By DAN SOKIL

FRANCONIA — The Souderton Area School District will soon be appointing a Right to Know Officer, thanks to a state law that takes effect at the start of 2009.

"The governor and state Legislature passed a Right to Know law that will take effect on Jan. 1 of 2009, and all public agencies, including school districts, will be required to comply with the new law," said school board member Victor Verbeke.

The new Right to Know officer will be required by law to fulfill four functions, said Verbeke:

- To receive Right to Know requests submitted to the district.

- To direct those requests to appropriate people within the district.

- Track the district's progress in responding to those requests.

- Issue responses, both interim and final, to those requests.

"We could be here all night if we go through all of the new policies," said Frank Gallagher, district director of pupil services/ special services.

Some of those duties would also include creating a Right to Know request form, updating the district Web site with regard to policy and procedures, and fielding and monitoring those requests, Gallagher said.

"We do a lot of these things now, so we're in really good shape," he said. "It's really somewhat procedural, but we believe we're ready to move forward. This is the first reading, and we'll go from there," he said.

A formal approval of the policy, and appointment of the new Right to Know officer, is expected at the school board's Dec. 18 meeting.