Also, at the latest BOE meeting, the board passed a resolution to implement the Envision Math 2.0 Common Core for middle school grades.
At its latest meeting, the Voorhees Township Public Schools Board of Education presented the district’s tentative budget for the 2018–2019 school year.
The budget has increased 0.75 percent with a general fund increase of 1.6 percent. The total budget is $55,420,753 with an operating budget of $53,502,497. The tax levy is $46,570,527. Grants and entitlements amount to $847,256. Debt service amounts to $1,017,000.
The tentative budget projects an annual increase of $59.40, or $4.95 per month, for the average township house accessed at $258,801.
Some 62.5 percent of the tentative budget will go toward regular and special education, instruction and school services, including salaries and supplies.
Another 22.8 percent will go toward employee benefits, 9.3 percent will go toward operation and maintenance, 4.8 percent will go toward insurance, administration and technology. Finally, 0.6 percent will be dedicated to capital outlay, including equipment.
The board will be submitting all documents to the executive county superintendent of schools. Throughout April, the finance committee will make final recommendations before the board adopts the budget on May 2 when a public hearing will be held at 7:30 p.m. at the administration building.
The district will receive $5,792, 251 in state aid for the 2018–2019 school year. This is a 4.1 percent, or $229,317, increase over last year’s $5,562,934.
The board also approved the travel, registration and related expense reimbursement amount of $79,930 for the 2018–2019 budget.
Also in the tentative budget, a budget maximum of $33,550 was established for the dissemination of public information, as well as a maximum of $50,500 for auditing services and $70,000 for legal services.
The board approved a transfer of $691,000 from capital reserve to debt service for the 2018–2019 school year to offset principal and interest payments for approved bonded projects, which were included in the approved Long Range Facilities Plan.
In other news:
• The board approved a $126,929 purchase from capital funds to buy new video recorders in all five schools and additional cameras in the middle school, including $18,709.80 for ET Hamilton, $18,709.80 for ET Kresson, $18,709.80 for Osage, $18,709.80 for Signal Hill and $52,099.80 for VMS.
• The board also approved the purchase of new theater seats at VMS, which will be funded through the Community, Education and Recreation program. This will cost $195,267.49 for the purchase and installation of the new 902 seats and another $22,099 for the removal and disposal of the existing seats.
• Despite pushback from parents at the Feb. 28 meeting, the board passed a resolution to adopt the Envision Math 2.0 Common Core for six to eighth graders, including an Algebra I curriculum for the eighth grade. This curriculum will start in the 2018–2019 school year.
Last month, the board tabled the motion after several parents voiced concerns about the program, feeling it panders to the requirements of the controversial PARCC assessments that Gov. Murphy could eliminate as a requirement for graduation, which even further nullifies the program. Middle school educators, including math instructor Lisa Leaf and Principal Kris Calabria, presented a more detailed report of the program prior to the meeting.
• The Voorhees Township Public Schools app has received 1,142 downloads.
• Due to the recent accumulating snow days, the district has adjusted its June schedule. As of now, June 14 to 19 will all be full days. June 20 and 21 will be early dismissal days. The last day of school will be June 22, which will also be early dismissal.
