School Board Approves Activity Fee

The long-discussed co-curricular financing proposal will now go towards implementation for the 2012-2013 school year.

It took from the beginning of the New Year to the end of this school year for the Upper Moreland School Board to approve a viable district-wide activity fee. Essentially, the fee will address the needs of the co-curricular activities at the middle and high schools, such as the purchasing of uniforms, travelling expenses and equipment. After the district’s superintendent, Dr. Robert Milrod, gave the initial activity fee proposal, the school board voted at the June 19 Regular Meeting to adopt the second proposal, which describes a five-tiered payment plan for students to participate in district co-curriculars. Milrod’s initial proposal in January produced highly attended committee meetings by parents and other school stakeholders, who were …

• Photos (1)

School Board Draft Agenda Human Resources and Budget and Finance June 12

The Activity Fee will be a topic of discussion at the Budget and Finance committee meeting.

  Upper Moreland School Board Human Resources and Budget and Finance committee draft agendas are found below for the June 12 meetings. The meetings will take place at the Intermediate School.  I.EXECUTIVE SESSION  (Please note:  The Board of Directors will meet in Executive Session prior to the Human Resources Committee Meeting.) II.INFORMATION ITEMS III.DISCUSSION ITEMS  IV.CONSENT AGENDA    A.INSTRUCTIONAL      1.  Termination/Resignation/Furlough      2.  Leave of Absence      3.  Notification to Return from Leave      4.  Recommendation for Employment      5.  Reassignment/Promotion/Demotion      6.  Co-curricular Contract    B.CLASSIFIED      1.  Termination/Resignation      2.  Leave of Absence      3.  Notification to Return from …

• Photos (1)

School Board Draft Agenda Policy and Facilities, June 7

The Upper Moreland School Board Policy and Facilities committees will meet at a rescheduled date this month, June 7.

The Upper Moreland School Board's Policy and Facilities committies meetings will take place a 6:45 p.m. at the Intermediate School. Of note, a continued discussion on the School District's new proposed Activity Fee will take place during the Facilities Committee meeting. Below is a draft agenda for both committee meetings. --- POLICY COMMITTEE June 7, 2012 Committee:  April Stainback, Chairperson            Ron Slagle            Mark Wenik  I.    INFORMATION ITEMS    A.  Framework for Systematic Review of Policies for August, 2012 Policies #228, #229, #230  II.   DISCUSSION ITEMS  III.  VERIFICATION OF UPDATED POLICIES      1.  #216 – Student Records (Students)      2.  #217 – Graduation Requirements (Students)      3.  #218 – Student …

• Photos (1)

Superintendent’s Open Letter Releases New Activity Fee Info

Upper Moreland School District now has detailed information on the formation and proposed implementation of the district-wide Activity Fee on its website.

The following is an open letter to the community from the Upper Moreland School District superitendent, Dr. Robert Milrod. --- To our Upper Moreland Community: Earlier this year, I brought forward to the Board and to the Upper Moreland community a proposal to develop an activity fee system to help fund uniforms, equipment, and some transportation needs associated with middle school and high school sports and marching band.  In response to this initial proposal, School Board President Dr. David Hakes formed an ad hoc activity fee committee, consisting of representatives from the Music Patrons and Booster Club organizations, representatives from the Middle School and High School, representatives from the Board of School Directors, and the …

• Photos (1)

UM School Board Proposes New Activity Fee Plan

The plan, proposed by the Upper Moreland School Board's ad hoc Activity Fee, will be based off a tiered system via the cost of participation per co-curricular activity.

The ad hoc Activity Fee Committee reported its findings to the May 29 Programs and Services Committee of the Upper Moreland School Board. Formed by board president Dr. David Hakes in Janurary, the ad hoc committee was charged with finding the feasibility of implementing a district-wide activity fee. The committee included representative stakeholders in the school district’s 74 co-curricular programs: “We took a lot of time with this,” Braun said. “We went to several sources of info, and asked coaches and athletic directors to help us out to find out what really was the true cost of everything we are doing.” Braun said that the ad hoc committee reviewed the last five years of expenses concerning supplies, equipment, registration fees and …

•  11 Comments
• Photos (1)

Draft Agenda for Programs and Services Committee, May 29

Highlighted in tonight's Programs and Services Committee will be the results of the ad hoc activity fee committee.

Below is a draft agenda of the Upper Moreland School Board's Programs and Services Committee meeting, which is scheduled to take place tonight approximately 8 p.m., after the President's Award ceremony at the Middle School. The Ad Hoc Activites Fee committee will provide a special presentation during the meeting. --- PROGRAMS/SERVICES COMMITTEE EDUCATION SERVICES May 29, 2012 Committee:  Dan Barber, Chairperson            Lisa Berlin            Al DerMovsesian  I.    INFORMATION ITEMS    A.  Academic Highlights    B.  Co-Curricular Highlights  II.   DISCUSSION ITEMS    A.  Presentation/Discussion Items      1.  Grades 6 and 7, Planned Courses for Business – A presentation will be made concerning the findings of the K-12 Business Committee …

• Photos (1)

School Board Discusses Bus Advertisement

Brought up at a recent Activity Fee meeting, the advertisement possibilities may als include naming rights to district facilities, such as the stadium or auditorium.

UM School Board to Discuss Gov's Proposed 2012-13 Budget Tonight

The school board will hold its Human Resources and Budget and Finance Committees tonight, Feb. 21.

The Upper Moreland School Board will hold its Human Resources and Budget and Finance committees tonight. The first meeting, Human Resources Committee, begins at 6:45 p.m. in the Intermediate School. Highlights from the Budget and Finance committee agenda are a review of the proposed Activity Fee questions, the govenor's 2012-13 proposed budget and advertising on the side of district school busses. Here's the agenda, courtesy of the school district: On the Human Resources Committee:              Mrs. Lisa Berlin – Chairperson            Mr. A. Brian Davis            Mr. Albert DerMovsesian Please be advised that all committee agendas are subject to last minute change. Due to the ongoing changes that occur in the HR Agenda, the items …

• Photos (1)

The Up and Up in Upper Moreland

Should There Be an Activity Fee?

While controversy may surround a proposed school district activity fee, a solution will be found by the "will of the people."

Time and time again, people have told me Upper Moreland is a close-knit community. Some of the stories we publish on Upper Moreland - Willow Grove Patch do reflect how such a close-knit community can band together and overcome obstacles to ensure hope for a better future. Since the school district's superintendent, Dr. Robert Milrod, introduced the Activity Fee proposal at the school board's Jan. 18 public Programs and Services committee meeting, there have been a large number of community members in attendance. In fact, there were over 60 people who attended this week's committee meeting, leaving standing room only. A great deal of the concern is that the proposed Activity Fee is a "pay-to-play" solution that would require any Upper …

• Photos (1)

Community Helps Brainstorm Questions for Proposed Activity Fee

Over 60 community members attended the Feb. 7 school board meeting to voice questions and concerns over the proposed Activity Fee.

The ongoing discussion over the proposed Activity Fee drew a standing-room-only audience at the Feb. 7 school board Programs and Services Committee meeting. At the Jan. 5 committee meeting, Upper Moreland School District superintendent Dr. Robert Milrod proposed an activity fee, designed to provide funds for specific needs of co-curricular sports and the marching band. Since then, the proposal has been the topic of discussion at other school board meetings, as well as sent out in a lengthy, public memo. A large number of community members have consistently come out to these meetings, vocalizing a spectrum of concerns, and giving a ranged sense from total approval to cautious regard. A Patch reader recently commented in the comment's …

• Photos (1)