INSIDE THIS WEEK: Pinelands Regional Introduces $36.7 Million Budget Despite Uncertain School Year Ahead - Pg.2
PINE BARRENS TRIBUNE www.pinebarrenstribune.com
Vol. 2 – No. 32
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April 7, 2018 – April 13, 2018
Regional School Taxes May Rise Considerably in Medford Lakes and Woodland By Mark Hatoff
For the Pine Barrens Tribune
SHAMONG—The Lenape Regional High School District (LRHSD) Board of Education has introduced a district operating budget for the upcoming school year that would raise regional school taxes considerably in Medford Lakes Borough and Woodland Township. The preliminary 2018-19 school year budget of $162,630,008 was introduced during a March 25 board of education meeting. While the board did not discuss details about the budget, a press release issued later by Superintendent Dr. Carol Birnbohm’s office said the budget represents a 2.19 percent increase in spending from the current school year. The preliminary general fund tax levy is $115,467,007, or an increase of 2.97 percent, and the preliminary debt service tax levy is $6,453,913, or a decrease of $114,039. Anticipated tax levies for each of the regional school district’s municipalities are different as each town’s tax ratables and population must be weighed. In Evesham Township, a tax levy increase of 1.08 cents is proposed, which would result in an increase in regional school taxes of $33.41 on a home assessed at the township average of $270,500. In Medford Lakes, a tax levy increase of 7.24 cents is proposed, which would result in an increase in regional school taxes of $204.32 on a home assessed at the borough average of $285,500. A tax levy increase of 0.54 cents has been proposed for Medford Township, which would result in an increase in regional school taxes of $11.58 on a home assessed at the township
TAXES>>PAGE 13
Glatz Named Cherokee Football’s Next Head Coach By Mark Hatoff
For the Pine Barrens Tribune
EVESHAM—Brian Glatz has been named the next head coach for Cherokee High School’s football program. The March 25 announcement came shortly after a meeting of the Lenape Regional High School District Board of Education concluded.
COACH>>PAGE 15
Rigor Demanded of LRHSD Students Leaves Several Parents Troubled PHOTO SUBMITTED
A Lenape Regional High School District student works with a robot.
“When I hear people applaud a school for having high test scores, my immediate question is, ‘What is the trend of your kids going to therapists or taking medication?’ If you can’t show that high scores result in your kid going on to complete a STEM degree, I am not as interested.” ~Parent Hank Owen By Mark Hatoff
For the Pine Barrens Tribune
SHAMONG—An emphasis on achieving high test scores and enrolling in numerous honors courses in the Lenape Regional High School District (LRHSD) has left a group of parents concerned that median (average) district students are losing interest in pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers due to the rigor. Medford resident Hank Owen, who has a freshman at Shawnee High School and another child in sixth grade, and is an engineer and owner of H.S. Owen, LLC (an R & D company) and Slingshot Analytics (3D mapping), said he was representing a group of concerned parents in the district (whom he declined to identify) as he addressed the LRHSD Board of Education during a March 28 meeting. Owen said the group of parents believe that the median student, with an interest in STEM, is being left behind and they want to do something about it. “Although I’m very grateful for having my kids go through this great district and have had employees and interns from Shawnee
High School, we’re not convinced that our district is successfully placing the number of kids we expect to complete a four-year college program,” Owen said. “We’re doing a great job of preparing the top 15 percent, but my interest is in our median students who should be having a shot at the STEM fields, but are not getting (a shot at) it.” Owen said to the board that by the time kids get into high school, they have already been “labeled.” “I think we have school districts that are providing more gates than on-ramps,” he said. Owen said he believes schools, parents and society have all had a hand in failing the median student and preventing them from pursuing a career in STEM, which has led to a drop off in qualified people in the workforce. He said he defines the median STEM student as one with great potential, but is struggling in class. “If we look at the mental health of our middle school and high school kids by any metric, it’s worse now than it has been in decades,” Owen said.
The engineer said there are two common themes that he hears from students who are doing very well in their classes. “One is that ‘I don’t belong’, even though they are very qualified for the classes they are in,” Owen said. “I think this second statement is more destructive, ‘If I don’t work harder and I don’t put extra time in or take one more honors class, I won’t make it’. For those of us who have been through the STEM education path, there’s nothing further from the truth.” Days after the meeting, Owen elaborated on his thoughts, and said the importance the LRHSD puts on test scores is “nonsensical.” “I call it pump and dump,” he said. “I think that there is a question of preparedness for the rigor, an absorption problem that results in burnout. The dynamic you see with kids going through the honors programs now is utterly destructive. If these kids can relax a little bit and understand that the selectivity of college makes no difference for your STEM degree and subsequent career, they will be much better off.”
RIGOR>>PAGE 10
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