Don’t be Fooled by the School; Know the Facts

Things that make you go hmmm Quotes from recent school district messages.

“This location will also cut down on the volume of bus traffic in the community as the transportation yard is located on the same contiguous property.”

·A regional, not neighborhood, K-1 requires additional bus runs & generates substantially more parent vehicle trips, resulting in greater traffic, higher fuel consumption, elevated greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate change, heat island generation & air pollution. ·The district's 2018 Capacity Study documented parent’s opposition to a centralized K–1 model because of increased busing & reluctance to bus the youngest students.

“It is important to note that our short arrival and dismissal periods do not coincide with traditional “rush hour” traffic.”

·Before- and after-school care will generate hundreds of additional trips during peak commuter hours, while regular arrival & dismissal will still create concentrated traffic around the school at 9:05 a.m. and 3:45 p.m.

“The proposed site was carefully reviewed and strategically selected. It is centrally located within the district, it is owned by the district, it is appropriately zoned for a school, and it is a parcel that is capable of accommodating a facility of this size while meeting educational, safety, and operational requirements.”

·The property was not voluntarily available for purchase. It was acquired in 2022 "in lieu of condemnation" after the district threatened eminent domain. ·Careful review? The original 15.8-acre parcel is reduced to approximately 13.9 buildable acres because of a PennDOT easement to realign Rose Tree Road due to existing traffic deficiencies. Road realignment is now proposed by the district at a tax payer expense of $3.7M. The district filed an eminent domain claim for needed adjacent property despite legal restrictions involving “taking” of church property; ·The district’s Transportation Study concludes conditions are acceptable only if future PennDOT improvements - currently in preliminary engineering & a decade or more away - are completed. PennDOT also identifies this section of Route 352 as having a crash rate above the statewide average. ·The site is substantially smaller than the 20–35+ acres recommended for an 850-student regional school, limiting bus circulation, parent queues, parking, pedestrian safety, emergency access, & outdoor recreation. ·The district owns nearly 200 acres of school-zoned “open grass” property; Glenwood, Rose Tree, and Indian Lane could accommodate the same 6 classroom, 2 story building planned for the middle school.

“Our youngest students will enjoy the benefits of engaging learning spaces built specifically for children of their age and size.” “Bringing kindergarten and first grade students together in a purpose-built facility allows instruction, services, and resources to be designed specifically for early childhood education in ways that cannot be replicated by continuing to expand and add onto aging elementary schools.”

· At 125,670-square-foot, the proposed “K-1 Early Learning Center” includes life skills training for adults 18-21 years of age & a high school for autistic students. The land development includes a phased multi-sport complex with turfed fields, concessions, parking, & eventually lights.

· Our children are in schools 60 to 100 years old, with long lists of needs. Greater investment in one school at the expense of older district schools raises questions about equity. Modern learning environments should be a priority for all students, not just one grade configuration.

“No additional cost to tax payers beyond the annual approved budget.”

· The "annual approved budget" is funded by taxpayers and typically increases every year. Borrowing millions shifts repayment into future budgets through long-term taxes.

· Property taxes increased this year by 3.5% & this does NOT include the ongoing costs of operating, maintaining, staffing, & transporting students to a seventh school.

· Current cost is $92.5 million & rising; from the June 2026 Work Session - “The construction market is facing several headwinds that could impact the budget.”

· In March, the board delayed bond repayment for two years, adding $11 million in tax payer interest, citing expenditures exceed revenues because of pension & transportation costs - expenses that will increase with another school.

· The superintendent previously supported a $364 million capital bond program while at the Cherry Hill School District. That district now faces a $29 million budget deficit, eliminated 72 positions, & raised property taxes 7.4%. https://6abc.com/post/cherry-hill-school-board-approves-budget-tax-hike-job-cuts-address-shortfall/18992153/

· The proposed K-1 prevents re-districting. Other than the Middletown Township students, all the K-1 students would be redistricted and redistricted again after 1st grade.

“The Board of School Directors has spent years evaluating options based on educational programming, available land, transportation, environmental considerations, long-term operating costs, and financial stewardship.”

· The district's 2018 Capacity Study identified a K-1 Center as "An Option Considered, Not Recommended," while school additions were identified as the least costly option.

· At the February 2025 work session, a board member recalled a principal at a district with a K-1 Center saying, "If I had to do it again, I wouldn't."

· Building on this site is unnecessary - the district already owns ample, school-zoned, open grass acreage suitable for construction.

· The project would eliminate 236 trees & destroy meadow & woodland habitat, increasing stormwater runoff into Ridley Creek watershed while displacing wildlife. Rather than planting the required replacements trees, the district plans to pay a fee.

“The proposed K-1 Center is not simply another school building. The design and construction of this school is a strategic solution to address current enrollment needs, improve educational opportunities for our youngest learners, and preserve flexibility across the district for decades to come.”

· District enrollment is declining. For the 2026-27 school year, Media Elementary is reducing first grade from 4 classrooms to 3.

· Overcrowding is shifted from the primary grades to grades 5-6. The district plans to construct a 2 story, 6 classroom addition at the middle school - an approach recommended in the 2018 Capacity Study.

· May 2026 Work Session discussed transferring a teacher instead of hiring a replacement, stating that kindergarten enrollment & class sizes remain favorable; "class sizes are not going up."