Superintendent reports enrollment high, construction challenges and new programs at Haddon Township schools

The Superintendent of the Haddon Township School District told the board the district has 2,134 students enrolled for September and reported several operational updates, including construction-related openings, transportation changes and upcoming programming.

The superintendent said enrollment is at 2,134 students and that the district’s kindergarten class contains 174 new students. “We are at 2,134 students,” the superintendent said. The superintendent added that many kindergarten families are new to Haddon Township and that the numbers signal “a healthy, strong number” for the district.

The superintendent described construction work at the district’s middle school and high school complex and said the district received a temporary certificate of occupancy about 24 hours before opening, which allowed staff to begin the school year. “We opened kind of by the skin of our teeth, and we received a temporary certificate of occupancy just 24 hours before we were through the open,” the superintendent said. The superintendent credited teachers’ and staff resilience in readying classrooms on short notice.

Board members were told the district has made changes to improve student drop-off and pick-up. The superintendent said the drop-off and bus area at the meeting school was redesigned to reduce safety concerns and that parents adapted quickly to the new routine.

The superintendent previewed curriculum and extracurricular items coming this fall: the district’s middle-school morning music program will begin this week and fourth-grade instrumental lessons will start in the next few days. The superintendent said a district administrator will present in October on middle-school progress and noted data showing “a significant drop in disciplinary occurrences at the middle school” since last spring and recent test-score gains on state assessments.

The superintendent also announced that the Jewish Community Relations Council is sponsoring a World War II cattle-car exhibit for students and community members during the week of Oct. 6–10, with a likely rescheduling of Oct. 10; the superintendent said the exhibit typically costs $5,000–$6,000 but is being provided to the district free of charge. The exhibit will be available to high school seniors and, after 2:30 p.m., available to teachers and community members; the superintendent said some middle-school students may attend during the school day.

The superintendent said the district will resume presentations from administrators to the board in future meetings: special education programs, including the district’s “advanced scribe” offering, will be presented in November, and middle-school staff will be acknowledged for progress in October.

The superintendent called attention to a recent improvement in transportation logistics and thanked the transportation coordinator and staff for their work. The superintendent also noted upcoming observances and events, including a Rosh Hashanah day off and a school board convention in about a month.

Board chair Kara led the meeting as the superintendent reported; no formal actions were taken during the superintendent’s report segment.