According to Mt. Laurel Superintendent of Schools Dr. Antoinette Rath, all is well in the township’s school system.
She delivered her state of the district presentation at the last Mt. Laurel Board of Education meeting.
Rath showed how the district is faring in several areas, from instruction to facilities.
“Our district is in great shape,” she said, noting the district is meeting goals and objectives previously set.
“We really are working together with the support of the community, a committed staff, a great board of education,” Rath said. “We honestly have redefined thinking outside of the box to create some wonderful educational opportunities for all of Mt. Laurel’s students.”
Superintendent in the district since 2002, she said the biggest change has been the increase in state involvement.
“In a matter of a year, year and a half, all public schools have been faced with obstacles,” Rath said, indicating things such as health-benefits reform, pension reform, the 2 percent cap on budgets, a superintendents’ salary cap, curriculum reform, teacher evaluation reform and principal evaluation reform.
“All of these issues are being handled by every public school,” she said. “Along with all of those changes, we still manage to meet and work toward our goals of implementing a quality educational program for all kids, that includes curriculum, instruction, professional development and fiscal responsibility.”
Rath was happy the board appeared to be complimentary and that her presentation was well received.
“I believe that our board of education and our community at large is entitled to know the rate of return on their investment in our schools and having a report that outlines the district’s goals and how those goals are progressing is part of that rate of return,” she said.
“I think our greatest challenge is to, on a broad basis, come together as a community,” Rath said, noting that, as a state, the role of the public school needs to be better defined.
“Our mission in Mt. Laurel is to prepare all children to be successful citizens and workers in the 21st century,” she said. “Meeting the needs of the whole child and doing such with some shifts in the state’s direction.
“I am extremely proud at the accomplishments of our students. On a day-in, day-out basis, what our students can demonstrate in terms of their discovery process, in terms of their ability to collaborate with others, in terms of their ability to solve problems, and to write and to read and to compute is just astounding to me.”
The superintendent also praised the high quality staff and administrators as well as dedicated parents in the district.
“Our board of education stands behind the vision of this district,” Rath said.
