Doylestown Requests Meeting With School Board On Linden's Future

DOYLESTOWN BOROUGH, PA — Doylestown Borough Council President Jack O'Brien and Mayor Noni West are requesting a meeting between the borough and the Central Bucks School Board to discuss the future of Linden Elementary School.

In a letter sent to school board president Dana Hunter on March 29, O’Brien and Mayor West ask for an opportunity to “share the importance of Linden Elementary and to discuss a future in which it remains a vital and vibrant institution in the community.”

The content of the letter was made public during a meeting of the borough's Community and Government Affairs committee Monday night and was prompted by a large turnout of Linden residents at borough council’s March meeting. At that meeting, residents asked the council to consider passing a resolution opposing the closure of Linden Elementary.

In November the Central Bucks School District released an Enrollment and Attendance Boundary Study done by Crabtree, Rohrbaugh and Associates (CRA) of the district’s population trends, building utilization and capacity limits.

The study recommended a grade realignment, with 9 to 12 at the high school level, 6 to 8 at the middle school level and K to 5 at the elementary level.

The study also recommended Linden Elementary for possible closure in the 2024-25 school year due to shifts in demographics and declining enrollment. Since then there hasn’t been any action taken by the school board or the administration and the topic has not been discussed in public.

In the letter from the borough, borough leaders ask that a promised public meeting be scheduled to allow the community to “ask questions and to provide input” in response to the study’s recommendations.

“At the school board meeting where the recommendation was publicly made to close Linden, there was a promise of a public meeting,” says the letter. “Our community is still waiting for this meeting and we ask that it take place without further delay.”

So far there has been no response to that letter, said Councilman Ben Bell during Monday night’s meeting of council’s Community and Government Affairs committee, which has been tasked by council to delve into the issue and to report back to council.

Among the committee's first tasks was to recommend adoption of a resolution supporting Linden Elementary School and “strongly urging” the Central Bucks School Board to revisit the recommendation to close the beloved neighborhood school.

The committee on Monday night agreed to pass the resolution on to borough council for action at its meeting on Monday night, April 17.

In the resolution, signed by borough council president Jack O’Brien and Mayor Noni West, the borough touts the neighborhood school as being "one of the best elementary schools in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania providing unique programs and ranking in the top eight percent in Niche rankings.

"Linden not only provides a strong public education, it is a true walkable neighborhood school
fostering strong relationships among students, teachers, staff, families and neighbors and is an integral part of the fabric of our community," the resolution continues. "Linden is a vital component of Doylestown Borough's quality of life, attracting young families, promoting community and enhancing property values. "

The borough also notes in the resolution that the community is currently experiencing its largest housing boom in more than a decade with more than 300 housing units under construction "that will in turn generate more potential enrollment."

Finally, the resolution "strongly urges the Central Bucks School Board to revisit the
recommendation to close Linden Elementary without delay through a transparent, public process in which the Doylestown Borough community can provide input that will demonstrate that Linden Elementary School should not only remain open, but be celebrated and supported as an example of what is best for the Central Bucks School District and in public education."