Upper Perkiomen School District

The Upper Perkiomen School District is a public school district serving communities in upper Montgomery County and a portion of southern Berks County, Pennsylvania. Administrative offices are located at the Upper Perkiomen School District Education Center, 2229 East Buck Road in Pennsburg, which can be reached at 215-679-7961. The district enrolls roughly 3,100 to 3,300 students across five school buildings and covers a geographic area of 51.31 square miles, making it one of the more rural districts in the region in terms of land area relative to student population.

The district's attendance area includes the Boroughs of East Greenville, Green Lane, Red Hill and Pennsburg, the Townships of Marlborough, Upper Hanover and Hereford, and the communities of Barto and Sumneytown. Because Hereford Township sits in Berks County while the remaining municipalities are in Montgomery County, Upper Perkiomen is one of a relatively small number of Pennsylvania districts that spans a county line.

Schools and Grade Configuration

Upper Perkiomen uses a grade configuration that differs from the traditional elementary, middle and high school split. Students attend five buildings over their K-12 careers:

• Hereford Elementary School, serving students in the northern, Berks County portion of the district
• Marlborough Elementary School, serving students in the southern and central portion of the district
• The Upper Perkiomen 4th and 5th Grade Center, which brings together all fourth and fifth graders from both elementary feeder schools
• Upper Perkiomen Middle School, serving grades 6 through 8
• Upper Perkiomen High School, serving grades 9 through 12

The intermediate center model means that students from both elementary buildings merge two years before middle school, which gives them time to form a single class cohort before the transition to secondary education. District reporting indicates student achievement above the national average.

Leadership and Mission

Dr. Allyn J. Roche serves as Superintendent of Schools, with Dr. Andrea J. Farina as Assistant Superintendent. The district's stated mission centers on empowering students to achieve their potential through engaging instruction, with an emphasis on critical thinking, real-world skills and responsible citizenship. Its vision statement describes preparing lifelong learners and engaged global citizens. These goals are formalized in the district's Comprehensive Plan for 2025 through 2028, the multi-year planning document Pennsylvania districts file with the Department of Education.

Academic Programs and College Partnerships

Beyond the core K-12 curriculum, Upper Perkiomen offers several pathways for students looking toward careers or postsecondary education. High school students may attend the Western Montgomery Career and Technology Center (WMCTC), which operates morning and afternoon sessions. Students enrolled in the PM session depart Upper Perkiomen High School at 12:45 PM for transport to the center.

The district also operates an Early College Academy in partnership with Kutztown University. The program currently includes an Education Track, allowing Upper Perkiomen High School students to earn college credit toward a teaching degree before they graduate. Programs of this type can reduce both the time and cost of a future undergraduate degree.

Athletics

Upper Perkiomen teams compete as the Indians. The district fields 27 varsity athletic programs at the high school level and 16 programs at the middle school level, a substantial offering for a district of its enrollment size. Families and spectators should be aware of the digital platforms the athletic department uses:

• ArbiterSports for online athletic registration and clearance paperwork
• ArbiterLive for published game and practice schedules
• S2PASS for digital event tickets
• HUDL for game film and video review

Student Services

Special education services are coordinated from the Education Center by a Director of Special Education along with two Special Education Supervisors, with staff assigned across all five buildings. The district also maintains a school counseling and mental health resource hub for parents and students, consolidating information about counseling supports available at each school. Counselors work at every grade level, from elementary social and emotional learning through high school course selection and postsecondary planning.

Safety and Emergency Procedures

Upper Perkiomen uses the Standard Response Protocol developed by the I Love U Guys Foundation, a framework adopted by school systems nationwide. The protocol defines five clear actions: Hold, Secure, LockDOWN, Evacuate and Shelter. Using standardized terminology means students, staff, families and responding law enforcement all share the same vocabulary during an incident. The district conducts annual drills in coordination with local police agencies so that procedures are practiced rather than theoretical.

Flexible Instructional Days

The district has approval from the Pennsylvania Department of Education to use up to five Flexible Instructional Days per school year as an alternative to traditional snow days. On an FID, assignments are posted online by 9:00 AM for middle and high school students and by 10:00 AM for elementary students. An FID counts as a regular school day and does not need to be made up at the end of the year, which helps keep the June calendar predictable for families planning summer activities.

Transportation, Food Service and Daily Operations

Bus transportation for all five schools is managed by the Director of Registration and Transportation, based at the Education Center. New family registration is handled through the same office. Food services operate district wide under a Director of Food Services, with cafeteria service at every building. During two hour and three hour delayed openings, lunch schedules are adjusted accordingly, and the district communicates those adjustments along with the delay announcement.

Business Office and Taxes

The district business office handles real estate, per capita and earned income tax questions. Earned Income and Per Capita taxes are collected by Berkheimer Tax Innovations, located in Bangor, Pennsylvania. Property owners paying real estate taxes by installment should note the three due dates: August 31, October 31 and December 15.

Public Records and Communication

Right to Know Law requests are processed by Open Records Officer Kristal Bitner under Board Policy 801. Requests are submitted to the Education Center, with a phone line at 215-679-7961 and fax at 215-679-7962.

The district communicates with families primarily through ParentSquare, which delivers weekly update emails and school closing alerts. Upper Perkiomen also produces a podcast, "Inside UP: The Superintendent's View," which is distributed through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and iHeartRadio. The podcast format gives the administration a way to discuss district decisions, budget matters and program changes in longer form than a newsletter allows.

Contact

Upper Perkiomen School District Education Center, 2229 East Buck Road, Pennsburg, PA 18073. Phone: 215-679-7961.