SOUDERTON — A handful of Souderton Area School District parents Thursday evening requested additional transparency around school board proceedings.
The call came at the school board’s final action meeting of the year. The parents specifically took issue with the lack of transparency around committee meetings, which are not recorded and do not include presentations or other materials in the meeting minutes and agendas.
As a solution, the parents urged the board to record and/or livestream both committee and board action meetings and attach presentations and financial documents to meetings and agendas, deeming such actions as crucial to parental engagement.
“I really do think that’s how we’re gonna get more people engaged and involved. These changes would allow parents faster access to this important information that’s being shared,” said Corinne DeGeiso. “We want to be involved; we just need to be given more opportunities to do that.”
“Transparency is not a buzzword; it’s a commitment to fostering trust, engagement and an informed community,” said Alexandra Wisser. “As a board that campaigned to champion parental rights, I hope that you will be able to give crucial information that will impact our district and students to all parents.”
While the board took no immediate action on the parents’ requests, vice president Stephen Nelson promised to take their comments into consideration.
On another note, student representative Colin Hughes reported on some recent events at Souderton Area High School, including holiday concerts, the tech department’s winter workshop, a number of fundraising and donation drives, an Allebach Communications commercial for Wise potato chips involving numerous students and an athletic leadership council. He also reported on a few upcoming events, including Keystone testing, the end of the first semester and the winter ball.
The board took time to recognize the high school football team for winning the Suburban One League Continental Conference.
The next Souderton School Board meeting is on January 25 at 7 p.m. For more information, visit soudertonsd.org.
