Speculation about whether Evans Elementary School will close due to budgetary concerns depends on whether you speak to Superintendent of Schools John Scavelli or Mayor Randy Brown.
“I call on the nine of you [board members] tonight to take that off the table for good and under no circumstances are we closing Evans,” Brown said, which was met with enthusiastic applause by residents who attended last week’s meeting. “I ask you, tell the residents that closing Evans or any school is off the table. The nine of you who are elected and the four of you who are on a ballot Nov. 5, if I were you, I would tell the residents exactly what the plan is with the school.”
President of the school board Sandy Student emphasized the matter is not an agenda item, is not a recommendation and no decision has been made about the school.
“It is simply a discussion item and we’re exploring opportunities,” Student said.
Evans was put on the table as dialogue in 2011 due to a budget shortfall.
The issues can be attributed to the 2 percent tax cap, dwindling state aid and a steadily declining enrollment, officials said.
According to Scavelli, the best way to generate revenue is through the tax levy.
“On the spending side, 82 percent goes toward staff,” Scavelli said, which includes salaries and benefits. “Next year we start with a $2 million obligation for just salary and benefits.”
According to Scavelli, approximately $1 million of that money can be raised through taxes with the cap.
“We have a fundamental problem every year, which has been true last year, next year and the following year,” Scavelli said. “The tax levy cap is here, and unless that law is changed, we have to deal with it every single year. This is our particular problem on the scope we’re talking about.”
Currently, the school district is working on the strategic planning process, goals 2017.
“The strategic plan was finalized last year and many of the objectives, there are 23 objectives, that have been implemented during the current school year,” Scavelli said. “One of the objectives calls for the school district to form a committee to study the issue of declining enrollment and examine possible strategies to address the situation.”
A survey will be released in November for the community, which will provide information to the district for the next several years, Scavelli said.
The committee is currently examining a few possibilities, elementary school consolidation, closing one of the elementary schools and participation in the Interdistrict Public School Choice Program, Scavelli said.
According to Student, selling multiple properties owned by the district, including the building on Maple Avenue, is also being considered.
As far as enrollment is concerned, it’s been steadily declining for the last decade.
According to Scavelli, the district hit its peak enrollment during the 2002–2003 school year. A third-party professional firm conducted a demographic study in 2011, which was updated in 2012 and will be updated annually to predict enrollment numbers.
“Since that time, student enrollment has steadily decreased. The overall drop in the number of students attending our schools today is 741 less than what it was more than 10 years ago,” Scavelli said. “The reason for this decline is simply due to the fact that there are less children being born in the community than in the past.”
The firm takes Evesham Township birth data from the state Department of Health as well as historical student enrollment trends into consideration.
Brown contested the notion there are fewer people in Evesham.
“Look around, it’s hard to find a ‘for sale’ sign anywhere,” Brown said. “As I sit here today, 333 new building plans have been issued, including townhomes being built between now and 2017.”
“The change in demographics is part of what’s contributing to this problem,” Student said. “Millennials are getting married later in life and not having children, I think that’s part of it, which is part of a trend.”
The total decline in enrollment by 2017–2018 would be 1,010 students, Scavelli said.
“We’re growing steadily as a town,” Brown said. “We’re selling houses and there are very few vacancies. If you look, it’s $2,000 a month to rent a home on Main Street. We can’t have the slightest chance of closing the school.”
Twenty-five members of the public addressed the board during comment.
Those who spoke expressed closing the school is a $1.1 million temporary solution and not a permanent fix for the district.
“Where are you going to get your costumes? At the dead shopping centers with the Halloween store,” resident Marshall Ogen said. “Don’t make Evans that Halloween store.”
• The next board of education meeting is scheduled for Nov. 21 at 7 p.m. at the municipal building.
