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Residents press Cheltenham SD on blight, hazing and Cedarbrook addition timeline during public comment
Summary
Public commenters asked the district about partnering with the township on blight and sidewalk maintenance, remedial actions after a reported hazing incident, and whether the Cedarbrook addition remains on track; district leaders offered email follow-ups and said the addition’s timeline is still active though aggressive.
Residents used the facilities committee’s public-comment period on Feb. 8 to press the district on community maintenance, student misconduct and an upcoming construction project.
Cheltenham resident Derek Hatchmar asked whether the district and township plan to partner on a blight initiative to address poorly maintained sidewalks and public spaces. He also raised concerns about remedial actions in a reported hazing incident and questioned the prioritization of bleacher work while, he said, the district’s educational ratings decline.
Superintendent Dr. Scriven invited Hatchmar to email his questions and offered a one-on-one meeting to follow up; Dr. Thomas also said he would drop both email addresses into the meeting chat so commenters could reach district officials directly.
Devontina Adamson White, a sixth-grade teacher at Cedarbrook East, asked whether the Cedarbrook addition remains on target for the 2027–28 school year and whether there are concerns that could delay the project. A district presenter replied that the timeline remains the same but cautioned the schedule is aggressive and that construction has not yet begun.
The board did not take formal action on any of the public-comment items during the meeting; officials provided contact points for follow-up and encouraged commenters to send questions by email so staff could respond in detail.
Next steps identified in the meeting record include district staff following up individually with commenters who asked for more information and maintaining the Cedarbrook project schedule unless new constraints emerge.
