Collingswood School Board Member Addresses Rumors Regarding Budget Cuts To Its Schools

COLLINGSWOOD, NJ — The “rumors” regarding cuts to Collingswood Public High School’s arts, music and world culture programs have no truth to them, the Collingswood School Board President said at a special meeting of the school board Thursday night.

"We can tell you as a board that no such proposals have been given to us, nor would they because that would be contrary to the goals set out by [Superintendent Dr. Frederick] McDowell, the district and the board."

Other recent meetings have made it obvious that “a significant breakdown in the budget process" occurred this year, Regan Kaiden, Collingswood School Board President, said during the meeting.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and a new school budget-making process bore at least some of the blame, according to Kaiden.

The pandemic spurred funding needs in areas like increased mental health funding, school security and infrastructure development, she continued. The school board addressed these as best they could, she said.

No formal presentation of the district's proposed $47,004,338 budget for the 2022-2023 school year was made at Thursday night’s meeting. The major purpose of the meeting was to ensure that the school district’s proposed spending plan is sent onto the county and state by March 21 – the date it is required to do so - Kaden continued.

"Under normal circumstances, this would occur during a regularly scheduled board meeting," Kaiden said. "However, as many of you already know, due to the delay in Governor Murphy's address on the budget, and the timeline for submission, a special meeting needed to occur."

Residents of the Collingswood Public School District and other stakeholders can still provide feedback and comments about the school district’s proposed spending plan, she said. These commenting and feedback opportunities will occur at the school board meeting on March 28 and during McDowell’s "comprehensive overview" of the budget on April 25, Kaiden said.

Parents concerned about the funding their school is slated to receive should contact the principal of their child's school with comments, Kaden said, as the principals are parents’ "best resources for finding decisions and answers" regarding a specific school’s budget. at the school level.

“It is vitally important” that school district stakeholders “feel included and informed” in the school budget-making process, Kaiden said.

Any feedback received on the proposed spending plan for the 2022-2023 school year after Thursday night’s vote will be forwarded to the county and state, according to Beth Ann Coleman, Collingswood Public Schools’ Assistant Superintendent for Business and Operations.

Coleman, citing her past experiences with school budgets, added she was almost certain the state would OK any such additions, changes or deletions received after Thursday night’s vote.

"There are certain things the state is looking for," she said. "They're looking at compliance, they're looking at our health care clause, they are looking at all overall administrative costs. We run a preschool, so they want to make sure our preschool is in line with what we were approved for, for the preschool."

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