April 26, 2017

Traffic counts almost done in Chadds Ford

Chadds Ford Township engineer Mike Schneider gave the public a quick update on the traffic counts along several intersections in the township. Schneider said the work is almost complete and the township should have all the data by May 5.

The counts are in reaction to the approved commercial development at Route 202 and Ridge Road in Concord Township at its border with Chadds Ford.

Concord supervisors gave approval for that development in 2008 with the condition that Chadds Ford sign off on any highway improvements. Among those improvements are a plan to widen Ridge Road to six lanes between Route 202 and Pheasant Lane.

Many Chadds Ford residents are concerned about the increased traffic and Supervisors’ Chairman Frank Murphy said earlier this year he wouldn’t sign off until resident concerns are addressed. He can’t speak publicly on the issue now because of potential litigation.

Schneider said the traffic count work is coming in at $2,700, well below the $5,000 authorized. Intersections involved are Route 202 at Ridge, Ridge at Heyburn and at Ring. The other intersections are along Route 202 from Route 1 to Smithbridge Roads.

Schneider made the comments during the supervisors’ April 26 workshop.

There was also a brief discussion on the roundabout being built on Hillman Drive at its intersection with Evergreen Place. The roundabout is part of the preliminary approval given to The Henderson Group for its plan to extend Hillman Drive from Route 202 to Route 1.

There is a detour in place for the residents of the Estates at Chadds Ford and, according to Schneider, bus drivers from the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District will be making some test runs around the roundabout this Friday to make sure buses can safely negotiate the circles.

Also during the workshop, supervisors approved an update to the township’s Comprehensive Plan and said volunteers are needed to fill several vacancies.

Those vacancies include one on the Planning Commission and another on the Rachel Kohl Library Board. Additionally, the Walkable Chadds Ford Committee is looking for two volunteers to help complete that group’s tasks.

About Rich Schwartzman

Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.

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Letter: Reason for a school time change

Opinion

Dear Parents and UCFSD Community,

Four years ago, students from Unionville High School approached our Board and administration lobbying for a later start time. They cited the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control, National Sleep Foundation, American Medical Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, all of whom acknowledge that later school start times lead to increased performance, health, and brain development in teens. Our students argued that the science was on their side.

Indeed, research shows there are many benefits from later school start times, including decreases in teen depression, car crashes, behavior problems, discipline referrals, absenteeism, and tardiness. Given our students’ compelling argument — the UCF Board asked the administration to form a committee and conduct an exhaustive review of our school start times. The committee found that, though not without challenges, the benefits to student health and well-being were difficult to ignore.

Monday night, the board approved a change in UCF school start times beginning with the 2017-2018 school year. For next year, the middle school and high school student day will begin at 8 a.m. and conclude at 2:43 p.m. The elementary student day will begin at 9:10 a.m. and end at 3:40 p.m. I understand that there may be questions about the transition and how it may affect you and your family. Please read below for answers to a number of frequently asked questions.

Finally, I commend the work of the members of the School Start Time Committee and the members of the UCF Board. The committee and Board diligently listened to competing points of view and made a decision that is in the best interest of our children.

John Sanville,
Superintendent of Schools
Unionville-Chadds Ford School District

How will the district go about implementing this change – is there a central contact person?

· The new school start times will impact all of us. A change of this scope requires much planning and coordination. A team has been brought together under John Nolen’s leadership to address and coordinate schedule changes.

· A permanent list of schedule changes and FAQs will be updated and available on The School Start Time website. The communications team is here to help – please forward your questions to communications@ucfsd.net

What time will school start and end?

· Elementary – 9:10 AM – 3:40 PM

· High School/Middle School – 8:00 AM – 2:43 PM

What time is bus pick up in the morning? Drop off in the afternoon?

· Bus pick-up times vary by location. As has been our practice — finalized bus pickup and drop off times will be provided to families over the summer. It is reasonable to expect MS and HS pickup and drop off times to be 25 minutes later. You can expect elementary school pickup and drop off times to be 15 minutes later.

What time is the building open for child drop off?

· Elementary drop off times will remain as today — 8:40 AM. We are working on opportunities for a 8:30 AM drop off.

· Middle School drop off time will shift to 7:25. We are exploring a fee based Y-Care option for earlier drop off times at the middle school.

· The current before school activities practices for the high school will remain in effect with students working directly with teachers and advisors.

How does this change impact Y-Care at the elementary schools?

· Y- Care will be available starting at 7:00 AM and after school care will be available until 6:00 PM in the evening.

How will this change impact the timing of athletics?

· We are investigating our options to limit the number of early dismissals so as to reduce the impact of students missing instructional time last period for athletic events. This will be a primary goal of the newly approved Supervisor of Athletics.

· As today, practice times will continue to be after the academic day is concluded.

How will this change impact other after school activities?

· In general all after school activities will continue as they do now to begin after the conclusion of the academic day.

· This applies to clubs, activities and facilities such as the libraries and cafeterias

Will there still be an after school activities bus?

· Yes, it will run 25 minutes later — 5:25

About CFLive Staff

See Contributors Page https://chaddsfordlive.com/writers/

Letter: Reason for a school time change Read More »

Peter B. Pagano Sr. of Broomall

Obituaries

Peter B. Pagano Sr., 83, of Broomall, died peacefully on April 22, surrounded by his loving family. Former owner of The Original House of Pagano’s Restaurant, he is preceded in death his

parents, Charles and Mary Barbieri Pagano.

He is survived by his loving and caring wife of 62 years, Amelia “Millie” Pagano (nee Ferro), four devoted children, Charles (Donna Reeves) Pagano, Karen (Christopher Topolski) Cedrone, Cheryl (Robert) Jacobs and Peter (Patricia) Pagano Jr., a brother, Theodore Pagano, 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend his viewing, 7-9 p.m. Thursday at the Pagano Funeral Home, 3711 Foulk Rd., Garnet Valley, PA 19060 and again Friday, 9 to 10 a.m., at St. Thomas the Apostle (new church), 430 Valleybrook Road in Glen Mills, followed by a funeral mass at 10:30 a.m. Entombment, S.S. Peter and Paul Mausoleum in Springfield.

Online condolences may be made by visiting www.paganofuneralhome.com

About CFLive Staff

See Contributors Page https://chaddsfordlive.com/writers/

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Police Log April 26: Unsolved murder; DUI; accidents

Police

Sunday-Crash_1JF1190_edit — No injuries were reported following this accident on Route 1 in Chadds Ford Township on Sunday, April 23.

• Pennsylvania State Police from the Embreeville barracks have been going through cold case files and are asking for help in solving a 47-year-old murder. On the morning of April 26, 1970, 11-year-old Terrance Bowers was found stabbed to death while on a Boy Scout camping trip from Upper Darby to St. Basil the Great Church in East Pikeland Township. Police said 29 members of Troop 275 had camped at St. Basil’s overnight on April 24 and 25. Someone attacked the boy in the early morning hours as the victim slept. Police continue to investigate and are asking the public to help. Anyone with information is asked to call the Embreeville barracks at 610-486-6280 or PA Crime Stoppers at 1-800-4PA-TIPS. All callers remain anonymous and could be eligible for a cash reward. The Boy Scouts of America — Chester County Chapter — and the Cradle of Liberty Council have offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to the apprehension and conviction of whoever is responsible for the murder. The Bowers family is offering an additional $25,000.

• A state police report said Christopher Ada Jackson, 42, of Chester, was arrested for DUI after a one-car accident on Smithbridge Road in Concord Township. According to the report, Jackson’s vehicle overturned after shearing a telephone pole in half, trapping him inside. The accident happened at 5:50 p.m. on April 17. Jackson was taken to Crozer Medical Center complaining of chest and neck pain.

• A 25-year-old male from Salisbury, Md. — unnamed in the report — was arrested for drug possession following a traffic stop on Route 202 in Chadds Ford Township. Police made the stop at 8:34 p.m. on April 18.

• No injuries were reported following an accident on Route 1 in Chadds Ford Township on Sunday, April 23. According to a witness, one vehicle in the left lane of northbound traffic slowed to make a U-Turn at the gap in the median in front of the Berkshire Hathaway office. A second vehicle stopped behind the first, but was struck from behind by a third vehicle. No injuries were reported.