Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Without some stability in the ratable base, say school district leaders, a budget referendum may be necessary to fund necessary facilities improvements.
Although the $44 million West Deptford Township public school budget meets a lot of the district objectives while making necessary improvements in curriculum and resources for at-risk students, it's still off by some $1.9 million from what school officials sought initially. And that means that an estimated $3.5 million in capital projects will have to be delayed for future budgets from 2014 to 2017. Crossed off the list this year were two replacement fire alarm systems for Green-Fields and Oakview Elementary schools ($250,000 apiece) and a new gym floor for Green-Fields ($50,000). A slide from the budget presentation from Superintendent Kevin Kitchenman lists a number of other upcoming priorities, including a $731,250 replacement of …
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Despite a lot of cuts, the West Deptford Township School District maintained its most curriculum-intensive budget in history, according to Board President Christopher Strano.
Despite a 0.65 percent increase ($181,954), the final, approved West Deptford Township Public Schools budget still absorbed nearly $2 million in cuts from its preliminary form. On Monday, Superintendent Kevin Kitchenman told the public at the monthly meeting of the Board that although the final budget was pared down, there are still a number of important things for which it provides. Here are some highlights. At the high school level, some of the most expensive expenditures were one-offs, including new uniforms for 12 different sports teams and for the champion W.D.H.S. marching band. The new band unis will cost $47,000: a big price tag, but one that only comes once a decade, Kitchenman said. "That’s for 70 uniforms and they last 10 years…
Monday, March 25, 2013
The average household will pay about $123 more in school taxes this year, even under a budget that hews close to the bone, said Superintendent Kevin Kitchenman.
Had the ratable base in West Deptford not declined by some $188 million in 2012, the average household would have seen almost $60 savings in school taxes under the budget proposed by the Board of Education at its March meeting Monday. But that's not the case. Instead, taxpayers can expect a net increase of 6.01¢ per $100 of assessed property valuation this year. Based on the average assessed value of $207,966, that’s an average annual increase in costs of $123.03, or $10.25 per month. The district put forward possibly its most curriculum-intensive budget in history, said board President Christopher Strano—a necessity as the district works to bring its performance assessments in line with state expectations. “The school board does not want …
Monday, February 11, 2013
The West Deptford Board of Education recently approved a new three-year contract for the superintendent, along with an increase in salary.
Superintendent Kevin Kitchenman will remain in the West Deptford School District through 2016 after the school board approved a new three-year contract. The new contract, which will become official once it is signed by Kitchenman, will take effect on July 1. It includes an increase in salary for the superintendent. In Kitchenman's previous contract, his salary was $142,100 in 2011-12 and $144,942 in 2012-13. In his new deal, Kitchenman's salary will increase to $149,290 in the 2013-14 school year. Kitchenman's salary will bump up to $153,020 in 2014-15 and $156,082 in 2015-16, according to the agreement approved Jan. 28. The schedule may be adjusted in the future, but any adjustments must be approved by the executive county superintendent…
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Superintendent Kevin Kitchenman says the school district likely will reach its goal of dropping harassment, intimidation and bullying reports by 37 percent.
With the monthly harassment, bullying and intimidation (HIB) reports remaining consistently low, West Deptford Superintendent Kevin Kitchenman expects the district to have no trouble reaching its goal this year. At Monday night’s school board meeting, Kitchenman cited only four cases for the month. Of those four, only one was found to be a violation of policy. Kitchenman attributed the lower number of cases to better bully education for students and programs, such as Ryan’s Story and the presentation by Reggie Dabbs. In addition, Kitchenman said school counselors are regularly meeting with classes to educate and inform students. “Our students have a better understanding of how to treat each other,” said Kitchenman. “They’re being kinder to…
39.828933
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West Deptford Township Public Schools
675 Grove Rd, West Deptford, NJ
/articles/with-bullying-incidents-down-school-district-goal-looks-promising
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Thursday, January 10, 2013
A new state mandated formula promises a clearer overall picture of New Jersey's true graduation rate, but caused a decline at many school districts, including West Deptford.
Out of 14 high schools in Gloucester County, West Deptford falls close to the bottom for the Class of 2012’s graduation rate, state data shows. West Deptford had an 84.86 percent graduation rate for 2012, putting it 10th in the county, whose high schools ranged from graduation rates of 96.3 percent (Gloucester County Institute of Technology) to 72.07 percent (Paulsboro High School). Superintendent Kevin Kitchenman called the numbers “a concern” and unusually high, but also wants residents to understand how the graduation rate is calculated. West Deptford’s graduation rate is down in recent years, and part of that decrease comes from a new state formula. The formula provides a clearer picture of New Jersey’s graduation rate overall, but can…
Saturday, November 3, 2012
West Deptford students will keep their full week off Nov. 5-9.
Despite the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) canceling its annual teachers’ convention, West Deptford schools will remain shuttered Nov. 8-9. Some school districts are opting to make up days missed by Hurricane Sandy on those days to avoid tacking on time at the end of the school year. “While we gave serious consideration to having school for our students on those two days, it was not possible due to the fact that our transportation contractor wasn’t able to provide us with enough drivers to cover our routes,” Superintendent Kevin Kitchenman said in a message to parents. The decision gives West Deptford students an entire week off this coming week, which was planned. The week is marked off as in-service days for staff. “Our teachers…
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
New figures for 2012-13 school year reveal a decrease at the middle school level and slight increases at for the elementary and high schools.
There's a little more elbow room in the hallways of West Deptford Middle School this year, as enrollment dropped by more than 100 students over the previous year. West Deptford School District Superintendent Kevin Kitchenman released the school district's enrollment figures for the 2012-13 school year at the district's school board meeting on Tuesday night. Overall, the numbers reported by Kitchenman showed a slight decrease in students attending school in the district. Across all grade levels, 3,006 students are currently enrolled in the school district, which is down from 3,030 at the end of the 2011-12 school year. Much of this decrease was at West Deptford Middle School, which saw its enrollment dropped from 1,052 last year to 933 this…
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
A rise in the number of harassment, intimidation and bullying incidents at middle school required school administrators to create an anti-bullying safety plan.
The West Deptford Board of Education approved a new school safety plan for the West Deptford Middle School on Monday night. This comes after the middle school was put on a warning list by the state Board of Education based on the number of harassment, intimidation and bullying (HIB) cases during the 2011-12 school year. “There was a spike in the middle school's incident numbers,” said Superintendent Kevin Kitchenman. “The middle school administration reached out to the county offices and the county explained that we had this many more harassment, intimidation and bullying incidents than last year." The school safety plan, which was presented at the meeting prior to its passage, comprises new ways to better educate teachers and students on …
39.828933
-75.193411
West Deptford Middle School
675 Grove Rd, West Deptford, NJ
/articles/new-safety-plan-in-place-for-middle-school
1818970
/locations/7902338
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Superintendent Kevin Kitchenman and assistant superintendent William Thompson are both up for new contracts this year.
West Deptford Superintendent Kevin Kitchenman will be in the fold through 2017, if a tentative contract passes muster with the county superintendent in the coming weeks. The school board approved forwarding on the contract, the details of which won’t be public until after the county superintendent signs off on its terms, in a unanimous vote Monday night. “He may require changes,” Kitchenman said. Once that approval comes through, Kitchenman’s contract, as well as assistant superintendent William Thompson’s contract, which is also going to the county for approval, will get a public reading at an upcoming school board meeting before getting final approval from the school board. “It’ll be out there well before its final,” school board …
W.D.78
8:33 am on Thursday, March 28, 2013
Would it be possible to use the $780,000.00 surplus that Mr. Thompson said we had 2 months ago for any of these repairs ? Seems now would be a good time to tap into to it. more ›