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Cherry Hill Township School District board meeting, Aug 25, 2026

2 h 20 min · 6 public speakers

Chronic absenteeism ▶ 1:18:21AI in schools ▶ 46:20Phones in school ▶ 2:26

This board doesn’t post agenda times. Click a board member to jump to where they first speak; we list only members whose voice our check named. Video length 2 h 20 min.

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What happened

What happened at this meeting

Board hears preschool expansion and summer construction updates 1:04:05

  • The board heard presentations on its annual ethics training, the superintendent's summer conversations with families, the preschool program and summer bond construction projects. 4:52
  • A motion carried on curriculum and instruction items 12.1 through 12.8. 1:50:45
  • A motion carried on HR agenda items 14.1 through 14.11. 1:52:09
  • The board approved P&L items 15.2 through 15.6 after Adam Greenbaum reviewed the new rules on student use of internet-enabled devices. 1:52:49

Until Nov 4, lines where a board member takes a side don't name the member. Why →

Item by item (13)
  1. Opening and student representative reports 0:51
    • A staff member called the roll, and the presiding officer said public notice of the meeting was given on August 20th and 21st, 2026. 0:51
    • A student representative reported that the August SAT was given at East on August 22nd and that students will receive scores on September 4th. 2:26
    • A student representative from West reported that the football team will play its first game on August 27th and that Senior Sunrise will be held on September 2nd. 4:12
  2. Annual ethics training 4:52
    • The board's attorney said New Jersey code requires boards to discuss the School Ethics Act at a regularly scheduled public meeting at least once a year. 4:52
    • A speaker asked whether members could speak from their seats as long as they clarified they were speaking on their own behalf, and the presenter said physical location would not matter, only the disclaimer and what was being said. 30:10
  3. Superintendent's summer family conversations 45:57
    • The superintendent said families raised waitlists, bus routing, communication about staff changes and the middle school WIN period as areas for improvement. 46:20
    • Renee Cherfane asked whether the superintendent planned to follow up with the families, and the superintendent said parents would be brought into roundtable discussions with the board. 1:01:15
    • Melissa Manzano asked whether other families could share their views, and the superintendent said the superintendent was open to speaking with anyone interested. 1:01:58
  4. Preschool program update 1:03:41
    • A district staff member said the program will have 53 classrooms across 11 preschool sites for the 2026⁠-⁠27 school year, out of a goal of approximately 110 classrooms. 1:04:05
    • The staff member said the program will have 740 general education seats, 55 inclusion seats and 96 preschool disabled seats, or approximately 900 preschoolers. 1:09:51
    • Dr. Dean Drizin asked about chronic absenteeism, and the staff member said absenteeism decreased across all preschool locations this year. 1:18:21
  5. Bond construction projects update 1:20:55
    • A district staff member said summer bond work touched 13 of the district's 18 school buildings and that no delays were expected to affect the opening of school. 1:21:26
    • The staff member said the West lower F level will come online September 18th and the lower E level October 30th. 1:23:44
    • The staff member said the East Auditorium will be returned to the district by January 1st. 1:34:40
  6. First public comment 1:36:51
    • A speaker at public comment addressed item 12.5, the readoption of curriculum, said things happening in the district were not normal and asked the board to vote no. 1:41:19
    • The presiding officer said the comments were not on the topic of the action item and asked that they be made during second public comment. 1:44:24
  7. Superintendent's report 1:45:07
    • A staff member said there was no correspondence for the board. ~1:45:07
    • The superintendent said students return September 2nd, with an early dismissal for pre-K through 5 and a full day for secondary schools. 1:46:35
    • The superintendent said new staff orientation was completed with about 50-plus participants. 1:47:03
  8. School funding advocacy update 1:48:06
    • During old business, a board member said the district is part of a statewide group advocating for fair funding and had asked that a Department of Education listening session on the funding formula be held locally. 1:48:06
    • The presiding board member said formula revisions are expected for this year and again in '27. 1:49:06
  9. Action agenda votes 1:48:06
    • Adam Greenbaum said Policy 5516 restricts student use of internet-enabled devices bell to bell, including lunch, under a new state requirement. 1:53:05
    • Adam Greenbaum asked what a student should do if an accommodation is needed but not documented, and the superintendent said the student should make a written request to the principal. 1:53:05
    • One board member thanked board members for their conversation over several committee cycles and said the delay in the state's guidance was less than ideal. 1:55:19
    • A motion carried to approve the minutes of agenda items 11.1 through 11.4. 1:50:07
  10. Board retreat and board goals 1:56:27
    • Dr. Dean Drizin said the board used its weekend retreat for board training and to formalize board goals for the upcoming year through the governance committee. 1:57:09
    • The presiding board member asked that the board goals agreed to at the retreat be added as an action item at the next board meeting. 1:57:59
  11. Second public comment 1:59:01
    • A speaker at public comment asked the board to reconsider a decision to end student transportation and continue it for about 3 and a half months until December, and asked about the district's notification process. 2:00:20
    • A speaker at public comment said preschool expansion aid would end after 5 years. 2:04:24
    • Other speakers asked about the HIB self-assessment report and the cost of ClearGov, and spoke about the preschool program. 2:07:40
  12. Board member activity reports 2:14:33
    • Melissa Manzano said they attended the preschool roundup as a parent and board member. 2:15:25
    • The presiding board member said the board president gave opening remarks at the administrative retreat and new staff orientation. 2:17:27
    • Renee Cherfane said more information about the board retreat would be forthcoming. 2:17:57
  13. Superintendent comments and adjournment 2:18:21
    • The superintendent said information that preschool expansion aid would expire in 5 years does not align with what the district has received, and that the district was told the aid will continue. 2:18:21
    • The superintendent said HIB grades are historically presented in October and that administration would contact the family with the transportation concern. 2:18:55
    • The presiding officer said the vote to adjourn was unanimous. 2:19:36

Written by software from the meeting's transcript and checked sentence by sentence against it.

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Video: posted by the district as “BOE Meeting - 8/25/2026”