Administrator Michael Catalano led the Haddonfield board of education in an overview of the year’s tentative budget during a March 24 meeting.
The financial plan will be submitted for approval by the county superintendent and be returned to the board for a public hearing and approval on April 28.
The year’s operating budget shows a 1.13-percent increase – or an increase of $484,464 – bringing its total to $43,501,975. The tax levy would be hiked by 2 percent, meaning the tax rate is up 1.27 percent. For the average assessed home of $516,913, the increase would be about $115.
The tentative budget also shows that most of the funds go to general education (48 percent), special education (18 percent, and facilities (14 percent.)
The plan’s additions include an in-house behaviorist; technology expansion, such as Chromebook replacement; a scoreboard update for the district stadium; and a new math program. The budget will draw on capital reserve and maintenance reserve funds, to help pay for capital maintenance projects.
Superintendent Chuck Klaus announced during his report a tentative schedule for student and staff charrettes (or workshops) in Long Range Facility Planning. The goal is for roughly 50 students drawn randomly to meet with representatives of the Voorhees architectural firm LAN Associates to discuss what schools might look like in the future.
“They’re going to sit and talk about what we need, what we think we need, what we wish we have,” Klaus said. “ …Right now, nothing is off the table. That’s why we want to make sure we hear from everyone. “
Klaus announced presentations on ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) and a math update will happen at the board’s April 14 meeting. There will also be a presentation on the budget and continued discussions on a new calendar.
In other news:
- The board recognized 2022 National German Exam winners
- Middle-school student Abigail Frey was recognized for her service project, “Yarn Hope,” which raised $3,000 to buy 200 to 300 balls of yarn and other material to help children in the Nemours Dupont Children’s Hospital in Delaware learn how to knit and crochet. The effort is meant to ease anxiety and depression. In the future, Frey hopes to expand at help kids at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia as well.
The next board of education meeting will be April 28 at 7 p.m., in the Haddonfield Memorial High School library. It will also be broadcast via YouTube.
