Moorestown BOE Expected to Shut Down Community School

After losing money on the Community School four years in a row, the Moorestown Board of Education is expected to shut the program down after the summer.

Business administrator Lynn Shugars said the Community School—a program for all ages offering a variety of classes (cooking, yoga, dancing) and athletics—was originally intended to be a break-even proposition. The district spends roughly $60,000 a year to run the program, but up until recently had been making its money back through enrollment.

However, starting in the 2008-'09 school year, the district found itself in the red. That year, they lost $3,000. The following year, the program lost $6,500 and another $6,300 in 2010-'11. This year, the district has so far lost $9,300, according to Shugars.

“We’ve seen a decline in enrollment the last few years,” she said. “There just doesn’t seem to be the interest in it we once saw.”

She suggested the expansion of offerings from the and their popularity with township residents could have affected the Community School’s enrollment.

After a recommendation from Shugars at its April 23 meeting, the board’s budget and finance subcommittee decided it would be in the district’s best interest to shut the program down, she said. The recommendation has not been voted on yet by the full board, but it could come up at their next meeting on May 22.

The spring sessions already in session will continue and Shugars said a couple summer programs for students will still be offered this year, but that will likely be it. She said the district is also exploring ways to preserve certain other popular programs.

The board of education will hold its next meeting at 7:30 p.m. May 22 at .