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Published by Communication Solutions, 2017-10-11 09:15:18

HHSD 2016-2017 Annual Report

FORWARDStepping Up and Moving

2016-2017
Annual Report
Hatboro-Horsham
School District

www.hatboro-horsham.org

Stepping Up and Moving FORWARD

District Ready for Full-day Kindergarten
In late August, orientation programs
First steps to preparing were scheduled at each school so that
for a bright future incoming members of the class of 2030
could ride the bus, meet their teachers,
High-quality, full-day kindergarten and get to know their classmates.
programs help support the develop-
ment of cognitive skills, social and Currently, the number of students
emotional competencies, and patterns enrolled in full-day kindergarten is 328,
of engagement in school learning. up from last year’s enrollment of 289.
Because Pennsylvania Core Standards
require more instructional time than Due to fiscally responsible budgeting,
a half-day would allow, in June 2015, which included grant funds, transpor-
the school board approved full-day tation offsets, retirements, and the
kindergarten in all elementary schools. reduction or reallocation of staff, the
District was able to make full-day
During the 2016-2017 school year, preschool teachers kindergarten viable.
participated alongside the District’s kindergarten teachers
to help successfully bridge the transition from a quality “The District anticipates that our youngest
preschool experience to a developmentally appropriate learners will benefit significantly from a full-
full-day kindergarten program. day program that provides greater opportunities
for learning, creativity, and peer interaction.
In May, each elementary school hosted a kindergarten We have worked diligently to prepare our
open house to allow parents and incoming kindergarteners students and staff for a seamless transition to
to familiarize themselves with their new surroundings. a full-day kindergarten schedule,” said Assistant
The events were well-attended and helped to calm a few Superintendent Monica Taylor, Ed.D.
nervous students.

Meet the Hatboro-Horsham School District Board

Eric E. Coombs, Louis A. Polaneczky, Marian McCouch, Tara Conner-Hallston Robert W. Gockley III
President Vice President Treasurer
Curriculum Committee Facilities Committee
Human Resources Committee Finance Committee Chair Human Resources Committee Policy Committee PSBA Representative
Facilities Committee Facilities Committee Finance Committee HHEF Board
Finance Committee MCIU Board Wellness Committee
Policy Committee

James H Greenhalgh Theresa Harmon Mark Opalisky Joseph A. Wade

Curriculum Committee Chair Policies Committee Chair Human Resources Committee Facilities Committee
Finance Committee Curriculum Committee Chair Safe Schools Committee
Facilities Committee Chair Eastern Center Arts & Technology Board

County Legislative Committee Representative

Stepping Up and Moving FORWARD

Approved 2017-2018 Final Budget This past year, the District achieved a balanced
budget by
The steps to balancing the budget ● implementing staffing reductions through
retirements
The $103,519,211 final 2017-2018 school year budget adopted ● realizing cost-saving operational efficiencies in
by the Hatboro-Horsham School Board balances the District’s technology
delivery of quality educational programs to students with its ● reducing energy consumption
continued commitment to fiscal responsibility to taxpayers. ● purchasing in bulk
● consolidating bus routes
Throughout the process, the District was steadfast in its ● identifying departmental budget cuts
commitment to stay below the Act 1 Index of 2.5 percent. ● re-negotiating service agreements with various
Over the past ten years, since the inception of Act 1, the vendors
District has raised property taxes an average of 2.2% annually ● successfully reversing assessment appeals
and has never exceeded the base Act 1 index. In fact, Hatboro- ● changing health care deductibles and plans
Horsham has consistently maintained the county’s second ● implementing enhanced safety measures to
lowest millage and budget increases. reduce workers’ compensation claims

The District has utilized the following strategies to achieve Furthermore, careful management of District health
consistent, fiscally responsible results year after year: care, special education, technology, utility, and building
maintenance programs have helped to minimize
n Engage in thorough, advanced planning and value-based cost increases.
decision-making to develop high-quality, highly efficient Achieving a balanced budget for 2017-2018 was not
budgets without its challenges. Cost increases associated with
the District’s state-mandated contributions to the
n Use historical data, annual and monthly trend analysis, Pennsylvania Public School Employees Retirement
and actual expenditures/revenue informa- System (PSERS) increased by $1.5 million, with the
tion to help establish accurate estimates District responsible for half.
of true cost/revenues

n Provide justification for all purchases
that demonstrates how they will specifi-
cally enhance or positively affect student
learning, help meet state mandated
requirements, or help improve the efficiency
of our current operations translating into
a reduction in overall costs

n Apply continuous strategic prioriti-
zation processes to formulate high impact
budgets within established fiscal parameters

n Apply a “checks and balances” process with other
budgetary cost centers to avoid duplicate/double budgeting
and purchasing

n Implement aggressive department level cost-saving
strategies throughout the year to ensure that funds are
not expended unless truly needed

n Maintain comprehensive, larger scale multi-year cost
reduction and revenue generating plans

n Focus on resource re-allocation based on a continuous
prioritization of need

The Impact of Bond Rating

The District’s general obligation bond rating, which was upgraded in 2015 by Moody’s to Aa1, helped save taxpayers
over $1.5 million in interest costs when issuing bonds for the new Hallowell. Also, both the re-building of Hallowell
and Crooked Billet will not result in an increase in annual debt service costs. This is the result of the District’s develop-
ing a long-term financial planning model that minimizes the impact to taxpayers while building these new schools.

Stepping Up and Moving FORWARD

Hallowell Elementary Avenue. It is adjacent to the old Hallowell that was recently
School Opens demolished to make way for a playground and playing fields.
The land was deeded to Hatboro-Horsham for $1 by the
Students step into a new federal government.
educational experience
Parents and students marked the transition from old to new
Hatboro-Horsham School District’s new, with a symbolic procession. After departing the old Hallowell
$31 million Hallowell Elementary School opened and arriving at the new building, the procession was met by
in April to much excitement. administrators and officials who welcomed the marchers to
their new home.
The original Hallowell was built in 1961 and
had a maximum capacity of 400 students. Fast forward to Following the official remarks, the doors were opened and
2017, more than 55 years later, and the world is a much students and their families were allowed to explore their
different place. The District is addressing significant new home.
technological, instructional and demographic changes.

The new Hallowell’s advanced technology, security, and
environmental features will ensure a state-of-the-art
learning environment. The building will also be available
for the community to use and enjoy for District-sanc-
tioned events.

The two-level, 88,000-square-foot school building was
constructed on 6.8 acres at state Route 611 near Moreland

Crooked Billet Construction Update

The Crooked Billet construction project was initiated Schradergroup Architecture as its architect, and D’Huy
several years ago when the District began to examine Engineering will provide construction management services.
the feasibility of replacing the aging elementary school, The District anticipates that the project will break ground
which is located on Meadowbrook Avenue in Hatboro. during the 2018-19 school year, although the schedule has

The District has made significant not been finalized.
progress and has completed the
following: a topographic, bound- A Design Workshop, facilitated
ary and physical feature survey; a by Schradergroup, was held in
preliminary geotechnical investiga- July. The design team worked with
tion including borings and test pits; stakeholders to develop a shared
a phase 1 environmental assessment; understanding of the project scope,
and a traffic study of the site in goals, design parameters, building
conjunction with Hatboro Borough. program and educational trends.
This study examines the traffic Small groups organized during the
routes to and from the new school workshop addressed site design and
to determine options for minimizing identified concepts they believed
traffic within the surrounding residential areas. essential to ensuring a successful
elementary school site design. These concepts were discussed
Preliminary site and building concept work has conclud- among the small groups and provided the preliminary foun-
ed, and work on a comprehensive financial planning dation of an overall design concept.
model continues. Currently, the District is working with
Hatboro Borough to begin the lot consolidation process. The process has just begun. Throughout the planning process,
workshops, sessions and feedback meetings will be scheduled.
The Hatboro-Horsham Board of School Directors selected Additional information will be posted to the District’s website
and Facebook.

The District has developed a long term capital improvements and maintenance plan that will enable it to fund the
cost of the new Hallowell and Crooked Billet schools and provide the necessary maintenance and capital improvements
for other buildings within the existing budget totals and capital reserve accounts. No tax increases will be required.

Stepping Up and Moving FORWARD

Moving to a 1-to-1 Computing Environment

Taking steps to ensure technology for all During 2016-2017, the high school tested six different
devices with six different teachers in college prep,
One-to-one computing initiatives designed to provide accelerated/honors, and special education curricula.
laptop computers and Internet access to students for
use at home and school are rapidly expanding locally, The devices were assessed on their functionality.
nationally and internationally. These initiatives can A Windows-based PC, 2-in-1 form factor with touch
help facilitate the transition in schools from occasional screen active stylus was ultimately determined to be
use of computers for instruction to integrating the most suitable device that is being distributed to
technology across a multitude of settings. 24/7 teachers and students.
connectivity allows students to access resources to
support their learning, communicate with peers and Updating parents
teachers, and become fluent in 21st Century techno-
logical tools. The District made every effort to open communication
and ensure that parents were well informed about
Providing universal access to technology the testing and selection process. It allocated time
and resources to engage parents in the process, with
The District has made it a priority to provide 1-to-1 the intent of educating them about the devices, their
access to technology in its schools. In the very near applications, user responsibilities, and the impact the
future, all students and teachers will receive personal technology may have in the classroom and on the
computing devices, which will ultimately enhance home environment.
their educational experience.
The high school administrative team held two informa-
To date, about 90% of the students at the high school tion sessions for parents in spring 2017, and shared
have been issued their tablet/ laptop device; that the rationale behind moving to a 1-to-1 environment.
equates to a little more than 1,420 devices. Canvas, Parents received pertinent details related to the distribu-
the Learning Management System, is being used by tion of devices, technology fees, student responsibilities
all teachers at the high school to house and share in maintaining the devices, and policies governing
course information for students. Parents also have device use and care. The sessions were well-attended,
access to Canvas as observers, allowing the course and parent response to this initiative was positive.
outline, course goals, and some specific content of
each course taught at the high school to be transparent The devices have been distributed to students. They
to parents. came pre-loaded with software applications/programs
that ALL students will use and also with software
At the elementary level, Hallowell students piloted applications/programs that are course-specific.
new technology. (See back cover for a full discussion of
Hallowell results.) Promoting professional development

A gradual implementation timeline will allow for the Vital to the success of the 1-to-1 initiative is ongoing
redistribution of funds over several years to finance professional development for all staff. As these devices
the initiative. become a fixture in the classroom, professional devel-
opment will focus on the programs/applications and
To prepare District teachers to manage the 1-to-1 capabilities of the devices – how technology can make
classroom, professional development has begun to many aspects of learning, assessment, and teaching
focus on designing “deeper learning” that builds skills more efficient and effective. The focus will later ex-
most needed today: communication, collaboration, pand to the ways in which student and teacher access
critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving. to technology on a daily basis can transform learning,
instruction and assessment practices, and the overall
The overarching goal of the initiative is to improve environment in the school.
access. Although selecting a compatible device is
important, the device is a tool. It will not replace A section of the District website is dedicated to the
quality teaching. What the device can do is give 1-to -1 initiative and contains information for parents
students better opportunities to share, connect and and students and links to required forms:
seek information. http://www.hatboro-horsham.org/Page/13621.

Hatboro-Horsham School District Nonprofit Org
U.S. Postage
229 Meetinghouse Road
Horsham, PA 19044 PAID
215-420-5000
www.hatboro-horsham.org Fort Washington, PA
Permit No. 5044
Hatboro-Horsham School District
is now on Facebook! Follow us!

Hallowell Pilots Technology During this time, Montgomery County Intermediate Unit (MCIU) staff
worked with fifth grade teachers and three other classroom teachers, the
The technology pilot began in September, 2016, with fifth grade librarian, and a technology educator in the areas of Science, Technology,
students receiving their own devices. They began using them in class Engineering and Math (STEM).
and were able to take them home beginning in November. Also, one fourth, third, second and first grade class was issued devices
In December, fifth grade students helped to pilot a program called as part of the pilot program.
“Frontier” sponsored by the company eSpark. This program uses an Teachers report that the devices have had a positive impact on student
inquiry-based instructional model. Students are posed authentic and learning. Students are more engaged, are excited to explore work
engaging questions with accompanying, developmentally-appropriate activities, take more ownership of their learning and are more likely
research articles and infographics. to work collaboratively.

Class of 2017 George Washington University, Gettysburg College,
Gwynedd-Mercy University, Haverford College, James
Number of graduates: 392 Madison University, LaSalle University, Muhlenberg
College, New York University, Northeastern University,
Post high school plans: Ohio State University, Pennsylvania State University, Saint
• 93% enrolled in formal post-secondary education Joseph’s University, Syracuse University, Temple University,
• 68% of those will attend a four-year college or Towson University, University of Pittsburgh, University of
Michigan, University of South Carolina, University of
university. Wisconsin, Ursinus College and West Chester University.

• 7% entered the workforce or military, enrolled in National Merit Finalists: 1

career education, or took a gap year National Merit Commended Scholars: 11

The Class of 2017 is represented at the Scholarship dollars provided to graduates:
following colleges and universities:
More than $10 million awarded
American University, Arcadia University, Bucknell
University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, 17 Division I & II scholarship athletes
Drexel University, Elon University, Fashion Institute
of Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Class average GPA: 3.0

Class average SAT score: 1,100

2017 AP Exam Pass Rate: 84%


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