T/E Superintendent Sets Stage for His Exit

It wasn't exactly a retirement announcement, but it might be.

Tredyffrin/Easttown School Superintendent won't confirm that he's retiring, but he is setting the stage to bow out at the of the 2014-2015 school year if he decides to leave. During Monday night's Tredyffrin/Easttown School Board meeting Superintendent Dan Waters made what sounded like a retirement announcement, but wasn't...exactly, While discussing a bonus and compensation plan for district administrators and other employees not covered by contracts, Dr. Waters mentioned that he wanted to be sure the bonus structure extended past the end of the 2014-2015 school year so that his successor would not be put in a position of having to champion his or her own bonus plan. After the meeting Dr. Waters told Patch that it was not an announcement …

• Photos (1)

TESD Scouring Tax Exempt Property for Money

Searching for untapped money sources, the Tredyffrin Easttown School District is taking a close look at tax exempt properties.

Searching for untapped money sources, the Tredyffrin Easttown School District is taking a close look at tax exempt properties in every corner of the district. District officials are looking for ways to close a projected budget deficit of just over $2M for the 2013-2014 school year without seeking an exemption from the state to raise taxes more than 1.7 percent. One way the district is going to search for money is by asking tax-exempt property owners throughout the district to certify that any property claimed as tax exempt is actually being used for qualified tax-exempt purposes. District administrators told members of the School Board Finance Committee there could be anywhere from $0-$10 million in tax money tied up in tax-exempt …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

T/E School Safety Meeting on TV This Week

Police and district safety officials lay out plans for keeping Tredyffrin Easttown students safe.

In case you missed it, or want to see it again the special public meeting on safety measures in Tredyffrin/Easttown Public schools is being aired on TE cable systems all this week. Patch covered the meeting extensively, but if you want to hear all the questions that were asked and answered or record the meeting for future reference, this is your chance. According to an announcement on the Tredyffrin/Easttown School District website the January 9th School Safety meeting will be rebroadcast on T/E TV, Comcast Channel 14 and Verizon Channel 20, on the following schedule through the end of this week: Tuesday: Noon and 5:00 pm Wednesday: 7:00 pm Thursday: 1:30 pm and 5:00 pm Friday: 5:00 pm Saturday: 8:00 am and 5:00 pm

• Photos (1)

What to Do if Worst Case Strikes a T/E School

Everyone hopes it will never happen here, but these steps could make a nightmare end better in an emergency.

Do your children know what to do if a worst-case scenario were ever to happen at school? Do their parents? Tredyffrin Easttown School District officials and police who met with hundreds of parents this week say they plan and train and drill for the worst case scenario. They hope something like the gun massacre in Newtown Connecticut never happens here, but they plan for it. School officials gave T/E students a lot of credit for being smart, and responsive during past drills. More drills are planned in the coming months. Police plan to stage drills which will run first responders, school officials, and students through "worst case scenarios."  The students are not told in advance and in most cases very few people know whether a drill is a …

• Photos (2)

Access to T/E Schools is Being "Hardened"

School officials and police brief the public on increased security measures being implemented at Tredyffrin Easttown Public Schools.

The Tredyffrin Easttown School District is taking several steps to make it even harder for potential bad guys to gain access to the district's school buildings. The process is literally called "hardening" according to district officials who briefed the public during a nearly two hour meeting Wednesday night attended by hundreds of concerned parents and interested community members. The meeting at Valley Forge Middle School was held in response to the shooting massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Connecticut last month. Among the procedures that will now become part of daily school life in the district's eight schools: The two police chiefs and school officials emphasized that T/E Schools have long been ahead of most schools …

•  10 Comments
• Photos (1)

T/E School Board to Talk Taxes Monday Night

A special Tredyffrin Easttown School Board meeting is set for Monday night to determine whether higher taxes might be needed.

It's a meeting similar to one being held in school districts all around Pennsylvania this week. The Tredyffrin Easttown School Board will meet at 7:30 Monday night to consider the 2013-2014 budget and whether board members will think they need to raise taxes more than the 1.7% permitted by the state without a special exception. According to an announcement from the T/E School District: "The School Board will vote on using allowable exceptions to Act 1, the Pennsylvania Taxpayer Relief Act, to raise taxes above the State index of 1.7% for the 2013-2014 school year. If the Board votes to apply for the exceptions, the preliminary budget will be displayed on January 8, 2013 for public comment. The Board will then consider this preliminary …

• Photos (1)
• Documents (1)

T/E School Board Sets Special Budget Meeting

As tax questions and a state deadline loom, the Tredyffrin Easttown School Board plans a special meeting.

The Tredyffrin Easttown School District Board of Directors wil hold a special meeting next Monday to determine whether or not it will need to ask the state for permission to raise taxes above the state-mandated limit. The board must decide whether it wants to keep the option open  by requesting an exception. It would not necessarily mean a higher tax increase. If the board does not request the excpetion it would not be allowed to raise taxes above the state permitted limit. When the board last met in December the budget estimates, which change constantly, were not firm enough for board members to make a decision and so the special meeting was scheduled. According to an announcement on the T/E School District website: The Board of School …

• Photos (1)

TE's Best Gifts of the Year: 2012

The Biggest Story of the Year on TE Patch

The story that was read by over five times more people than any other on TE Patch this year left many stunned and moved others to tears.

Nobody saw it coming. And after TE Patch reported it, readers in TE and around the country couldn't get enough of it. A simple yet extremely generous gesture of gratitude moved a seasoned local politician to speechless tears and silenced a room full of angry, contentious and battle ready adults and teenagers. It happened back in late April. After nearly four hours of spirited speeches, heated debate, and worries over how to pay the bills, David Levine stepped to the microphone to express his gratitude for all the Tredyffrin Easttown School District had done and meant to him, his wife and children. He then took out his checkbook and as the saying goes "put his money where his mouth is." It moved a roomful of people who had spent the night …

• Photos (2)

T/E Schools Move to Calm Fears, Reassure Kids

While flags fly at half staff and police patrol outside, it's business as usual, on purpose, inside Tredyffrin Easttown Schools.

As the first and youngest victims of the Connecticut school shooting massacre were being laid to rest Monday the Tredyffrin Easttown School District was taking steps to reassure students and parents that kids are safe in T/E schools. Tredyffrin and Easttown Police are both increasing police presence in and outside the district's schools. The district administration is also working with both police departments to review standard operating safety procedures as well  as emergency procedures. There were no reports of any problems in T/E schools on Monday. The following letter was sent home with every T/E student Monday and is also posted on the district's website. Dear T/E Parents and Guardians, School violence in our country touches all of us…

• Photos (2)

T/E Schools: Special Statement on CT Massacre

The Tredyffrin-Easttown School District is taking steps to help ease the fears and concerns of students.

Monday will be the first school day since the news broke on Friday about the school shooting massacre in Connecticut. It will also be the first time most students will be in class since learning about the attacks. Over the weekend, the Tredyffrin Easttown School District issued the following special statement about the shooting and special services that will be avialble to students on Monday. The Tredyffrin/Easttown School District expresses its sorrow for all those affected by Friday's tragedy in Connecticut. The TESD community continues its commitment to student safety and our students’ needs. The District’s schools will implement its response plan to this national tragedy. On Monday, counselors will be available to students should they …

•  18 Comments
• Photos (2)

Joann mayo

8:44 am on Wednesday, December 19, 2012

The schools do need to be locked! Having a plan for emergencies is great but the key is having time to carry it out. Slowing someone down will give teachers the time needed to implement those plans. Leaving doors open so someone can walk in unimpeded leaves no time to carry out emergency plans.   more ›