As the township grows, so does its student population. Most concerning is the expected increase in enrollment at the district’s 12 elementary schools.
The issue became apparent after a March 2024 demographic study that identified five elementary schools at risk of overcrowding by the 2028-’29 school year: Clara Barton, Joyce Kilmer, Richard Stockton, Horace Mann and Woodcrest.
To begin addressing that, the district recently held three community discussions on what is called elementary enrollment balancing, and elicited input from parents and the community. The sessions were held at Cherry Hill East and West; the third was virtual.
Superintendent Dr. Kwame Morton took part in the virtual panel discussion, as did several members of the school board and the district’s director of secondary education, Dr. Neil Burti.
“So the true effort, or true work,” said Morton, “really has to do with us ensuring that we’re ready for the future, while also maintaining high quality of experience for students and high quality of education.”
The demographic study assumed all classes would be at full capacity of 22 to 26 students, though many of them – especially special-education classes – have significantly lower capacity caps, meaning the overcrowding would be more significant than expected.
Geographic considerations – along with maximizing transportation efficiency – will be major considerations in any long-term solution to balance enrollment, according to the district.
“We are absolutely considering the impact on students and families,” assured Morton, “and ultimately, our goal is to minimize disruptions to any of our students and any of our families, while also addressing the present needs that we have and the future needs that we have.”
No decisions were made during the three meetings, but possible solutions discussed included converting the Lewis Administration Building into another elementary school, grouping schools by proximity and revising school boundaries.
Concerns were also raised by parents of multiple children who have one student already in an elementary school and would like the district to ensure siblings can remain together.
“Our goal to the end of this process is to try to create a plan that disrupts the district as little as possible,” noted board of education president Gina Winters.
Further discussions are expected – including sessions for the public – but dates have yet to be planned.
