Approval with 31 Conditions Is Not the End of the Process

October 21, 2026 Council Vote

Middletown Township Council voted to approve Rose Tree Media School District's (RTMSD) preliminary land development plan for a $92.5+ million, 125,670 sq. ft., 820 capacity regional Kindergarten & 1st Grade Center on a on a 15.7 acre site & a multi-sport complex on Rose Tree Road & Route 352.

Due to a 1.88 acre Rose Tree Road construction easement, the buildable portion of the proposed K-1 is 13.9 acres.

There are many questions remaining unanswered resulting in 31 conditions to the approval.

A reverse subdivision is requested to connect the proposed "K-1" parcel with the Penncrest Campus.

An eminent domain claim is pending against the neighboring church property for the construction of a $3.7M Rose Tree Road realignment project.

The planned building would serve three distinct student populations.

The second land development project included in the application is phase 1 of a Multi-sport Complex.

Children ages 5–7 Kindergarten & first-grade learners.

Students ages 18–21 receiving Life Skills Training.

High school students, grades 9–12, in autistic support programs.

Rose Tree Road was identified as having an operational deficiency due to existing traffic; the school district planned to implement a PennDot project ahead of schedule. However, the district substantially modified the original PennDot project by including road widening & turning lanes.

Phase 1 of a Multi-sport Complex including removing the natural grass on 2 athletic fields & installing artificial turf, paving another field to make a parking lot, adding a concession stand & dug out.

The full plan calls for seeking lights, bleachers and retaining wall, concession stand, bathrooms, storage facilities, paved driving paths, removable fencing, maintenance contract, batting cages, and dugouts.

An Entertaining Meeting Moment

1. The traffic challenge: The district's Transportation Impact Study estimates 1,861 weekday vehicle trips & 261 parent vehicles arriving during the AM peak hour.

2. A condition calls for the district to provide an incentive for parents to use school buses.

3. The district questioned what an “incentive” would mean, raising the example of student stickers & sticker books.

4. Council indicated that something more substantial was expected for the proposed "K-1" & all the district schools. The district asked whether the Township would pay for it; the Township declined.

5. The discussion was tabled, leaving the nature of the incentive unresolved.

6. Despite substantive questions remaining unanswered & overwhelming resident comment in opposition, there was no discussion about the vehicle queue, traffic circulation, or the consequences to the environment & surrounding community.

The larger question: Can a school location that generates this much traffic operate safely if reducing the number of parents driving is part of the solution?

For updates or questions, contact

WorkTogetherRTMSD@gmail.com

Next Steps

PennDOT – district to resubmit traffic study to PennDOT

· Obtain highway occupancy permit

· Seek approval for Rose Tree Road realignment. Previously the district claimed they were implementing PennDOT’s planned project. Currently the district proposes to substantially alter PennDOT’s project by expanding Rose Tree Road’s entrance & widening the road to add turning lanes.

· District must seek approval for a Rose Tree Road pedestrian cross walk.

· Resolve eminent domain dispute with the neighboring church property for the road realignment

· PennDOT said the environmental review has to be done as part of the review for the entire US 1 & Route 352 Improvements Project.

PA Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) – responsible for permitting the stormwater runoff.

Delaware County Conservation District - responsible for stormwater runoff management during construction & inspection post construction to determine compliance with the PADEP issued permit.

Utilities:

· Township sewer authority responsible for approving sewer connection

· Aqua PA - responsible for water & hydrant connections

· PECO -responsible for electrical connections

Emergency Services – performs a review

Act 34 of 1973 (Act 34) - part of the Pennsylvania Public School Code governing how public-school districts can finance & approve new school construction projects.

• An Act 34 project requires a referendum (vote of the electors) if the Maximum Building Construction Cost exceeds the Aggregate Building Expenditure Standard.

• School district says it does not, that is, a referendum is not required.

· The Act 34 hearing is planned for March 2027

👉 Key points about Act 34:

· Ensures taxpayers get a chance to see & weigh in on the costs of major school building projects before final state approval.

· Requires school districts to hold a public hearing

· Notice of the hearing must be published at least 20 days in advance.

· At the hearing, the school district presents information about the project, including its description, maximum project cost, maximum building construction cost, and proposed financing. Residents have an opportunity to provide oral and written comments.

· After the hearing, a 30-day public comment period allows residents to submit written comments to the school district.

· A second public hearing is required when the building construction cost based on bids exceeds the initial construction-cost estimate submitted to the Pennsylvania Department of Education by 8% or more, subject to applicable statutory requirements.

Middletown Township Council – Comments must be addressed, conditions met, final engineering submission to Planning commission & then to Council. Council has the final say. School district estimates 6-8 months before the final land development application is before Council for approval.

Safety Concerns

· The land parcel is too small to safely fulfill the project’s large vision, particularly given the lack of adequate space for bus circulation & parent drop-off/pick-up.

·Despite heavy traffic & blind curves, an entrance/exit is proposed on Rose Tree Road.

·Middletown Township previously blocked an 88 car Penncrest student parking lot, due to the road’s short sight lines & dangerous curves.

·To address the identified site weaknesses, the district proposes creating a cut-through road connecting Barren Road to Rose Tree Road for bus access only which will not change the lack of safe parent drop off/pick-up space.

Prepare to be Trapped in Traffic

· The · Surrounding roads are narrow, curvy, hilly, with no shoulder, sidewalk, or street lamps - not intended or designed to support a large-scale complex.

· The area is heavily congested; Rose Tree Road & Route 352 are gridlocked throughout parts of the day; cars already back up on Rose Tree Road beyond the proposed K-1 Center entrance/exit.

· The school is regional resulting in long bus rides for young students. A staggered school start time & inaccessibility to walking, 500+ parents are expected to drive to the proposed K-1 – with its single entrance/exit point - twice daily.

· The district dismissed input from a 2018 District Wide Capacity Study documenting parents’ lack of support for the centralized K-1 option due to an expressed “disinterest in busing young students” & “increase in transportation.”

· The district’s traffic study identified 2 operational deficiencies due to existing traffic conditions - Rose Tree Road & Route 352 & Barren Road & Route 352.

· In response, the district proposes to partially undertake a PennDOT road improvement project involving the realignment of Rose Tree Road (a state road) to come out at the light across from the Granite Run Promenade.

Rose Tree Road April 2026

Barren Rd. & Rte. 352 April 2026

· The road construction is estimated at $3.7M with engineering costs & timeline undermined. Included is building storm water facilities & acquiring a land easement for approximately $100,000 (once PennDOT conducts their project, the land will be redirected to PennDOT as a public right of way).

· The road realignment must be completed before the school is operational.

· The full PennDOT project includes widening Route 352. Without the corresponding Route 352 improvement, Rose Tree Road realignment does not address existing traffic nor mitigate the significant impact of the proposed K-1.

· The school district has no plan to address the operational deficiency identified at Barren Road & Route 352.

· The proposed bus cut-through across Penncrest from Barren Road to Rose Tree Road will exasperate this problem.

·15 miles per hour school zone speed limit applies to roads adjacent to school property i.e. Rose Tree Road & Route 352.

· The pending land development application includes 2 projects – the 2nd project is to create a multi-sport complex at Penncrest including paving a field to create a parking lot, adding lights, bleachers, score boards, bathrooms, paved walkways, a concession stand and carpeting baseball, softball, and soccer fields with artificial turf. Sporting events will overlap with parent pick-up bringing more traffic and congestion to the site.

Email worktogetherrtmsd@gmail.com to stay informed, ask questions, receive updates.

· The project was initially approved at $81.5 million. The building design grew raising the cost to $84 million. Current estimate is $92.5M (if construction started today)

June 2026 told "Construction market is facing several headwinds"

· In January 2026, the board approved deferring repayment of the 2018 bonds by 2 years, at a taxpayer cost of $11 million and risking higher interest rates for future borrowing.

· At the March 2026 budget meeting, it was announced “expenditures exceed revenues.” Pensions & transportation were singled out as rising costs.

· At a time when the district is already over budget, adding another school raises serious concerns about financial responsibility.

· UPDATE: The former employer of the RTMSD superintendent, i.e. the Cherry Hill School District, is in dire straits. While at Cherry Hill, the RTMSD superintendent got a $364 M bond issue for similar capital projects. Now Cherry Hill finds itself with a $29 M budget gap resulting in 72 jobs cut, $8 million in operational cuts, and a 7.4% property tax increase as reported in this April 28, 2026 ABC Action News segment & in an April 29, 2026 Inquirer article.

· The Cherry Hill problem, “fixed costs far exceed any growth in district revenue”, is the same situation RTMSD is facing. The district cannot afford the existing schools & the proposed K-1 will be another forever, annual cost burden.

· The ever-increasing school taxation in combination with the steep 23% hike in county tax in 2025 & 19% increase in 2026 is an especially heavy burden for the large number of fixed income homeowners in the district making home ownership unaffordable

· A regional K-1 Center uproots students after first grade, severing early friendships & forcing families to juggle varied commutes & schedules.

· The 2018 District Capacity Study did not recommend this model, citing concerns with busing young students & increased transportation as drawbacks.

· At the February 13, 2025 work session, a school board member is heard saying “…one of the schools we went to & we visited, the principal said everybody’s putting this [K-1 Centers] into their schools & we did it too but if I had to do it again, I wouldn’t do it again.” (20:25-20:35 timestamp)

May 14, 2026 Word Session, the School Board president states “We need to remember where Media Elementary is located. A number of students actually walk to school. That's why people love media elementary & going there because you can walk your student to school or you know they can walk themselves and that has an impact on breakfast if they want it. Maybe they're eating while they're walking.”

K-1 Concept?

Money, Money, & More Money

· The estimate is for construction & omits key long-term costs - utilities, 105 staffing, transportation, annual operation & maintenance, cleaning, equipment, technology, food service equipment, buses, etc.

· A separate K-1 Center adds a continuous, annual cost & tax burden to fund the same services as the other 6 district schools.

· Taxpayers are already received a 3.5% school tax increase this year which does not take this project into consideration.

(un) Affordability

Long List of Existing Needs

·The district's 2023 Feasibility Study Update identifies $59 million in improvements needed at the four elementary schools & another $44 million for the middle & high schools. These estimates assume the 400-student elementary school in Edgmont was built.

· Many of the district’s existing needs, including elective programs, could be better addressed through a more cost-effective, comprehensive plan rather than committing to a single, state of the art regional school, which students will attend for 2 years before going to 1 of the 4 elementary schools - built between 1913 and1962, for the next 4 years.

·Greater investment in one school at the expense of older district schools raises questions about equity.

· All students deserve a quality education in modernized schools, not just a “state of the art” kindergarten.

Existing needs & equity in the schools must be part of the overall plan & budget.

Email worktogetherrtmsd@gmail.com to stay informed, ask questions, receive updates.

A regional K-1 requires additional bus runs and significantly more private vehicle trips, elevating energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate change, heat island generation, and air pollution.

Environmental Impact

· The proposed site is meadow & woodland with mature trees & is home to a variety of wildlife.

· The site does not have public water or sewer connections & the prior owner did not build due to wet soil conditions raising the possibility of wetlands.

· The district noted the soil does not infiltrate requiring the installation of “an extensive underground system to achieve stormwater drainage” - cost undisclosed.

· The Rose Tree Road tree line will be forever removed & habitat, including wetlands, destroyed causing fragmentation and wildlife displacement.

· Stormwater is a major concern - not just for the project but for the Ridley Creek watershed.

· Replacing natural ground with pavement & rooftop prevents rainwater from soaking into the soil reducing groundwater recharge & sending heated runoff, oil/grease, salt, deicers, trash, and harmful pollutants into Ridley Creek.

· Ridley Creek serves as a drinking water resource for over 40,000 people & is impaired for aquatic life support. The impairment is due to stormwater runoff from land development which erodes soil, widens stream channels, smothers & scours aquatic life & introduces harmful pollutants.

· The proposed K-1 project cannot stand on its own - the amount of natural ground covering replaced by pavement & roof exceeds the Township’s stormwater ordinance. The plan is to rezone the property to count Penncrest athletic fields in the runoff calculation - creating the appearance of stormwater ordinance compliance without reducing the quantity of stormwater generated - changing the math, not the environmental impact (the science).

· The land development includes paving a Penncrest field to make a 75-car parking lot.

· Nearby homes rely on well water. Yet there is no discussion about how the land development may affect groundwater quality and quantity.

· A regional K-1 requires additional bus runs & generates significantly more private vehicle trips due to the young student population.

· The buses & cars consume fossil fuel & generate elevated levels of greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate change & air pollution.

· District leaders say they must build at the site because they “already own the land.” The district owns close to 200 acres across its six campuses. The middle school alone is on 73 acres. Several of the already owned, already cleared, unused fields, exceed the size of the proposed K-1 site, disproving the claim that displacement of wildlife, removal of trees & destruction of open space is the only choice.

· The Township promotes environmental stewardship through recycling, carbon-reduction efforts, & Environmental Advisory Committee activities, such as education of the harmful effects of artificial lights & the planting of native trees to support watershed health and climate resilience.

· As a designated Bird Town, the Township encourages healthy wildlife habitats. Clearing woods (which absorb carbon dioxide, offset climate change, and prevent soil erosion), lighting fields, & replacing grass does not match these goals.

Environmental harm is often irreversible.

Common-Sense Solutions

1. Upgrade /Expand Existing Properties

· The 2018 RTMSD Capacity Study (linked here) by Marotta/Main shows the district could expand & improve existing schools to accommodate future growth; "New Kindergarten & First Grade Center option was "Considered, Not Recommended."

· The above linked 2018 Capacity Feasibility Study was available on-line. It was noted that pages 28-31 are missing. A 2018 version of the Study was located with the missing pages which include Pros/Cons & Costs . There are discrepancies between the 2 versions on the page titled “Options Considered, Not Recommended” - see the Missing Pages tab.

· Existing infrastructure is already in place at the current school properties & the land is already disturbed.

· Options considered at the time included: additions to all school buildings, a new kindergarten & first grade Center, new fifth & sixth grade building, & moving fifth grade to middle school. The district is ignoring these cheaper, smarter, faster solutions.

· The Capacity Study provides detailed, viable construction options (see Design Options Page).

· Converting existing semi-permanent modular space to permanent, brick & mortar wings needs to be considered.

·5th grade students are already starting to transition into middle school, are older, & can handle a longer bus ride thus reducing car traffic; this option opens up room in all the schools, utilizes existing bus runs, maintains a consistent school start time, & allow for growth & full-day kindergarten (see Design Options tab 3 & 4). Many other school districts (e.g. Lower Merion) already moved to this model as a solution to overcrowding & Downingtown school district has a "6th grade center."

· UPDATE: The public’s comments were dismissed by the District stating that such solutions were not possible. However, in addition to finding acreage at Springton Lake Middle School to construct a meadow, the District announced at a March 2, 2026 Upper Providence Planning Commission meeting, it intends to construct a 70 x 84, 2 story, 6 classroom, 11,760 s.f. building to address crowding & that the traffic study shows no impact. A solution that could be duplicated at Glenwood, Indian Lane & Rose Tree Media - thus alleviating the safety & traffic concerns, cost burden, & harm caused by siting a regional school & sport complex at the corner of Rose Tree Rd. & Rte. 352.

· How classroom space is utilized should be studied at all schools to ensure optimization.

· Building a second floor at Indian Lane, a new school at Glenwood Elementary, and/or a 5th grade center at Springton Lake should be evaluated.

· The district often states they must build on the 13.9-acre parcel on Rose Tree Road because “they already own the land”. The reality is the district owns close to 200 acres across its six campuses. The middle school alone is on 73 acres.

Glenwood Indian Lane

Rose Tree Springton Lake

2. Consider Repurposing Existing Properties

The Middletown Parks, Recreation, & Open Space Plan recognizes the value of repurposing existing structures as a means of preserving green space & reducing storm water runoff.

· This large property with paved roads & ample parking, is accessible from Route 352 & Baltimore Pike, has no wetlands, stormwater mitigation, or mature tree removal, is already equipped with water, sewer, & electrical connections, would preserve open space & utilize a potentially empty building.

The Roosevelt Community Center & former Township library building

· The Roosevelt Center is the former Roosevelt School.

· The Township already had 2 elementary schools, a middle school, & high school in the district, so the Roosevelt building “was no longer needed” as part of RTMSD’s school capacity.

· Middletown Township purchased the property in 2018.

· There are 4 classrooms in the Roosevelt Community Center & is in close proximity to Indian Lane elementary school.

· Consider whether programs currently conducted at the Roosevelt Community Center could be held at the former Middletown library on Pennell Road, which is currently unoccupied & whether the classrooms in the Roosevelt Community Center can be utilized to alleviate overcrowding.

· When the public suggested possible use of the large agricultural crop fields at Elwyn on Route 352 which are spacious & tree free, a school board member said this solution was not possible because there are laws regarding how close students can be in proximity to adults. Later it was learned that a quarter of the proposed K-1 Center will include a dedicated space for adult students ages 18-21 with special needs & students in the 9th-12th grade Autistic Support & Life Skills Support programs.

· To address growth, the Springfield & Haverford school districts, & others across PA, built new schools on existing athletic fields & replaced the fields when construction concluded.

Email worktogetherrtmsd@gmail.com to stay informed, ask questions, receive updates.

Call to Action

We call on RTMSD to pause this project & engage with parents, the community, & taxpayers to identify better solutions - ones that uphold transparency, fiscal responsibility, safety, & the integrity of our schools & neighborhoods

HOW YOU CAN HELP

There are a few things you can do to help.

Sign our petition, donate to our sign & defense fund, post a sign on your lawn, participate at school board & council meetings, call/email township supervisors & school board members, stay connected by joining us on Facebook & our email group, & create awareness by spreading the word

CALL TO VOICE YOUR OPPOSITION

Middletown Township (610) 565-2700 f: (610) 566-3640

Rose Tree Media School District - Dr. Joseph Meloche, Superintendent (610) 627-6000, ext.6002

SEND LETTERS/EMAIL

Letters to the Township and School District are critical—the more they receive the better!
Middletown Township, Delaware County 27 N. Pennell Road, Media, PA 19063

Dr. Joseph Meloche - Superintendent 308 N. Olive Street Media, PA 19063

EMAIL Middletown Council Members

SCHOOL SUPPERINTENDENT AND BOARD MEMBERS

TheresaNapson-Williams@rtmsd.org, KenDinitz@rtmsd.org, HillaryFletcher@rtmsd.org, JackieGusic@rtmsd.org,SusanHenderson-Utis@rtmsd.org,ShellyHunt@rtmsd.org,KarleenKrenicky@rtmsd.org, tonitaaustin@rtmsd.org,michaelfox@rtmsd.org

Attend Township & School Board Meetings

Township

Land Planning Committee - 6:00 PM date varies - check Township website https://middletowndelcopa.gov/

Council Meeting Location - 27 N. Pennell Road

Township Council Meetings - 7:00 PM on the 1st & 3rd Wednesday of each month. The first meeting of the month is a work session meeting. All meetings are considered voting meetings.

Council Workshop: January 7, February 4, March 4, April 1, May 6, June 3, July 1, August 5, September 2, October 7, November 4

Council Meetings: January 21, February 18, March 18, April 15, May 20, June 17, July 15, August 19, September 16, October 21, November 18, December 2

Reorganization Meeting 2027:
(Monday) January 4 at 8:00 PM

School Board

Work sessions are held at Springton Lake Middle School, 1900 N. Providence Road, Media at 6:30 pm on the second Thursday of each month (first Monday in December and first Thursday in June) and live-streamed on the District’s YouTube Channel
September 10, 2026
October 8, 2026
November 12, 2026
December 1, 2026
January 14, 2027
February 11, 2027
March 11, 2027
April 8, 2027
May 13, 2027
June 3, 2027

Legislative Meetings are held at Penncrest High School Auditorium at 6:30 PM on the fourth Thursday of the month (third Thursday in November and second Thursday in December and June) and live-streamed on the District’s YouTube Channel

Please contribute to materials & expenses through the GoFundMe

Please Sign Here

Please Contribute Here

Thank You!

Silence is consent. Without you, this project will be pushed through, little by little, eroding our quality of life. We need better planning & smarter decisions

September 24, 2026
October 22, 2026
November 19, 2026
December 10, 2026
January 28, 2027
February 25, 2027
March 18, 2027
April 22, 2027
May 27, 2027
June 10, 2027

Middletown Township Council council@middletowndelcopa.gov

Email worktogetherrtmsd@gmail.com to stay informed, ask questions, receive updates.

Email worktogetherrtmsd@gmail.com to stay informed, ask questions, receive updates.

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