MANSFIELD: School district: Invest in the future

By Amy Batista, Special Writer
MANSFIELD — The school district is encouraging residents to vote Tuesday and invest in the safety and education of township children.
Questions have been put on the ballot that pertain to adding full-day kindergarten and safety measures to the schools.
"Full-day kindergarten is a sound investment for the academic achievement and social development of our early learners," said Superintendent of Schools Diane Bacher.
Twenty-seven districts in Burlington County provide full-day kindergarten, and seven, including Mansfield, do not, according to a PowerPoint presentation on the school district’s website. Mansfield is also the only Northern Burlington County sending district that does not provide full-day kindergarten.
"We are asking the voters to support this question to provide our students an equal opportunity for learning and successfully achieve with confidence the rigorous kindergarten curriculum," Superintendent Bacher said.
"A half-day program is inadequate to teach the Common Core Standards, let alone master it," said Dr. Ellen Wolock of the Division of Early Childhood Education in the New Jersey Department of Education.
In a typical half-day kindergarten program, a student spends 2.5 hours in school. In a typical full-day kindergarten program, the length of the school day is 6.75 hours, according to the PowerPoint presentation.
The budget for the full-day kindergarten program is $268,282, which includes teachers, classroom aides, health benefits, pension contribution, supplies and materials. Adoption of the full-day kindergarten program would result in a tax increase of $67.20, according to the PowerPoint Presentation.
The security upgrades on the ballot include the installation of new secure entrance doors and hardware, an upgrade to the electrical and intercom system and card readers, the addition of a security window to the lobby wall, the renovation of ceiling and exit signs, office renovation at Mansfield Township Elementary School and the replacement of the camera system, according to Ms. Bacher.
School security is important for everyone, she said.
The school is working cooperatively with local law enforcement to implement monthly school safety drills, enhance communication, revamp student pickup procedures and perform an annual review of district safety procedures and staff training, according to the PowerPoint Presentation.
The cost of the new security measures is estimated to be $220,000 for construction services and architectural fees. The school security program would amount to a one-year tax increase of $55.20, according to the PowerPoint Presentation.
For more information on the ballot questions, visit www.mansfieldschool.com.