The Ewing Township Board of Education has developed a plan for its recently received additional $1,614,898 million in state aid.
At the July 30 board meeting, the board of education approved a plan that calls for the following utilization of the additional state aid funds.
Enhancing school security: $290,599
The district plans on adding an additional school security coordinator to the district ranks.
This will be the fifth SSC for the district, allowing for one dedicated SSC for each school. This professional position has been in place in the Ewing Schools since 2013, and provides an expert security presence in the schools who also serves as a mentor for students and a resource for the staff.
Money will also be allotted for other student safety initiatives, including improvements to the district security technology infrastructure, facility enhancements and procedural approaches to security.
Managing class size: $290,599
The board of education and administration have a vision for appropriate class size, and in a statement they said they’re dedicated to ensuring that actual class size is within these parameters. These funds will be used to reach their goal.
The first expenditure will be for an additional math teacher for the district, to address a class size issue in the Fisher Middle School math program. The administration will monitor district class size throughout the year, and make adjustments and allocate resources when necessary.
Expanding student programs: $290,599
These funds will be used to improve, enhance and expand academic, athletic and artistic programs for students. The following areas are initially being targeted by the administration:
Adding an additional music teacher at Fisher Middle School.Adding staff to support student’s social, emotional and psychological needs. This would include funding to continue initiatives such as support for student wellness, drug awareness and staff professional development on student psychology.Supporting the growing theater program at Fisher Middle School.Adding an assistant fall cheerleading coach at Ewing High School.Enhancing technology support staff team and approach.
Addressing transportation and facility needs: $340,601
Funds will be allotted to address unanticipated transportation needs and expenses related to the extended school year program, athletics and special needs transportation.
Furthermore, the district will continue to expand its own inventory of buses and drivers to reduce dependency on outside contractors. The district will also designate revenue for their warehouse inventory control and record keeping initiatives. Several schools have targeted facility work related to improving and enhancing safety.
Eliminating the tax increase of the 2018-19 school budget: $402,500
These funds will be used to eliminate the tax increase that was part of the already approved 2018-19 school budget.
This will be the second consecutive year that the Ewing school district budget will not include a tax rate increase. Last year, the school tax rate decreased as a result of the district’s disappearing debt. This trend will continue over the next several years, putting the district in a very favorable financial position for the upcoming facility referendum.
“It is certainly unusual to have an increase in state aid that is received in July, but the board and administration worked together to develop a plan for the funds that is beneficial to the district and is respectful to our community,” board president Karen McKeon said. “We are optimistic and hopeful that this favorable financial trend will continue, and the Ewing schools will finally be funded as they should be.”
Ewing High School (Google Maps file photo.),
