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Lawyer recommends school policy changes| Inquirer Greater Abington

Plus, Cheltenham and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia are at odds over property taxes.

Hey there, Greater Abington,

Cheltenham School District has received recommendations about changing its policies following the football hazing scandal. Here’s what we know. Also in the headlines, Cheltenham Township and the owners of Holy Sepulchre Cemetery are at odds over whether the latter should be paying property taxes, police charged an ex-boyfriend in the killing of a Walmart employee in Wyncote, and La Mott Fire Company may offer free or reduced rent to firefighters to attract volunteers.

P.S. Oops! In last week’s edition, we accidentally referred to November’s election as the “primary” when we shared The Inquirer’s guide to the 2026 Pennsylvania midterms. It’s possible we skipped our (apparently necessary) second cup of coffee.

— Laura Smythe (greaterabington@inquirer.com)

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A lawyer commissioned by the Cheltenham School District has handed down a list of recommendations for changing the district’s policies after a 15-year-old was allegedly assaulted in a locker room hazing incident last year. District officials have not said what those recommendations are.

Potential changes to upward of 25 policies will be reviewed in upcoming school board policy committee meetings, officials told The Inquirer. In written responses to reporter Maddie Hanna last week, Interim Superintendent Chris McGinley characterized the lawyer’s work as “not a formal report,” but findings that contain “recommendations for specific changes to individual policies.”

The recommendations come as district officials are expected to join State Sen. Art Haywood and Rep. Napoleon Nelson later today to announce the passage of a new law that makes hazing a mandated reportable offense.

Hanna has more on the lawyer’s review.

Cheltenham and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia have been tied up in a legal battle for more than a decade over whether property taxes must be paid on Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, one of the township’s largest plots.

While not clear how much tax money hangs in the balance in the dispute, the cemetery would owe roughly $683,000 this year alone based on the current tax rate. Most of that would go to schools.

Inquirer reporter Jess Rohan untangles the case, which involves a for-profit death services corporation in Florida.

💡 Community news

  1. Cheltenham-based La Mott Fire Company plans to develop an apartment building connected to its fire house and offer firefighters free or reduced rent. It’s meant to draw in volunteers and shorten response times.

  2. Police on Monday charged an ex-boyfriend with killing 45-year-old Walmart employee Latosha Ann Cooper in the Wyncote store’s parking lot last week. They say 23-year-old Destino Jean Louis shot Cooper after she changed her mind about marrying him to help him obtain a green card.

  3. Sports fans from across the region were psyched to see NBA megastar LeBron James make his home debut as a 76er. The passionate crowd included Abington resident Rodney Anderson, whose voice broke out over the boisterous concourse: “Actual defense? The focus, the intensity? I’m loving it.”

  4. From Nov. 2 through Dec. 18, Tyson Avenue will be closed between Albright Avenue and Easton Road in Abington Township as part of a bridge rehabilitation project.

🗺️ Other nearby news

  1. A jury found Fearless Restaurants, the group behind nearby eateries such as a White Dog Cafe outpost in Haverford, negligent in its handling of sexual harassment incidents at Rosalie, its popular Italian restaurant in Wayne.

  2. Montgomery County Commissioner Neil Makhija appeared in a new Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ad as part of a push to engage Asian American and Pacific Islander voters in efforts to flip a key U.S. House seat in Bucks County in the midterms.

🏫 Schools briefing

  1. Pennsylvania K-12 schools will soon bar students from using cell phones throughout the school day. Here’s what the ban will look like.

🍽️ On our plate

  1. Local breakfast-and-lunch chain Nudy’s Café has opened its latest outpost in Willow Grove Shopping Center.

🎳 Things to do

🧛 Costume Parade Storytime: Kids 5 and under can show off their Halloween costumes and take in some not-so-scary stories. ⏰ Wednesday, Oct. 28, 10:30 a.m. 💵 Free 📍 Elkins Park Free Library

🎃 Trunk-or-Treat: This family-friendly event is back for its second year, featuring sweet treats and spooky-season fun. ⏰ Thursday, Oct. 29, 6-7:30 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Glenside Free Library

🎥 The Blair Witch Project: Following a showing of the hit 1999 horror film, the actors who played the three main characters will take the stage to share behind-the-scenes stories and answer audience questions. ⏰ Thursday, Oct. 29, 8 p.m. 💵 $53.56-$98.44 📍 Keswick Theatre

👻 Halloween with Reality Check Experiment: Jam out to live music and compete for cash prizes in a costume contest. ⏰ Saturday, Oct. 31, 7-10 p.m. 💵 $10 📍 The Royal

🏡 On the market

This colonial in Elkins Park was originally built in 1930 before undergoing a complete renovation in 2009. It features an open-plan living and dining area, a double-sided gas fireplace, and a full basement. There are three bedrooms and one bathroom. Outside space includes a patio and a backyard.

See more photos of the property here.

Price: $379,000 | Size: 1,056 SF | Acreage: 0.07

🗞️ What other Greater Abington residents are reading this week:

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