Boost in State Aid Will Restore Teaching Positions

With a stroke of Gov. Chris Christie's budget address pen, the got an and ultimately the that were previously on the chopping block.

"When we presented the first budget on January 28 it included cutting two positions," Superintendent Dr. Tova Ben Dov said. This enables us to restore one full-time position [a discovery room teacher] and in addition allows us to restore a part-time gifted and talented position."

The part-time Gifted and Talented position's hours are not yet set but could potentially be run three times a week or a few hours each day. According to Ben Dov, the plan is to still have specific science enrichment and utilizing the literacy coach for language arts enrichment in coordination with the gifted and talented position.

The newly proposed $14.681,901 budget also includes setting aside $21,213 for technology equipment and an additional $65,000 on top of the previously suggested $10,000 to be contributed to the district's capital reserve account. With the extra funding to be set aside to capital reserve, it would bring the district in a better place within the next few years to replace the roofing at the front entrance to or along the rear between the library and 2001 addition.

"The roofing over the front of is estimated at $210,000 to replace," Board Administrator Debbie Trainor said. "That roof realistically would need to be done within the next five years. By putting the $75,000 into capital reserve now, it could be used to offset the amount needed in the 2013-14 budget.

"Also the back wing between the new library and 2001 addition would need to be addressed with an estimated cost of $150,000," Trainor continued. "From my point of view, this is a wonderful opportunity to make a significant deposit into the capital reserve account. State aid is slowly making its way back to us and now is the time to start making up so that there is a decent amount in capital reserve. Large maintenance projects do not fit under the 2% cap."

The district's capital reserve can only be used for those items that are included in the district's five-year plan of capital projects to improve each of the school buildings.

With $424,631 in state aid for the 2012-13 school year the tax levy would be $13,243,350 for a $68 increase on the average household of $436,000.

According to Trainor, since the January budget presentation the district's tuition rates for Building Bridges and the integrated pre-school classes also increased. Building Bridges is expected to bring in an additional $17,020 in revenue for a total of $464,724 while the integrated pre-school is set for $36,360 in revenue, an increase of $5,175.

Not included in the introduced budget are several Buildings and Grounds projects including repainting the and school gymnasiums, replacement of classroom doors and fencing, new carpeting in four classrooms, replacing a gutter at the rear of , three exterior door replacements, electrical outlet repairs and new outdoor lighting at Roosevelt.

A full public hearing on the budget is currently scheduled for March 28 at Cherry Hill School, 7:30pm.