The Deptford Township School District has revealed what it will focus on in the new year, and one of its major concerns will be school safety and security.
“Safety is our number-one priority,” said Board President Joe McKenna.
A number of new projects will coincide with that objective. The district plans to install new state-of-the-art cameras with upgraded and updated servers at the high school, which will also get security vestibules, as will the township’s elementary schools: Good Intent, Shady Lane, Lake Tract and Oak Valley. Lake Tract, Shady Lane and Pine Acres Early Childhood Center will also get new and secure outer doors.
“It’s important to us to make sure that all of our students and staff are safe,” said Superintendent Kevin Kanauss. “So we developed goals and a plan heading into next school year to tackle a lot of the security features that we want to keep everybody safe.”
New standards will be made to the district’s curriculum on English/Language Arts (ELA) that are expected to go into effect next fall.
“We’re aligning curriculum and district programs and student resources to the new ELA and mathematics standards to be implemented by the New Jersey Department of Education in September of 2024,” noted Kanauss.
The schools will also see major renovations in the coming year, including continued upgrades at the high-school auditorium to replace seats and abate asbestos in its floor. Much of the auditorium remains the same as it was when the high school opened in 1957.
The middle school – formerly known as Monongahela Middle – will also see its gymnasium upgraded with new bleachers, wall padding and a new drop screen.
“This year, we are also beginning the paving and new bus loop projects at Lake Tract, the high school and Good Intent and the new paving of parking lots and recess blacktops at Pine Acres and Oak Valley,” Kanauss said.
Projects will be paid for with funds remaining from both the current and next school year budgets.
