For the past two years, the Board of Education, borough officials, and residents have participated in numerous public meetings and discussions about the future of the 19.2-acre Bancroft property that is directly adjacent to our high school.
On Jan. 22, residents will have a voice on the future of the Bancroft site.
As a school district, we have listened, gained input, and met with many borough residents and stakeholders. As a result of this community dialogue, the district’s referendum includes a Vision for the Future for the entire community- opportunities to address not only future educational, athletic, and recreational needs, but also historical preservation, as well as open space.
This referendum will create opportunities to develop a community-based high school campus.
Currently, Haddonfield Memorial High School has the smallest per acre facility out of all the schools in the Colonial Conference.
As a Board of Education and school district leaders, we have a responsibility to plan for the future and we are concerned over both our high school and school district being land locked.
In addition, by obtaining this property, the school district will have an opportunity to explore in the future various educational curricula and programs, such as environmental science and biological based pedagogy.
Within the past couple of years, we have added curricular programs, expanded our instructional initiatives, and strengthened our partnership with Drexel University. For example, we implemented a Pre-Engineering program for our students in conjunction with Drexel University Engineering School.
We also allocated over two million dollars in capital projects with regard to the maintenance of our school buildings infrastructure needs, and expanded District technology initiatives including SMART Technology and iPads.
We have also allocated, with the aid of PTA’s, LCA (Lights, Camera, Action), and other community efforts, hundreds of thousands of dollars to renovate the high school auditorium and implement other 21st Century technology initiatives.
In addition, the Haddonfield Community Turf Field Committee raised over $600,000 to install a new turf football field at Haddonfield Memorial High School.
All of this was accomplished by the dedicated efforts of the Board of Education, administrators, teachers, parents and community members in a fiscal year where the school district had no tax levy increase.
To save taxpayers money, the District also increased its tuition revenue to almost $400,000 by way of its Alternative Revenue Tuition Program.
Through the proposed Bancroft bond referendum, the District and the Borough will be able to make use of $3.5 million of Green Acres and Open Space funding.
Because of these grants, the referendum proposal was reduced from $16.8 to $12.5 million.
We are at a crossroad, stewards in time, facing the same tough choices of those who came before us, as we are about to enter into the town’s 300th Anniversary.
On Tuesday, Jan. 22, Haddonfield residents will have a choice in regard to the district’s Bancroft bond referendum.
For more information, visit www.haddonfield.k12.nj.us.
Superintendent Dr. Richard Perry
