District to students: Pay to play

Families of middle and high school students in the district will see a student activity fee this year.

In a unanimous vote – although Board member Sherri Cohen was not in attendance – the new policy passed.

Families will pay $80 per high school student and $70 per middle school student with a max family cap of $150.

Students who want to participate in any extracurricular programming, which includes the prom for high school students, will be required to pay the activity fee. It is an annual fee and permits students to participate in all activities.

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Superintendent answers questions about upcoming school year

A new school year is several weeks away and several Cherry Hill School District representatives have detailed what is new and different for the 2010-2011 school year.

Superintendent David Campbell answered several questions from The Cherry Hill Sun and gave families and students of Cherry Hill a glimpse of what to expect for the new school year.

Specifically, how have the state’s budget cuts affected your district?

The Cherry Hill School District sustained state funding cuts totaling more than $12.8 million. The 2010-2011 school district budget is $7.7 million below last year’s budget. Impacts of budget cuts include increased class sizes at all levels: changes in delivery of the elementary Talented and Gifted (TAG) and Spanish programs; reduction in administrative support at both the building level and central office; reduction in supports provided by reading, math and language arts teacher/coaches; additional delays in Blueprint work; and some reductions in secondary athletics and extracurricular activities.

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