The Haddonfield Board of Education gave a presentation on its 2015–2016 tentative school budget and approved it to be sent to the county for its approval on Thursday, March 20. The average Haddonfield homeowner, with a home assessed at $484,226, would pay an additional $144.03 per year in school taxes if the school district’s preliminary budget is passed.
“One of the things I would like to emphasize is every year when we go through this budget process, a few years ago there was legislation to limit the tax levy increases to 2 percent. If you look at all the increases within a budget, from salaries to benefits to capital needs, all of that rises above 2 percent; so it is really difficult to fit everything in and keep everything going, and then add to our advanced curricular programs as we go. But we managed to do that this year by once again being very creative, and I would like to thank the finance committee and everyone involved in this process,” superintendent Richard Perry said.
The proposed budget is at $36.6 million, which is a 5 percent increase from last year. The tax levy for the 2015–2016 year will increase by 1.96 percent, which is slightly less than the 2 percent cap the school districts are allowed to increase taxes by annually. This amount is added to meet the needs of the budget.
The district is also using $1.44 million from capital reserves for district-wide needs. These needs include patches on roofs, masonry and foundations, all the things that will keep the buildings upright.
The health benefits are expected to increase about 11.3 percent from last year. However, the state aid total was $1.28 million, which is no increase from last year.
Additions to the 2015–2016 school budget include a full-time HMHS computer science/math teacher and making a part-time HMHS American Sign Language teacher and a part-time HMHS art teacher full-time. These were added to meet the needs of students who asked for such programs to be added as well as to meet the needs of the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) initiatives. No cuts of teachers or programs were made.
A copy of the budget presentation given on March 19 can be found at the Haddonfield Public Schools district website at www.haddonfield.k12.nj.us.
In other news:
• Susan Kutner was chosen and sworn in as the newest board member to the Board of Education. She is replacing Andrew Berlin, who had to leave the board due to work obligations.
• The board held its public hearing with respect to refunding a bond ordinance. For the ordinance, bonds that are more than 10 years old are being refnded because of the low rates on bonds right now. The school district expects the bonds to save more than $400,000 over the lifetime of the bonds.
• Commendations were given to elementary school students who were the New Jersey State PTA Reflections Winners. Emma Lucille Cheatham of Central Elementary School received Outstanding Interpretation in Visual Arts; Lily Anne Cheatham of Central Elementary School received the Award of Merit in Music; Lucy Fricke of Tatem Elementary School received Honorable Mention in Visual Arts; and Raffaele Rogers of Elizabeth Haddonfield Elementary School in Outstanding Interpretation in Music.
• The Haddonfield Educational Trust donated $20,000 to Central School for its playground that was recently built. Students came to read and give members letters of thanks.
• The next Board of Education meeting is April 16 at 7 p.m. at the Haddonfield Memorial High School Library.
