Elementary school shakeups dominate Upper Darby school board meeting

At a Nov. 11 meeting of the Upper Darby School District school board, change was an overarching theme, as administrators discussed the looming closure of one elementary school and the renovation of another — and the strong emotions associated with both events.

On the closure front, administrators from Charles Kelly Elementary School shared a video that outlined how they’re preparing students for the transition after the Drexel Hill school closes at the end of this school year. Upper Darby’s school board voted in May to shutter the school, a move that is expected to save the district $460,000 but will require Charles Kelly’s students to move to new schools.

The district does not own the building that houses Charles Kelly Elementary, which it opened in 2007 at the former St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School building to mitigate overcrowding in other district schools.

To put a positive spin on the closure, the school’s teachers and administrators created “passports” for each student, which include an interactive activity each month that helps the children process the transition. The passports also weave in quote from the book “What the Road Said,” which aims to teach resilience and hope.

“We wanted to make the difficult conversations about change and moving on and next adventures easier for our kids.” Gretchen Schwegler, an art teacher at the school, said in the video. She also explained that the cover features flags from students’ countries of origin, which honors the school’s culturally diverse population.

Principal Dina Williams added that students are encouraged to bring the passports to all school events to receive a stamp — all leading up to a final stamp at the end of the year as they prepare to move to new schools.

Garrettford admins laud renovations

Later in the meeting, administrators from Garrettford Elementary School detailed the results of major renovations that took place at the school over the summer.

“We had all asbestos safety removed, which required us to completely empty the building. When we returned, it felt like a brand new school — every classroom and office received new flooring, our gym and cafeteria floors were replaced, and we received new desks and chairs for teachers throughout the building,” Principal Alan Bridges said.

Bridges also underscored the value of the renovations, saying it sparked renewed pride in the school among teachers and students. “Our students face many challenges in their lives, things we can’t always control, but one thing we can control is giving them a safe, welcoming and modern school that they can be proud of.”

During a video presentation, Anne Maull, a second-grade teacher, underscored how badly Garrettford needed an upgrade. “The tiles were waxed probably 10 times over and over again; there was like dirt waxed into the floor, there was gum waxed into the floor, probably some pencils and staplers,” she said. “It just needed a refresh.”

Upper Darby School District officials did not respond to a request for comment about how much the renovations cost.