ATTENTION: Important Hopewell Area School District Facility Planning Presentation Tomorrow Night

This was an email sent out this evening by Hopewell Superintendent Dr. Jeff Beltz.

Hopewell Area SD Families,

The Hopewell Area School District wants to remind families that two presentations will take place at the beginning of tomorrow night’s (May 14) School Board meeting at 7PM. The meeting will take place at Hopewell Senior High School. Architectural firm DRAW Collective will present on possible school options and accompanying costs, and PNC Bank will outline the district’s debt and borrowing capabilities. No final decisions will be made at the Board meeting, but informational presentations will take place to update the public on progress made to this point. Video recordings of the presentations will also be available on the district’s www.hopewellarea.org website afterwards. A Community Meeting open to the public will also be held on Saturday, May 18 (12PM/Noon) in the Senior HS auditorium to collaborate with the public once again on school options that meet budget parameters. To date, the district has explored many options without costs being a primary consideration; however, facility costs, borrowing, repayment obligations, and timing must be combined to further explore realistic possibilities. Please, continue to follow along as the district works through the process.

Last, I am aware of some concerns that have surfaced due to the elimination of an elementary music position being placed on the Board’s agenda for discussion at the meeting tomorrow evening. I would like to add details to that item. While teacher staffing would change for some students at the elementary level, students will continue to have the same amount of music classes and time spent in music classes in 2024-25 as ongoing for the current 2023-24 school year. There will be no reduction of elementary music classes in the proposed agenda item. Currently, HASD’s elementary schools share one librarian, one computer/tech, and one art teacher who rotate among all three elementary schools. Elementary music will be shared in the same manner. All class sections will be assigned to one teacher, not shared between two teachers as is currently taking place. Middle School and High School music classes and teachers will not be altered either. I do understand that the elimination of a music position will gain attention by reading the agenda. However, it is not district’s intention to reduce any music classes or offerings for next school year.