A Hatfield architect will present a series of proposals for upgrades at buildings in the Upper Perkiomen School District later this month. Last week, the district's facilities director announced that representatives from KCBA Architects will appear at the Oct. 22 board joint workshop/committee meetings to present a series of recommendations for renovation of the high school and how to utilize empty space at the 4th and 5th Grade Center.

            According to Michael Rohrbach, the firm has spent the summer examining the facilities. He said the proposal would include concepts of what a renovation at the high school might look like. The architectural plan will include options for all schools and their potential financial impact.

            Peg Pennepacker asked Keith McCarrick, chair of the committee, to provide the full board with a tour of the most distressed areas of the high school, located at 2 Walt Road in Red Hill – that opened in the fall of 1968 – and unused spaces at the 4th and 5th Grade Center, located at 510 Jefferson St. in East Greenville.

            "If there's the potential that we have to renovate the high school in the near future, and we have to take it to a referendum, then we've got to see the good, the bad and the ugly," Pennepacker said during the Sept. 24 joint meeting.

            McCarrick described her suggestion as a good idea. He said he would work with administrators to set up dates and times.

            The committee also agreed to advance a proposal by the Montgomery County Parks, Trails and Historic Sites to install a butterfly garden at Marlborough Elementary. During the meeting, Faith Renner, the natural resource manager for the county organization, asked the members to allow for the permanent installation of poles for the construction of an eight-foot enclosure.

            A third of the garden will be utilized on school property at the school, according to Renner. She said the county will be responsible for the fence. Parking for the garden will be located on county property near the school, located at 1450 Gravel Pike.

            The finance committee released a schedule for the 2027-28 budget. This month, it will discuss whether or not to exceed the base Act 1 Index, set at 3.6 percent.

            If the board cannot pass a resolution in November to maintain that index, it must present a preliminary budget by Feb. 17, 2027, according to information presented by Drew Bishop, the district's business administrator.

            A vote on the preliminary budget would be scheduled for the first meeting in May. Final ratification would occur in June, according to the schedule embedded in the online meeting agenda.

            During public comment, a male audience member asked the members to provide the total cost of all after-school activities. He also asked them to solicit sponsors for those activities, and recommended pay-to-play for some extracurricular activities.

            In personnel news, the members approved the resignation of one employee: Juliann Bauer, a technology assistant. They also voted to appoint two existing employees, Schylar Coleman and Emily Hubbs, as 12-month full-time administrative assistants at the middle school; Johanna Velez Velez, a paraprofessional; Nancy Amici and Carole Mitchell, as playground/cafeteria aides at 4th and 5th Grade Center; and Briana Haberkern, a playground/cafeteria aide at Marlborough Elementary.

            The board also voted to appoint Tyler Quinci, an existing employee, as a full-time first shift custodian at Hereford Elementary.

            The members approved leave for two employees identified only by their employee number. One will be out from Oct. 2 through Nov. 13. The other will be out from Sept. 22 for four to six weeks, as needed.

            The board also granted Rachel Maxey, a school counselor in the district since August of 2023, tenure.