School Superintendent Chuck Klaus has recommended the creation of a new Student Life committee that would look at issues previously discussed by the board of education, including students’ sense of belonging and the climate in schools.
“If we’re looking at goals of belonging, how do we know how that’s happening?” Klaus asked at a board meeting earlier this month. “(Having a student life committee) will go a long way to inform the board and community about what’s actually happening.”
Klaus noted the Haddonfield district would begin discussions for a new strategic plan starting in January or February. He predicted the process would take four to six months and would include developing goals and refocusing on what the district does and why.
During his report, Assistant Superintendent Gino Priolo said the district would again participate in the governor’s Teacher of the Year program and will accept nominations internally as well as from the community over the next month. Submission deadline is sometime in November.
Priolo also explained that the curriculum review process was reorganized over the summer and a presentation on that will be given at next month’s board meeting.
In action items, the board pulled policies relating to the staff dress code to further discuss a rule that prohibits T-shirts with writing, images or advertising brands and even logos that support the district or borough.
The board also formally approved curriculum updates to Health and Physical Education for grades two, five, eight and 11 and the Bias Crimes and Bias-Related Acts policy that requires the district to report such offenses to law enforcement – regardless of a student’s age or the context – in compliance with state law.
Though the policy was passed and the district will comply with it, there are reservations, including concerns that reporting on every bias-related act on or off campus will unnecessarily involve law enforcement in daily operations.
“Research has demonstrated that students who have contact with the juvenile justice system – including a single arrest – are at increased risk of dropping out of school and having further involvement with the juvenile and adult criminal justice system,” the board noted in the policy.
During the hour-long public comment section, many parents cited pros and cons of the updated health curriculum and several members of the equity council came forward to share its positive aspects.
Eva Jacovini, a senior at Haddonfield Memorial High School, offered a student perspective on the sex-ed curriculum.
“What a lot of people don’t understand is that they say, ‘Oh, it should be up to the parents.’ But what if your parents don’t want to teach you those kinds of things?” she asked, speaking from personal experience. “ … If you’re not learning from your parents and you’re not learning from your school, then you’re learning from the internet, and I think that becomes dangerous for kids.
“ … I feel like it’s important to hear from the students sometimes,” Jacovini added, “because we’re the ones that everyone’s arguing about, but no students are partaking in any of this besides the board of ed reps and some random students that are thrown in there.”
The next board meeting will be on Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. at the Haddonfield Memorial High School library.
