With the start of the 2024-25 school year looming, Upper Perkiomen's superintendent welcomed the board and the community to its first public meeting in two months. Monday, Aug. 26 is the first day for students.

            "We're excited to be ready to go," Allyn Roche said during the Aug. 8 meeting.

            The members approved multiple action items for the upcoming year, including an agreement with New Story Schools for educational services, for Lifespan Day Care for Onsite Before and After School Care and with Red Hill Dental for school dental services at an amount not to exceed $2,640.

            The members also voted to renew a contract with three companies. ProAsys Energy Management Program will be paid $12,930 for water treatment services to all buildings. Conexus for Building Automation System will continue to provide preventive maintenance agreement at an annual cost of $13,700. They also renewed the district-wide Maintenance Agreement for Generators with GenServe at an annual cost of $5,710.

            The board approved a three-year contract with Qualtrics for survey management and data analytics for all schools and the education center at an annual cost of $12,792 for the next three school years. It also awarded GER Solutions an agreement for an Electronics & Outdated Technology Equipment Sale/Safe Recycling and Certified Data Destruction.

            Bus schedules will be released this weekend on Skyward. Only those families who have completed the back-to-school forms will have access to it, according to Roche.

"Half of our families have already signed up," he said.

            Classroom assignments for grades Kindergarten through five will be announced Thursday. Schedules for middle and high school students are due the following day. Bus schedules will be released both days, according to the superintendent.

            The superintendent identified security improvements at Marlborough and Hereford elementary schools, the middle school and the high school. He displayed photos of the bollards installed at each building. A grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency funded the work, according to Roche.

            In personnel news, the board approved the retirement of James Coleman, an IT tech assistant, effective Sept. 30. It also approved the resignation of Christa Paul, a biology teacher, 60 days from June 25; Betania Garcia, an assistant food service manager; Holly Yabroski, an administrative assistant; Elizabeth Page, a paraprofessional; Dan Wynne, a part-time food service employee, and paraprofessionals Gina Keele and Jennifer Malloy.

            The members approved the appointment of Christine Campbell as supervisor of special education. They also voted to accept multiple professional appointments for the upcoming school year.

            They include Thomas Horner, a third grade teacher; Megan Shanely, a fifth grade teacher and Samantha Smith a biology teacher. The appointments include instructional coaches Kelly Cahoon and Jessica Dynda, along with Angela Traub, an existing employee, as a college and career coordinator.

            The board also voted to approve 13 new paraprofessional hires, including Cailin Cougle, Kelly Collins, Jessica Gerhart, Francesca Glackin, Amy Hawkins, Candice Kennedy, Leshamarie Kershner, DeShaun Newland, Shauri Reinhardt-Mientus, Rebecca Tomlinson and Lisa Vincent.

            Elizabeth Thomas will be a reading paraprofessional. It also approved the appointment of Schylar Reed as a 12-month administrative assistant.

            The board granted leaves of absence to Nicole Wilson beginning Nov. 4, Danielle Cricks beginning Dec. 3, Kimberly Bast through Sept. 27, Jennifer Screnci-Matozzo beginning Oct. 22 through January 30, 2025, and unpaid leave until April 1, 2025; Joy Pritchard from Aug. 26 through Dec. 2, Jamie Bartholomew from Sept. 16 through Dec. 11, then unpaid leave until March 11, 2025; Carol Bedford, through Aug. 12; Laura Holder from Sept. 30 through Dec. 18 and Michelle Burns, from Dec. 9 through January 25, 2025.

            Solicitor Kyle Somers said the members met in executive session immediately prior to the public portion of the meeting for the purpose of discussing matters of school safety and security, as well as matters of personnel involving new hires to the district.