The Cherry Hill school board and members of the district’s administrative staff listen during a November 12 board meeting to a report about the New Jersey Student Learning Assessment scores.
The number of students whose names the Cherry Hill school district released as part of an Open Public Records Act request regarding the controversial Family Life curriculum could be as many as 174, and not 82 as first thought.
Harvey Vazquez, a Cherry Hill school district parent, alleged during the October 29 school board meeting that in September 2023 the district provided a group known as the New Jersey Public Education Commission with the names of his son and dozens of other elementary school students without parental permission. The district has since admitted it did so.
"I sent a letter from my office to all those who we knew whose names had appeared," Superintendent Kwame Morton said during Tuesday's school board meeting. "There were about 92 names that had appeared on the list that we were certain of and there were also an additional 82 names that we were not certain that their names appeared, but we thought it wise to send information out to those families as well.”
Morton also said the district will "explore opportunities" to train administrative staff on how to redact information from public documents to prevent similar incidents in the future. Some of the correspondence between the New Jersey Public Education Commission and the district can be viewed on this page of opramachine.com.
State assessment scores improve
Overall district student scores on New Jersey Student Learning Assessment tests from the 2021-22 to 2023-24 school years are "trending in the right direction," said District Testing Coordinator Faith Holmgren.
Specific scores for the 2023-24 school year were neither discussed nor released. However, a report from Holmgren indicated that students:
- Achieved test scores at or above the state average on all measured English/Language standards and each grade band in science
- Performed above the state average writing test score and made gains in informational text and Algebra I test scores
- Showed positive increases in performance levels in all math content areas
Holmgren’s full report can be viewed on the district website or by clicking here.
District official cancels controversial trip
Before Tuesday's meeting, Assistant Superintendent of Business Affairs Lynn Shugars told a 70and73.com reporter that Farrah Mahan, an assistant superintendent for Pre-K through 12th grade, did not attend a Head Start Conference from October 27 through November 1 in Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, after receiving the school board's approval to do so.
Several community members objected to the trip during the October 8 school board meeting, citing its cost and questioning its necessity. During the November 12 meeting, the trip was not mentioned. Shugars and district spokesperson Kristen Viglietta have yet to respond to several emails from a 70and73.com reporter asking why Mahan did not go on the trip.
Agreement with nonprofit comes under fire
The school board, with all nine members present, unanimously approved a memorandum of understanding with a nonprofit, Digital Promise, that will provide lessons, mentors and internships to district students in cybersecurity, according to Morton.
Before the school board voted, several community members questioned the lack of public discussion involving the memorandum prior to that vote, including the agreement's procedures and implementation costs.
Morton said he was "not aware of any additional costs at the present time" besides those that will be covered by a $5,000 grant the district received.
