The new school year may be a few weeks away, but you wouldn’t know it to drive by the Malberg Administration Building. On a mid-August day, the parking lot was almost entirely full as teachers, administrators and an array of other staff bustled about the halls readying themselves for the school year ahead.
Kindergarten:
On Wednesday, Sept. 3, the Cherry Hill School District will welcome its students back. For the younger demographic, this year marks a new chapter for both the district and kindergarteners alike as the district rolls out its full-day kindergarten program.
Superintendent Joseph Meloche said the full-day kindergarten program was 20 years in the making. He said a district-wide curriculum committee met to talk about how it would transition from a half-day to a full-day program. The district hired 18 additional certificated staff to accommodate the program’s needs.
“It was more than just taking a half-day program and stretching it out over of the course of a day,” Meloche said. “We’ve been very purposeful in looking at curriculum.”
Meloche said the program is one of the biggest changes the township has seen in decades, and he’s excited to see what impact this will have on students down the line.
Security:
Security is a constant conversation within the school district, according to Meloche. Cherry Hill is currently the only pre-K to 12 district in the state with its own armed campus police force. The 2019-2020 school year marks the second year the district will have this full complement of officers protecting the grounds.
Meloche said the buildings are safe, and all of the data they’ve collected underscores that fact. Nevertheless, they’re always looking at ways they could make their students safer. Last year, they introduced electronic card access for staff at both high schools and installed security cameras inside and outside of the buildings. Both East and West will have security vestibules installed over the course of the upcoming school year.
In the fall, members of the Department of Education will pay a visit to observe some of the district’s drills. Meloche said they’re also looking to host a community forum in the fall where community members can have open conversations about the district’s state of security.
“Safety and security are always on the top of people’s minds – as it should be,” Meloche said.
The district is also looking to start a district-wide safety and security committee. Meloche said the board will be discussing the committee more this month with the hope of having something ready to launch sometime in September.
21st Century Education:
The district is entering the third year of revised technology plans. Two summers ago, they purchased electronic devices for all certificated staff members. The reasoning was twofold: The first being that Cherry Hill needs to be preparing students for the world of 2019 and what the demands of the work place look like in the modern age. The second being that there’s a certain level of sustainability that came with cutting down on paper.
Last spring and going into this fall, the district purchased interactive flat panels for the lower elementary levels. The panels are similar to a smart board, but they have wheels and can be adjusted higher or lower.
Meloche said the 21st century learner is no longer stagnant and stuck in straight rows of desks. The boards can be moved around and adjusted to a child’s height, so that they’re able to interact with it. Additionally, the district recently purchased desks on wheels, so that students can move around throughout the day and reconfigure the space depending on the activity.
At the high school level, the libraries have virtual reality goggles, which have seen a variety of applications, such as taking virtual field trips.
In further efforts to cut down on paper, the district is also taking its beginning of the year paperwork online in a move it hopes will be easier for parents with multiple children in the district. Parents without an electronic device will still receive the paper versions.
Referendum:
Following the defeated referendum in December 2018, the district formed an ad hoc committee consisting of three board members and a variety of community volunteers. The committee met last winter and spring to discuss its goals for the next referendum and present the board with a recommendation for the next steps.
At the end of May, the committee presented the board with recommendations. Now, the district has to decide on a time frame with which to move forward.
“We absolutely need a referendum; a referendum is going to have to take place in Cherry Hill based on the needs of the facilities,” Meloche said. “What needs to be included in that is what we need to narrow down and focus on.”
Melcohe said forming a safety and security committee and an alternative funding committee were two of the referendum committee’s recommendations. Meloche said they’re working on getting both of those going this fall, and he expects those committees will continue to meet and do important work even after a referendum takes place.
Get informed:
Above all else, the district wants the community to get accurate information. Meloche said if people have questions, they should reach out and contact CHPS staff. He said parents can get more information on the district’s website at www.chclc.org or by downloading the Cherry Hill Public Schools app. The app is available on the iTunes App Store and on Google Play.
“We want people to be involved in the school district, and we want people to be appropriately informed about what’s going on,” Meloche said.
