Mount Laurel Township Schools Newsletter
The Facts Regarding Your Schools
April, 2010
Our Eight Schools



Countryside School



Fleetwood School




Hartford School



Harrington Middle School



Hillside School



Larchmont School



Parkway School



Springville School

Dear Community Member:

Notwithstanding the fact that we currently have more than 4,300 children, the Mount Laurel School District knows all about strength in numbers. Our buses cover the 22-square miles of the township eight times each school day picking-up and dropping-off students. Our cafeterias serve over 28,000 lunches each month, and our custodial staff maintains 669,928 square-feet of educational space on a daily basis.

So when we see an opportunity to join together with other districts for cooperative purchases, we jump at the chance. During this school year, we saved $28,000 simply by banding together with other Lenape Region schools to secure banking services. Two years ago, we entered the New Jersey ACES Program for the purchase of electric and natural gas. Since becoming a member of that co-op, we've saved $254,362.

Securing school supplies through a similar venture has saved $150,130 this year, and our participation in the federal E-Rate Program has saved $98,000.

For us, and for you, there is truly strength in numbers.

We know that you hold us as stewards of your investment, not only in the educational program, but also in your facilities. School buildings can deteriorate quickly if not properly maintained and equipped. They can also be costly to operate on a daily basis if they are not retrofitted with modern improvements. We take this role seriously.

Our Lighting Retrofit Program has saved us more than $55,000, but more importantly, it also reduces our environmental footprint. How simple a concept - that in our buildings if no movement is detected in an area for a period of time - the lights in the room automatically shut off.

Our upcoming Solar Project, which will be funded by lease-purchase rather than tax levy, is estimated to save the district over $88,000 in its first year of operation. With solar panels on our roofs, students will be able to visit the kiosk inside the building and watch as power is generated in real-time. They'll be able to monitor the efficiency of the system and gather up-to-the-minute data for classroom projects.

We value these efficiencies not only because they honor the owners of our schools. We value them not only because they save you money. We value them because they model what we tell our students we want them to be each day ... reliable, responsible and educated consumers and community members.

I hope that you'll visit our website this weekend and review our Public Hearing Presentation, which will share more detail about the fiscal operation of your schools on a daily basis.


Sincerely,
Dr. Antoinette Rath
Superintendent of Schools
856-235-3387
battle teamAnnual School Elections - April 20, 2010
Check our website to learn more about the budget and the candidates who seek your vote. Here's a link. Have a question regarding election issues? E-Mail our Office of Communication Services.