As the new year opens, the Medford school district will start with adjusting to new actions and plans for 2022.
Superintendent Dr. Joseph J. Del Rossi retired at the end of the year, and his replacement has yet to be named. But other roles in the district will undergo changes this year.
In terms of potential transitions, new housing developments in the Medford area will bring more student enrollment in the school district, so officials want to maximize all classroom space at schools. That may result in some shifting of future programs.
District Director of Programming and Planning Keira Scussa cited a new parent committee that first met in October. The Partnership for a Better Tomorrow was organized to inform parents of curriculum standards from the state level to the classroom and what is being taught to their children.
“This collaborative approach and hearing the voices of our parents is such a critical component to us all working together as a successful student community,” Scussa explained of the committee, which will meet again in mid-January and continue with sessions every other month.
At the high-school level, the Lenape Regional High School District has architects finalizing plans on projects from a recently passed bond referendum. According to Lenape Superintendent Carol L. Birnbohm, that work is expected to start by the end of this school year.
HVAC upgrades are expected to start in summer 2022 and could extend to the 2024-’25 school year. Electrical and plumbing upgrades will be timed to avoid disrupting students and will have the most immediate start dates.
