A Cherry Hill resident raised school funding, courtesy busing and preschool funding at the Board of Education's Saturday, Aug. 22 retreat.

The gathering was the board's last before schools open Wednesday, Sept. 2.

Dr. Podawitz addressed the seven-member board during public comment at the retreat, held at the Arthur Lewis Administration Building on Ranoldo Terrace, according to minutes posted on BoardDocs. The minutes do not record the substance of the remarks beyond the three topic headings.

All three subjects have been flashpoints since the board adopted its $307 million budget on a 7-1 vote April 28, with Renee Cherfane casting the lone dissent. That budget eliminated an estimated 72 full-time-equivalent positions and imposed a nearly 7% property tax increase, about $421 more per year for a homeowner at the average $227,000 township assessment, 70and73 reported.

Funding gap

Board President Gina Winters told the state Assembly Budget Committee on March 25 that Cherry Hill faces a $28 million structural deficit. Local taxes now cover almost 90% of the district's budget, according to her testimony. Special education aid alone fell from $19.43 million in 2025-26 to $15.15 million in the current budget.

Courtesy busing

Transportation costs rose $1.3 million while the district lost more than $1 million in transportation aid, Winters testified. At the April 28 budget hearing, educator Christine Wrobel questioned why the district allocates roughly $20 million to transportation and funds non-mandated busing. "Why fund non-mandated busing instead of cutting staff/programs?" Wrobel asked at that hearing.

Parent Kimberly Gallagher raised the same concern, asking why courtesy busing removal was not on the table.

Preschool funding

The board approved a Universal Preschool (UPK) expansion waiver on July 14, partnering with Inspired Learning to build a new facility with eight classrooms for the 2027-28 school year. That decision came despite community pushback earlier in the spring. At the March 24 budget meeting, resident Jeff Podowitz urged the board to reject preschool expansion: "Time to stop it. …Just stop it," he said.

The retreat, called to order at 11:07 a.m. and adjourned at 1:27 p.m., was otherwise devoted to board training. All seven members were present: Renee Cherfane, Candi Cummings, Dean Drizin, Adam Greenbaum, Melissa Manzano, Bridget Palmer and Gina Winters.

The district has not posted a date for its next action meeting.