Repair the district’s reputation with collaborative leadership

Our district has been in the news for all the wrong reasons: staff shortages, lawsuits, book bans, and school board dysfunction. This has a negative impact on our students when they apply to colleges and trade schools, and it hurts our home values. We pledge to lead with civility by listening respectfully to staff, students, community members, and other board directors and to use input from all to inform our decision making. Our candidates are all Pennridge parents with vested interest in building our district up, not tearing it down. We are running because we believe in Pennridge, and we want our community to be Pennridge Proud.

Represent the entire community regardless of MUNICIPALITY, age, or party affiliation

School board directors have a responsibility to serve all members of the community. Decisions should be made in the best interest of our students here in Pennridge, not based on national partisan politics or personal agendas. Our candidates come from diverse perspectives. They have experience finding common ground and making thoughtful, informed decisions. Chris is a union electrician; Carolyn, a social service advocate; Bradley, a teacher; Leah, a project manager. Ron is a business leader and former Republican, who joined our slate because we are like-minded in our belief that cooperation and compromise are what’s best for our students and the community. We are proud to have the support of Republicans, Independents, and Democrats, and we will be working to earn your vote. You will find us hosting community events and knocking doors across the district between now and the election. 

Restore local control and terminate the contract with Vermilion Consulting

Pennridge teachers and staff should be writing Pennridge curriculum and guiding other important decisions about our students’ education. The board should never have signed a $125/hr blank check contract with unqualified outsider Jordan Adams of Vermilion Consulting. Adams lacks basic knowledge about our school district and public education. He is unfit to be making curriculum decisions for all Pennridge students. If elected, one of our first actions will be to vote to terminate the contract with Vermilion.

Refocus district priorities onto student achievement

Our opponents want to scare you into believing national political talking points. We want to focus on what’s actually happening here in Pennridge. We will work with staff to develop a multi-year plan for improving academic achievement, with consideration for all students’ needs, from the tech school, to the arts, to STEM, and special education. All students should leave Pennridge feeling prepared for whatever path lies ahead. We know that student achievement is tied to their overall well being, so we will strongly support programs and policies that promote mental health and prevent drug and alcohol abuse.

Respect our professional staff and empower them to work alongside parents

Over recent months, Pennridge has faced unprecedented staff shortages at a rate significantly above the state average. Teachers and administrators are citing the environment created by the current school board as a reason for leaving our district. This is unacceptable. Our staff members are essential to student success. When elected, we will immediately prioritize retaining and attracting outstanding talent. We reject the current hostile climate that treats teachers with suspicion and uses over-reaching policies to micromanage their activities. We believe in a common sense approach of open communication between teachers and parents, with support from administration when necessary. Parents and school staff should be allies not adversaries when it comes to a child’s education.

Reduce wasteful spending and make conservative decisions with tax dollars

Tax dollars should directly benefit students to the greatest extent possible. Maintaining thriving schools helps our community. It attracts families to put down roots in Pennridge and increases our home values. Our current board has wasted hundreds of thousands of tax-payer dollars on legal fees caused by their own incompetence. They squander money and resources by making ill-advised curriculum decisions and by discounting the expertise of our highly qualified teachers. We respect your tax dollars and their investment in our district. Responsible spending will always be one of our primary goals.