Dr. Megan O’Brien, president of the Jenkintown School Board, issued a memo to the school community today regarding the board meeting on September 8 and the upcoming meeting on September 15, which has been moved to the Kuykendall Auditorium.

The memo is below. You can read Glenside Local’s coverage of Monday’s meeting here.

Dear Jenkintown School Community,

Thank you to everyone who participated in our Board meeting on September 8. We know the discussion was very difficult.  It can be hard to speak in public, and we appreciate the effort that many of you made to make your feelings known.  We will continue to do our absolute best to treat every individual and every viewpoint with respect, and we ask that you do the same.  It is hard to disagree vehemently and maintain civility, but we are all neighbors here and we believe it is possible.

We also understand that some community members left feeling that their concerns were unheard. Please know the board is listening, and we do value the perspectives of all stakeholders – residents, parents, teachers, and students alike. Ultimately, we all share the same goal: ensuring that Jenkintown remains a school district where every student can learn, grow, and thrive.

We have received many questions from the community, and although we are ironclad in our commitment to respecting the confidentiality we owe employees, students, and families, we will do our best to share what we can at Monday’s meeting. If you would like to send your questions ahead of time, please feel free to do so—this will help us prepare clear and accurate information for everyone.

To support more open communication, we are taking concrete steps. Beginning with our next meeting, we will meet in the auditorium to ensure better sound and accessibility. In addition, we released our BoardDocs materials to public view this past Tuesday, so that everyone has more timely access to the information the board is reviewing.

Our focus now is on working together constructively, especially as we begin the search for a new superintendent. We are committed to transparency in that process and will provide opportunities for community input as we envision the future of our district together.

Thank you for your engagement, patience, and dedication to our schools.

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