsky, the district's communications specialist, could not identify what percentage of the district's 204 routes would be altered.

            "Mrs. Malone and her team are doing their best to keep run times the same," Jenofsky wrote in a Jan. 27 email message.

            Further adjustment may be required after the initial two weeks, noted Malone. She told the board that her department's goal is to keep route times under an hour.

            A memorandum of understanding with Red Hill Borough will allow the district to utilize an emergency access road at the high school. Malone told the board that only school buses and vans will be permitted to use the road, and that it will be monitored by school staff, security or a crossing guard.

            Citing her own traffic survey conducted during the morning of the recent meeting at the middle school, Malone also encouraged all parents to have their children utilize the bus service. She identified 172 students from 155 families are not assigned to a bus.

            The transportation director counted 202 parent drop-off cars and 44 staff cars from 7 to 7:40 a.m. at the school, located on Montgomery Avenue in Upper Hanover. Malone also counted 29 walkers between 11th Street and the middle school.

            "When the bridge closes, the traffic there is going to be worse," she said during the presentation.

            Malone also informed the members that Krise Transportation, the district's bus company recently lost a driver. She also said the district is down to one substitute driver.

            According to the transportation director, one driver for trips and sports is currently available. Malone said she recently earned her commercial driver's license.

            In personnel news, the members approved the retirement of Kathleen Stattel, librarian at the high school since October 2007, at the end of the 2022-2023 school year.

            They also voted to grant leaves of absences for Stephanie Diehl, from Feb. 8 to March 6; Kierstin Hildebrand from March 28 to May 10; Rebecca Rogers, intermittently beginning on Jan. 12 as needed, and continuously from Jan. 30 through Feb. 27, for up to 12 weeks; and Matthew Nomland effective Aug. 22 through the first semester of the 2023-2024 school year.

            The members voted to hire Matthew Long as a social studies teacher at the middle school for the current school year.

            The board also voted to appoint Anya Delli Gatti, a current school employee, as a part-time crossing guard for the current school year, and Mary Shantz, a current school employee, as a paraprofessional at the 4^th & 5th Grade Center.

            The board held an executive session immediately prior to the public meeting, according to Solicitor Kyle Somers. He said the members discussed issues of collective bargaining with the Upper Perkiomen Education Association and a personnel matter regarding a sports staff employee.