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Parents and teachers urge board to preserve interventionists, computer science and smaller classes after budget presentation
Summary
During the budget hearing dozens of parents, teachers and students urged the board to preserve early‑literacy interventionists, elementary computer science and to avoid sizable class‑size increases that community members said would harm vulnerable learners.
A long line of parents, teachers and students at the Cherry Hill Board of Education's public hearing urged the board to restore or protect key classroom services threatened by the district's budget plan.
Several speakers appealed specifically for early‑literacy support. First‑grade reading support teacher Sandra Wilcox told the board that the Kilmer model reaches about 150 instructional slots and repeatedly trains educational assistants and teachers; she said the approach reduces special‑education placements and urged the board to preserve that role. "The educational assistants and I service approximately 150 instructional slots," Wilcox said, describing groups and daily pull‑in support.
Students and parents described how proposed class‑size increases and the potential loss of computer science teachers would affect learning, extracurricular pathways and college‑preparation opportunities. Hunter Cohen, a Bret Harte student, said losing his computer science teacher would be devastating and presented a petition with 235 signatures asking the board to "bring back computer science teachers, especially Miss Woods." High‑school juniors and club leaders said competitive clubs and AP offerings are vital for student development and worried cuts would erode long‑standing programs.
Multiple speakers also questioned specific budget choices such as courtesy busing, preschool expansion costs and transportation routing efficiency, asking whether rerouting and targeted service changes could preserve classroom roles. Parents and PTA leaders asked the board to provide clearer, school‑by‑school projections for how section counts and teacher allocations would change so communities can track the proposed impacts.
Administrators and the superintendent responded that the budget was designed to maintain core instructional programs, that special‑education services would be delivered in compliance with IEPs and that some Title I schools had been shifted to schoolwide models to extend benefits across whole buildings. Dr. Morton also said administrators would monitor sections and finalize assignments over the summer.
Speakers urged continuing advocacy to state lawmakers on the funding formula and encouraged neighbors to join organized fair‑funding actions.
