Attention Willingboro Residents –

At the March 26, 2018 Willingboro Board of Education (WBOE) Budget Meeting, a tentative budget for the 2018 - 2019 school year was approved. According to Superintendent Dr. Taylor, the budget has a major shortfall due to the NJ DOE-approved expansion of Benjamin Banneker Charter School to now include 180 Kindergarten - 5th grade students. He also cited the daily operating costs and health benefits increases as reasons for the supposed shortfall.

Below are the cuts that were approved at the budget meeting. This information was taken directly from the budget packet presented at the March 26th Board of Education Meeting.

Elementary School Reorganization

1 - Close Garfield East Elementary School

2 - Close JC Stuart Elementary School and reopen as an Early Childhood Center for students in Pre-K and Kindergarten.

3 - Hawthorne Elementary, Twin Hills Elementary, and WR James Elementary will service students in grades 1st - 5th.

• When asked if the district has a plan on which school students in grades 1st - 5th will attend there was no response.

• Students who live 2 miles away from the school they attend will require bussing but there was no increased cost in the transportation budget from 17-18 to 18-19.

Additional Budget Cuts

52 Paraprofessionals/Teacher Assistants to be privatized

20 Security Officers to be privatized

14 Teachers cut from the Elementary, Middle, and High School levels

2 Clerical Staff

1 Nurse

2 Custodians

1 Principal

2 Assistant Principals

2 Central Administrators - Documentation provided states 2 but it appears to be only 1.

These proposed school closures, privatization recommendations, and cuts to other staff will detrimentally impact our schools and the ability to provide our students with a thorough and efficient education which they are entitled to under the law.

What can you do?

• Call your legislators, the Commissioner of Education, and the County Superintendent. Tell them our students need their help! The recommended closing of schools and cutting of staff due to the expansion of Benjamin Banneker and remaining budget shortfall will ruin our community! We need their help to stop them!!

o Senator Troy Singleton – 856-234-2790

o Assemblyman Herb Conaway – 856-461-3997

o Assemblywoman Carol Murphy – 856-735-5334

o Commissioner of Education Dr. Lamont Repollett – 609-376-3500

o BurlCo Superintendent of Schools Daryl Minus-Vincent – 609-265-5060

o Willingboro Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ronald Taylor – 609-835-8600

• Come out to the next board of education meeting scheduled for April 23, 2018 at 7:00 pm at Country Club Administration Building and let the WBOE and Dr. Taylor know we are opposed to these cuts!!

www.willingboroschools.org – For WBOE information and updates

If you live in District 7 (Burlington) you can sign this petition. Beverly, Bordentown, Bordentown Township, Burlington, Burlington Township, Cinnaminson, Delanco, Delran, Edgewater Park, Fieldsboro, Florence, Moorestown, Mount Laurel, Palmyra, Riverside, Riverton, Willingboro.