[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6307209,"mediaKeyId","2434265-7137973eda8ce944e5b4922c7468abc3","parentId",2434265,"title","Parents press district on enrollment projections, pre‑K use of school space and tax impacts","audioSeconds",4407,"startMs",1197000,"endMs",5604000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2434265-7137973eda8ce944e5b4922c7468abc3&start=1197&end=5604","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2434265-7137973eda8ce944e5b4922c7468abc3/thumbnail_1197000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6307209/Pennsylvania/Parents-press-district-on-enrollment-projections-preK-use-of-school-space-and-tax-impacts","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6307209-ef96363c10062d074d7c57016b0e74d1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771127241&Signature=M1flFM-8CyRfgqlOgUG4hTuLF2hPsA6RerDf5WEoqQ6DxspzWsutsA9BqDW0~Wb0B5q0VoZMGgKbSI-J-YsMr3p1RsgOzb7hbmPUTuGuDTupH0VLJ3nft745rjpAPGkf9CYmzvpkPaKRJi42iFXOZoVhTAp1tdKttP~80~~DOm419XGvEwznFjQd0bRQVEYiuotJwbiI72VLb0EvxaacnroHTGTgX9QuN5Mfy46tzNMdpYCaLtDBu5YOlDXXltZgZkLSJIkelP6WRDE~U-1aOxOvB85gDXvlORMrR0c0OQTY-2gbgJtrCYrilwjFOCfDnGialqS0smKu9OWnQ7xFqw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Quakertown Community School District","date","2025-02-27T21:22:59.33Z","article","Community members at a Quakertown Community School District town hall pressed administrators for clearer enrollment projections, asked how preschool programs housed in district buildings affect facility capacity and sought concrete cost and tax‑impact estimates for capital projects.

Enrollment projections: Superintendent Matthew Freeman and Dr. Hoffman said the district is using multiple projection models — conservative, moderate and high — and that the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) cohort method produces a rolling snapshot that does not include some outplaced or alternative‑placement students. Dr. Hoffman said the district maintains a folder of enrollment projections on the capital‑projects page and that the administration would post links and the supporting documentation requested by residents.

Preschool, Head Start and IU classrooms: Several attendees asked why classroom space that hosts Head Start, Lifespan or intermediate‑unit programs appears to reduce available QCSD capacity. Dr. Hoffman and Freeman said some early‑childhood programs are run by outside entities (the IU or Lifespan) but are housed in district buildings; the district records how many of those seats are filled by QCSD residents and how many are non‑resident attendees. The administration cautioned that simply moving those programs out of district school buildings would not automatically eliminate the district’s service obligations; the programs are funded independently and an outside provider would need space and transportation alternatives.

Funding, taxes and timelines: Residents repeatedly asked for explicit estimates of tax‑rate impacts and how the district would pay for different options. The administration said architects and financial advisers are preparing estimates; Freeman noted that certain federal one‑time funds (for example, pandemic ESSER grants) could not be used in isolation because opening walls would trigger asbestos and code work that would enlarge the remediation scope and funding needs. Freeman and a board member suggested the board set a calendar date for a decision so the administration can present cost and tax scenarios tied to a single option.

Ending: Officials said they would post the enrollment materials, list of proposed local housing developments used in projections, and a timeline for when cost/tax scenarios will be available. The administration repeated its intent to collect public input and to return to the board with refined financial models before a final vote.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","February 25, 2025 Capital Projects Planning Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Residents pressed the Quakertown district for clearer enrollment data, asked how pre‑K and Head Start classrooms in district buildings affect school capacity, and asked when the board will see tax and cost scenarios for capital projects.","taxTitle","Quakertown Community SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania","taxId",53596,"location","Pennsylvania","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6307221,"Quakertown Elementary aging, district outlines three paths including new-build options",6522,302000,6824000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2434265-7137973eda8ce944e5b4922c7468abc3&start=302&end=6824","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2434265-7137973eda8ce944e5b4922c7468abc3/thumbnail_302000.jpg","/articles/6307221/Pennsylvania/Quakertown-Elementary-aging-district-outlines-three-paths-including-new-build-options","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6307221-3c169cffba294c62b3a59c7ede5b3ed2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771127241&Signature=MZ1D93uXVYcVW4pZNugxDlwsZF70a134JBcutg-JFOKKkW1GHMVRR9RIjM8SEKKdVtleSGz3x2lD~aXtpc9I4noX8L3rVvsjTqCyJfUp0T2hrzMkZQPQ1o6ly4EgDOJiDrFrrfi8BVjbXUi6cc2nZpFAQC8cWIj5XllZ7sM3anCEXm03i-P8QS7Z~zPLd04BRRjteWXysiZqOx653ttiMDtBypOHcCCBDZYDeVEB0f0hg7d5UcorpnA9KM3KNNxd4aFeZS31nZvzgsAH78S8fCujtJ-CAIZklwZ~vjiGrzlyqOjJ14B0i~QgCAwpGAsWXvqHSPPpL-KlUkIcnUqtag__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Quakertown Community School District Superintendent Matthew Freeman told a town‑hall audience Feb. 25 that Quakertown Elementary — “an important part of the fabric of this community” — is showing age‑related failures and repeated operational limits that the district must address.

Freeman said the district has three principal options under study: build a new 400‑student elementary next to the existing building and later demolish the old school; build a new 600‑student elementary on the same site and keep the existing school standing; or build a new 600‑student QE while also adding capacity at Strayer Middle School and repurposing the sixth‑grade center for specialty programs. He told the meeting the administration’s ranking of the three options was 3, 1, 2 (with Option 3 — a new QE plus a Strayer addition and use of the sixth‑grade center — the preferred, most educationally comprehensive approach).

Why it matters: district leaders said QE’s condition and the elementary‑level crowding across the district make a decision urgent. Freeman warned that long‑deferred work leaves the district at risk of recurring safety or mechanical failures that could force short‑notice displacement of students from their neighborhood school.

What the facilities team reported: Director of Facilities Chris Stein described recent emergency work at QE and structural limits. He said the district “installed battery smoke detectors throughout the building” as an interim safety measure after problems with the fire alarm panel and that technicians planned to test the repaired panel the next day. He told the audience the school has no air conditioning, has asbestos and lead paint that are currently sealed, wooden‑clad windows that are swelling and failing, no elevator and water/infrastructure problems; he summarized, “this is just the tip of the iceberg.”

Freeman and facilities staff cautioned that renovating the century‑old building is likely costly: consultants advised that some options would require extensive, expensive work to the building envelope, mechanical and electrical systems and to bring the building up to current ADA and life‑safety codes. Freeman said engineers and architects showed the administration that certain renovation approaches can cost as much as — or more than — replacing the building and adding the classrooms the district needs.

Public reaction and staff concerns: Speakers at the meeting urged speed. A Quakertown Elementary student, Declan, and multiple parents and long‑time residents described cramped classrooms, specials “on a cart,” and playground and circulation problems; several asked the district to prioritize QE over other projects. Molly Ritter and other residents asked the district to publish the enrollment and debt figures the public is using to weigh options.

Next steps and timing: Freeman said the district launched a capital‑projects webpage the same day with presentations, an FAQ and a feedback survey. Architects and engineers will refine cost and schedule estimates. Freeman said the goal is to have a district decision in spring that would allow planning for construction to align with a potential 2028–29 opening, but he warned timelines depend on scope, approvals and funding.

Details to watch: the district emphasized three near‑term uncertainties — how students would be housed during construction, the cost to taxpayers and how to stage multi‑building work to minimize student disruption. Freeman said those operational questions will drive follow‑up analysis and community meetings.

Ending: Board and staff said they will continue community town halls and add more detail to the website and FAQs as architects produce refined schedules and cost information. Freeman closed by repeating that QE’s age and daily constraints are a driver of the process and that the administration will return with more detailed cost and timing information before the board votes.","Quakertown Community School District Superintendent Matthew Freeman told a town‑hall audience Feb. 25 that Quakertown Elementary — “an important part of the fabric of this community” — is showing age‑related failures and repeated operational limits that the district must address.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6307212,"District weighs moving to 6–8 middle school model; traffic at Strayer flagged as a major constraint",3697,2620000,6317000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2434265-7137973eda8ce944e5b4922c7468abc3&start=2620&end=6317","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2434265-7137973eda8ce944e5b4922c7468abc3/thumbnail_2620000.jpg","/articles/6307212/Pennsylvania/District-weighs-moving-to-68-middle-school-model-traffic-at-Strayer-flagged-as-a-major-constraint","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6307212-80b649abd3da1bc75b0a1cae28d3ddd3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771127241&Signature=JqySS1G20QWv3DbJKFQ0xlGrMbBNRy48AXRmAW5n5E3qEEbJbAzsVEIFMomK7xIcWfWvQbYYkiHOVZbfVv7TNGi2Jxez16UIzIOIuipKJwV7Cn-t7Cbbz8KBIkhzlL6I~eMbMmNQAdfVLa4Vk49CvGs51KF1lk6dyJSVIbaNom0rmCFwEfrSn3QAFVH0PbjBhYDq37AJ58OGep0CAYjvffm7SYv3r6gG60r-ULMKjO8hKhD3vBHJjV~7Fa8BS6hEtPGvNvJtHWfHZRDuHv4oUvkF8ys7NsExc~ly~6tt-QcjlE2THtSeUdDGyYmE6aD0yWH4liKl3sqeDBuaaHnRrw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Quakertown Community School District officials outlined educational arguments in favor of a consolidated 6–8 middle school while simultaneously flagging site‑access problems at Strayer Middle School that would complicate any expansion.

Superintendent Matthew Freeman and the district’s instructional staff said a true middle school for grades 6–8 generally supports academic and social development, reduces transitions and makes it easier to concentrate secondary resources. Freeman said the district has reviewed research and local experience and believes “a traditional 6 to 8 model works best for this age group.”

Facilities and traffic concerns: the district repeatedly emphasized that Strayer has a single primary access onto Ronald Reagan Drive; several board members and a CHA traffic engineer, Mr. Spadafore, said any addition that increases student population at Strayer would make traffic a material constraint. Spadafore recommended a formal traffic study and said existing conceptual drawings show the road stopping at a railroad track; finishing a second access requires coordination with township planners, neighboring property owners and the railroad.

Financial and staffing tradeoffs: board members and administrators noted a Strayer expansion would carry staffing and program costs in addition to construction dollars; one board member said the staffing costs spread over an expensive capital project might be substantial. Another practical point raised: creating a second 6–8 middle school would require sports‑field and facility adjustments, plus ongoing operating costs.

Options and staging: Option 3 presented by administration would allow for a Strayer addition and move sixth grade into Strayer, freeing the sixth‑grade center for other district programs. District and engineering staff said that design and cost estimates depend on site work, parking and traffic‑mitigation plans that can only be completed after a traffic analysis.

Ending: District leaders said they will commission a traffic study, meet with Richland Township and present traffic‑study findings and revised cost estimates to the board; any decision to expand Strayer will hinge on the traffic work and on funding and staffing analysis.","Administrators said a 6–8 middle school model provides educational benefits, but adding students to Strayer would intensify a traffic choke point on Ronald Reagan Drive; district expects a traffic study and township coordination before approving any Strayer expansion.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6307216,"District officials say five elementaries are at or near capacity; redistricting, modulars and timeline raised",6174,1356000,7530000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2434265-7137973eda8ce944e5b4922c7468abc3&start=1356&end=7530","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2434265-7137973eda8ce944e5b4922c7468abc3/thumbnail_1356000.jpg","/articles/6307216/Pennsylvania/District-officials-say-five-elementaries-are-at-or-near-capacity-redistricting-modulars-and-timeline-raised","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6307216-e2c49433cca32a56021fd3ace41b3bbe/orig.mp4?Expires=1771127241&Signature=JT8EqdxTiHwCeA-wYmm1U7fn8ac8RnFz56yZvUCkYaSwm2tQU9tZlAP9tAKKRmkrZskDwHH5Nn9EGT9TZOUbrBS7AU05WlmBKPdfMtdYgEmvDmdEerfj3l5Y0hqDzAJBaqAxT2frCo6i4zTeCxVjSOY2~1dImmjKyde3PB1JeJ17xAsEJsOaUbYrOXoUcHLt7rw6QLjv-YtBt2vzjEobpWvlXuob~jurpjD2puw1galjftKKrP5LqlB9sdvq9la6QwvB7kcLgrXoD715RgafqZFv1cJ8uSgZ71PI8m7YYmYY5khDtezLyGw3DI1dTVjqlSguXFo3ffj3HOsKy6UfWg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Quakertown Community School District leaders told a Feb. 25 town hall that elementary schools across the district are at or near capacity and that the district has repeatedly moved classes and students to cope.

Superintendent Matthew Freeman and Office of Teaching and Learning staff reviewed examples dating to the 2022–23 school year showing floating or “overflow” kindergarten sections routed to other buildings, the addition of new sections at Poff and NYDIG, and itinerant staff losing dedicated space. Assistant (or instructional leader) Dr. Hoffman explained how recurring “bubble groups” — year‑by‑year fluctuations that force some grades to run three sections in buildings designed for two — create scheduling constraints: “anytime we have 3 sections … we can still only run 2 sections of specials,” she said, and the result is larger class sizes in specials “closer to 30” or more.

Why it matters: administrators said the pattern is compounding: closing a section one year can force another grade to close the next year when cohorts move up; new students placed in other buildings are unlikely to return automatically to their neighborhood school. The district stressed that transportation costs and family disruption are consequential when students are bused out of their home attendance area.

What the data showed: Freeman said teachers and staff reported shared rooms, faculty lounges converted to small‑group instruction, itinerant services (art, music, small‑group intervention) taught from carts in hallways and other ad‑hoc space changes. The presentation listed specific displacements and added sections at NYDIG, Poff, Richland, Trumbower and Quakertown Elementary over the past three years.

Options under discussion: the administration reiterated three capital scenarios that would change elementary grade alignments differently and said redistricting — balancing attendance boundaries — is likely at some point under any scenario. The district has an online feedback form and is collecting community input before producing detailed redistricting maps and staggered construction or modular strategies.

Public comments and staff concerns: teachers who toured the facilities and parents at the town hall asked for clear timelines and assurances about minimizing student moves. Several speakers asked that employees and existing staff assignments be preserved where possible; administrators said that was their aim but that some reallocation may be unavoidable depending on the final plan.

Ending: District leaders said they will continue community meetings, commission traffic and feasibility studies linked to school configurations, and post detailed enrollment projections and proposed redistricting scenarios to the capital‑projects webpage. They asked the board to set a decision timeline so architects and planners can generate targeted schedules and cost modeling.","Superintendent Matthew Freeman and his team presented data showing repeated overflow at several elementary schools, described the effect on specials and itinerant staff, and said redistricting or modular classrooms are likely to be needed if a long‑term building solution is not adopted soon.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Parents press district on enrollment projections, pre‑K use of school space and tax impacts

Quakertown Elementary aging, district outlines three paths including new-build options

District weighs moving to 6–8 middle school model; traffic at Strayer flagged as a major constraint

District officials say five elementaries are at or near capacity; redistricting, modulars and timeline raised