Residents in Evesham Township will likely see a slight increase in their regional school district taxes in 2014 after the Lenape Regional High School District Board of Education passed its preliminary budget at last week’s meeting.
Regional school taxes will increase $21.39 on the average assessed home of $270,200 in the township. The tax levy is 1.02 cents higher than last year.
Overall, the district is raising taxes 1.35 percent over last year. The total budget amount is $151,735,648, an increase 0.7 percent from 2013–14.
The Board of Education did not dip into details about the budget. Superintendent Carol Birnbohm said the preliminary budget was approved so it could be sent to the Department of Education prior to its deadline.
The district will have an in-depth discussion on the budget during the public hearing, scheduled for Wednesday, April 30.
In other news:
- The Lenape district presented its scores from its school anti-bullying bill of rights self-assessment. Director of Programs and Planning Chris Heilig said the school district scored a 71 out of a possible 75 points on the assessment.
Heilig said the district sent all of its information about HIB, from programs, to training to how it reports incidents.
“You submit all of your information to the Department of Education, and they issue a grade,” Heilig said.
All four high schools scored a 71 on their assessment. With the exception of a few categories, such as HIB personnel, all four schools scored 100 percent.
Heilig said the assessment was a testament to how well the district has done in combating HIB incidents.
“The school district meets or exceeds all elements of the anti-bullying bill of rights,” Heilig said.
- The Lenape district is looking to take its battle against drugs outside of school walls. Birnbohm said the Seneca High School Drug Squad recently visited local schools in the area. She said the students gave presentations about the dangers of substance abuse as part of the district’s Defy The Issue campaign.
- Cherokee High School senior Stephanie Gallo gave a presentation on her school’s achievements. One of the main highlights of her presentation was music video set to Katy Perry’s “Roar.” The students made the video during the fall.
“It really showed that everyone can have school spirit and that everyone can get along.” Gallo said.
Gallo also touched on the school district’s service projects, including two hair shaving events: Shave-a-Thon and St. Baldrick’s.
- The April action meeting for the Lenape district was changed from its regular third Wednesday in April. Next month’s meeting will be on April 30 to coincide with the public hearing of the school budget. The meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. in the district’s administration building.
