Principal highlights Vans Skyver Elementary's special-education integration and planned safety redesign

Dr. Don Palano, principal of Vans Skyver Elementary School, told the Haddon Township School District board that Vans Skyver serves about 350 students, includes early preschool placements for three-year-old students with special needs, and has a substantial special-education population (about 30% of students receive special-education services). Palano described the school's staffing (about 75 teachers and more than 35 paraprofessionals) and instructional priorities such as small-group math, structured guided reading, and common planning time for teachers.

Palano said the school uses a range of inclusion models—co-teaching in general classrooms, self-contained classrooms, and pullout resource rooms—to meet individual education-plan requirements. He noted the complexity of scheduling and praised a teacher-led committee called TEAM (Together Everyone Achieves More) for supporting special-education inclusion.

On facilities, Palano described a bond-referendum project planned for Vans Skyver that will redesign the front of the building to widen access roads and create a more organized traffic pattern for arrival and dismissal, aiming to improve safety with buses, cars, and pedestrians sharing a confined space. He said officials aim to complete the work over the summer and open school with the new arrival/dismissal procedures.

The superintendent earlier praised the district's work during a CQAC state monitoring visit, saying county monitors were "very complimentary" about staffing and programs; Palano and the board also recognized arts and athletics achievements and a fundraising event that raised about $6,600 to support the arts program.

Students Belle (an eighth grader) and Fen Jackson (an eighth grader) gave a joint report on recent student activities, describing Wellness Week, a guest speaker who discussed recovery, a phone-free Friday, a Holocaust assembly, a track meeting that drew about 106 students, a Down-syndrome awareness "rock socks" event, and fundraising that surpassed its $5,000 goal (they reported about $8,000 raised). Belle and Fen also summarized plans for student-council efforts to reduce isolation during lunch, and upcoming school events.

Palano closed his remarks by describing the school culture and a hallway sign that reads, "Work hard and be nice to people." Board members thanked Palano and praised the school's work.

Outcome and next steps: Board accepted the presentation; the administration will oversee the Vans Skyver redesign under the bond project schedule.