DV Journal

During this last endless election cycle, we often heard about the failing education system in this country.

A great example of that is the Great Valley School District.  Only 46 percent of the Great Valley Middle School and High School students have achieved a proficient rating in mathematics. I repeat, 46 percent! Those results are reported in the US News ranking of school districts in Pennsylvania and the country.

And to achieve that miserable result, Great Valley spends over $27,000 per student each year. So, for the cost of a college tuition, Great Valley can only get 46 percent of the students proficient in mathematics. That is pitiful.

Residents of the Great Valley School District often boast about the “excellent” schools in Great Valley. Well, this is nothing to boast about and, indeed, the reality is that our schools are not worthy of praise.

Great Valley Middle School is not ranked in the top 25 in Philadelphia and Philadelphia suburbs. In fact, there are 7 Middle Schools in Philadelphia which are ranked higher than Great Valley. The math proficiency of 46 percent is the cause for the lower ranking, and the middle school is only ranked 101st in the state. Yet, we pay $27,000 per student per year.  You can go to The 25 Best Middle Schools In Suburban Philly: U.S. News Ranking | Norristown, PA Patch to see the rankings and scores.

Great Valley High School is no longer ranked as a top 10 high school in the suburbs. It is now ranked 18th in the suburbs and its 46 percent proficiency in math is very poor compared to many of the other high schools in the top 20. This is what we get for $27,000 per student per year. You can go to The Top Public High Schools in the Philadelphia Region to see the rankings and scores.

What does the Great Valley School Board say about all of this?  They say nothing. I sent several emails to the school board pointing out the miserable math results and asking what they are doing about it. I did not receive a reply. I then sent an email pointing out their own policy to communicate effectively with the public, and they responded stating: “On behalf of the entire school board, thank you for your email and comments. The board appreciates your input.”

So, they show no respect for the taxpayers by failing to answer what should be a simple question. This, unfortunately, is the mindset of our elected board. They don’t care, and they obviously don’t know what they are doing.

After seeing these miserable results, anyone who runs a business or manages employees would logically ask, “What are the measurable goals of the school district for academics?” The answer is that there are none. Here is a link to the Great Valley School District Goals: Annual Goals – Great Valley School District.

You will see that none of these “goals” are measurable and are merely tasks they are going to do. Under Academics there are four tasks which will “develop”, “monitor”, “expand”, and “evaluate” things. No mention of measurable goals to improve academics. They are merely tasks they are planning to do. It is also interesting to note that there are only four tasks they will do for Academics, but there are 12 they will do for the “Culture and Well-Being” of the district. As they do in their school board meetings, they spend more time talking about things like who can use bathrooms than how to improve academic results. And for this we spend $27,000 per student per year.

I would love to earn the $250,000+ salary of the Great Valley superintendent and not be accountable for anything that can be measured. I could just show the school board that I did all the tasks, and demand another raise. The fact that nothing is improved is irrelevant.  So, our superintendent gets raise after raise and the taxpayers get 54 percent of our students who can’t do math.

Yes, Great Valley School District is a great example of what is wrong with the education system in our country. All of you taxpayers, just make sure you keep funding this debacle with your taxes that increase every year. Maybe if we spend $30,000 per student per year we can get 50 percent of the students to be proficient in mathematics!

Turmoil in the Upper Darby School District may lead voters to turn to Republican candidates to join the school board; local activists tell DVJournal.

Candidates are vying for five seats. The Republicans have cross-filed, which is the norm for what are supposed to be non-partisan positions. But the endorsed Democrats and one unendorsed Democrat have not.

In recent years, high school students have fought each other inside and outside the school, leading to some shop owners nearby closing early as school is about to let out. And middle schools have also been the scene of student fights. Other problems include bullying, truancy, and students roaming the hallways at random.

The district also faces a teacher shortage, falling achievement scores, and other issues.

Videos have surfaced online of fights that have taken place, and there is now a “Drexel Hill Middle School Fight Page” on TikTok. A “Sleeping Page” of students sleeping, videos, and photos showing kids vaping in school bathrooms were also posted online but have been removed.

The high school now caps the credits, so students are allowed to earn at 21, leading many students to graduate their junior year and spend their “senior” year at community college.

The GOP candidates believe they can do better.

Republican Kristen Truax, who has been a school nurse at Stonehurst Hills Elementary, hopes to turn things around if elected to the school board.

“I’ve seen so many changes in the past six years,” she said. “We need to treat our teachers and staff differently to retain them.” While other school districts are also experiencing teacher shortages, she said Upper Darby has the most openings in Delaware County.

There is also a problem with student discipline.

“There are no consequences,” she said. “It takes a lot to have a consequence…These kids are getting away with so many things.”

“There’s 10 percent of the kids they can’t control, and the 90 percent of kids are missing out,” she said. She believes more guidance counselors are needed and that each school should have an equal number.

“We need behavioral therapists to come in and help these kids who are having behavior problems,” she said.

Elementary schools need more reading and math specialists to keep kids from falling behind.

She would also bring back the senior year for students and allow students to take more than 21 credits. She said the 21-credit cap has led to problems for some students who applied to four-year colleges that require more credits.

Candidate James Plummer, Ph.D., said he never stopped learning and hopes to bring that love of learning to the school district.

Now administrator for population health with the Delaware County Health Department, he returned to school after a 25-year career with the U.S. Postal Service.

“The thing I’m really passionate about is the safety of the kids,” said Plummer. He is also concerned that too many teachers are leaving the district.

If elected, “we’ll work together to put in safety measures.” The district needs more mental health services for students who are acting out. But most of the students “are really good kids who really want to learn,” he said.

In addition to Truax and Plummer, the GOP candidates are: Pat Benner, Frank Zarrilli, and Joey Mazza. Benner, a former high school principal, is the CEO of Benner Insurance Solutions. Zarrilli served on the school board from 1995 to 2015. He’s retired from the Delaware County Public Defender’s Office, where he served as deputy director for his last eight years. Mazza is an entrepreneur who opened a business coaching and consulting firm. He has been involved in management since college and also shares his time with the nonprofit Upper Darby Collaborative.

“I served on the nearby Springfield Township School Board for 18 years and as president for four years,” said Frank Agovino, chair of the Delaware County Republicans. “During my tenure, we built a brand-new high school, upgraded many facilities, and navigated the complex challenges associated with running a public school system during a global pandemic.

“It is with that experience in mind that I say that I am deeply concerned about the stability – even viability – of the largest school district in Delaware County. It is my sincere belief that the students of the Upper Darby School District deserve better than they are getting from the current leadership. District leaders have recently publicly admitted that they need assistance controlling violent behavior, that the current facilities do not meet the needs of their students, and that continued property tax hikes are inevitable,” he said.

“There must be a real sense of urgency to elect new leaders who have the experience and a plan to address these challenges in earnest. I know our candidates, once elected, will rise to these challenges,” Agovino said.

The endorsed Democrats include three incumbents: Don Fields, Damien Christopher- Warsavage, and Dessiree LaMarr- Murphy. And two newcomers:  Kimberly Glenn, an administrative assistant, and Brittney Williams, a teacher. Jennifer Howell, a legal talent coordinator with a law firm, is running as an unendorsed Democrat.

Colleen Guiney, chair of the Delaware County Democratic Committee, said, “The current Upper Darby School Board has made historic investments in the underfunded districts’ infrastructure, curriculum, and social and emotional supports. These important investments were not a priority of previous boards and were greatly needed for the safety and success of their students. The incumbent board members and their endorsed slate members are deeply committed to the success of our students and community.”

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