Camden City School District

Camden City School District is a public school district that serves students in pre-Kindergarten through twelfth grade from the city of Camden, in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. The district is one of 31 former Abbott districts statewide,[3] which are now referred to as "SDA Districts" based on the requirement for the state to cover all costs for school building and renovation projects in these districts under the supervision of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority.[4][5] In 2013, after years of requests from local officials,[6] New Jersey intervened in Camden City, making the school district state-run under the leadership of Superintendent Paymon Rouhanifard.[7]

Camden City School District
Location
1033 Cambridge Street
Camden, NJ 08105
United States
Coordinates39.948058°N 75.126221°W / 39.948058; -75.126221
District information
GradesPreK to 12
SuperintendentKatrina T. McCombs
Business administratorAnisah Coppin
Schools20
Affiliation(s)SDA District
Students and staff
Enrollment9,570 (as of 2017-18)[1]
Faculty705.0 FTEs[1]
Student–teacher ratio13.6:1[1]
Other information
District Factor GroupA
Websitewww.camden.k12.nj.us
Ind.Per pupilDistrict
spending		Rank
(*)		K-12
average		%± vs.
average
1ATotal Spending$26,998102$18,89142.9%
1Budgetary Cost20,84910314,78341.0%
2Classroom Instruction11,4441008,76330.6%
6Support Services4,4091032,39284.3%
8Administrative Cost1,791931,48520.6%
10Operations & Maintenance3,1771021,78378.2%
13Extracurricular Activities1135268−57.8%
16Median Teacher Salary61,2032864,043
Data from NJDoE 2014 Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending.[2]
*Of K-12 districts with more than 3,500 students. Lowest spending=1; Highest=103
Board of Education Building

As of the 2017–18 school year, the district, comprised of 20 schools, had an enrollment of 9,570 students and 705.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.6:1.[1]

The district is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group "A", the lowest of eight groupings. District Factor Groups organize districts statewide to allow comparison by common socioeconomic characteristics of the local districts. From lowest socioeconomic status to highest, the categories are A, B, CD, DE, FG, GH, I and J.[8]

In 2017–18, Camden students who took the state PARCC test showed year-on-year progress since the test was first administered in 2014–15, as reported on KYW NewsRadio. About 14% of district students in grades three through eight are proficient in language arts, with about 10% testing proficient in math.[9] Just under 11% of high school students tested at or above the statewide proficiency rate in language arts. For math, that number was 1 to 3% of high school students.

But there are also signs of progress. In 2016, the state committed $133 million[10] to renovate Camden High School, the graduation rate has gone up by 17 percentage points in five years, while drop outs have been cut in half.[11] the District-led pre-school program has become a highlight.[12]

In 2015, a brand-new, $41 million, 110,000-square-foot (10,000 m2) school opened on Broadway,[13] and in 2017 two additional brand new renaissance school buildings opened, one in the Cramer Hill neighborhood and the other in Haddon Avenue in Whitman Park. Working in partnership with the school District, today renaissance schools serve about 4,200 students and boast rising test results.[14]

The district is guided by its school improvement plan, Putting Students First.[15][16]

History

The Board of Education of the City of Camden was established by Isaac W. Mickle, who was entrusted by The Camden Board of School Trustees to borrow money to build a schoolhouse and apply to become a board of education. Mickle would go on to become the first secretary of The Board of Education.

The first meeting of the Board of Education of the City of Camden was in City Hall on April 3, 1854. The first three members elected into the board were from each political ward: Joseph Kimble (North Ward), Ebenezer Nichols (Middle Ward), and Isaac Lloyd (South Ward).[17]

In June 2004 the school district enacted a mandatory school uniform policy for all students. 10 schools had already started their own uniform policies.[18] Uniform policies were enforced effective September 2004.[19]

In March 2015, the district announced that it was closing the John Greenleaf Whittier Family School at the end of the 2014–15 school year. As part of the changes, Henry L. Bonsall Family School, East Camden Middle School, Francis X. McGraw Elementary School and Rafael Cordero Molina Elementary School were all to be transferred to renaissance school operators, who were responsible for making significant renovations to the District-owned buildings.[20]

In 2016, the District partnered with Camden's six charter school operators to introduce a city-wide enrollment system to create a simple, equitable way for families to choose to attend any District, charter, or renaissance school. Today, all but one of Camden's publicly funded schools participate in Camden Enrollment.

In 2016, Cooper B. Hatch Family School and MetEast High School were consolidated into the building that had been occupied by the Hatch School, providing access to a gymnasium and auditorium for students in the high school program; the combined school, serving grades 6-12, has since been renamed as the Camden Big Picture Learning Academy.[21]

In the wake of declining enrollment, poor performance and a deteriorating facility constructed in 1926, Charles Sumner Elementary School was closed at the end of the 2016–17 school year.[22] The school had served 452 students in grades PreK-8.

As part of a $132.6 million construction project begun at the start of the 2017–18 school year at Camden High School by the New Jersey Schools Development Authority, the school's 500 students were shifted to the Hatch Middle School building. The new 242,000-square-foot (22,500 m2) building will be completed for the 2021–22 school year and be able to accommodate 1,200 students when it reopens.[23]

Awards, recognition and rankings

George Washington School was recognized by Governor Jim McGreevey in 2003 as one of 25 schools selected statewide for the First Annual Governor's School of Excellence award.[24]

Schools

Schools in the district, with 2017-18 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[25] are:[26]

Preschool
  • Early Childhood Development Center[27] (405 students; in grades PreK-K)
    • Loray Dobson, Principal
  • H.L. Bonsall Annex Preschool[28] (64; PreK)
  • Riletta Twyne Cream Early Childhood Center[29] (348; was PreK-8, now PreK)
    • Herbert Simons, Principal
Elementary schools
  • Octavius V. Catto Community Family School[30] (638; PreK-8)
    • Byron Dixon, Principal
  • Cooper's Poynt Family School[31] (446; PreK-8)
    • Dr. Jonathan C. Ogbonna, Principal
  • Alfred Cramer College Preparatory Lab School[32] (448; PreK-6)
    • Danielle Phillips, Principal
  • Dr. Henry H. Davis Family School[33] (339; PreK-8)
    • Sharon K. Woodridge, Principal
  • Thomas H. Dudley Family School[34] (534; PreK-8)
    • Gloria Martinez-Vega, Principal
  • Forest Hill Elementary School[35] (286; K-8)
    • David M. Corvi, Principal
  • Harry C. Sharp Elementary School[36] (338; PreK-6)
    • Evelyn Ruiz, Principal
  • Veterans Memorial Family School[37] (457; PreK-8)
    • Danette Sapowsky, Principal
  • Dr. Ulysses S. Wiggins College Preparatory Lab Family School[38] (405; PreK-8)
    • Lana L. P. Murray, Principal
  • Henry B. Wilson Family School[39] (630; PreK-8)
    • Nicole Harrigan, Principal
  • Yorkship Family School[40] (453; PreK-8)
    • Tracey Reed-Thompson, Principal
High schools

Criticism

In the 2000s, the Camden school system was labeled as corrupt by some individuals; a July 6, 2006 editorial written by Sherry Wolkoff appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer. The editorial, titled "Children of Camden get short end of the pencil," asserts that Camden school officials obtain unjustified bonuses while Camden schoolchildren have few resources.[48]

In early 2006, allegations were also made that school officials had altered standardized test scores to improve Camden's national school ratings. "We know that, with respect to the test scores, those scores were not legitimately achieved," says Lucille Davy, New Jersey's acting commissioner of education. "There was manipulation of the process."[49]

In December 2013, the district reported that only three high school students had met the "college ready" standard, based on a minimum combined score of 1550 on the SAT.[50]

In the wake of 163 violent incidents in the district during the 2012–13 school year, the district undertook a $1.4 million project in 2014 to add digital cameras and electronic controls at doors to limit access to high school buildings.[51]

Administration

Core members of the district's administration are:[52]

  • Katrina T. McCombs, Acting Superintendent of Schools[53]
  • Anisah Coppin, School Business Administrator / Board Secretary

The Camden district is one of two district's statewide that operate under state intervention with (the other is the Paterson Public Schools), and has been under state supervision since June 2013. The district's superintendent is appointed by the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Education The district has a nine-member advisory board that acts in lieu of a board of education. The members of the advisory board are appointed by the mayor to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with three seats up for reappointment each year. A student representative selected from the district's high schools also serves on the board.[54][55][56]

References
  1. District information for Camden City School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed November 1, 2019.
  2. Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending April 2013, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 15, 2013.
  3. Abbott School Districts, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed March 1, 2020.
  4. What We Do, New Jersey Schools Development Authority. Accessed March 1, 2020.
  5. SDA Districts, New Jersey Schools Development Authority. Accessed March 1, 2020.
  6. Goodnough, Abby. "On Politics; A Request From Camden: Take Our Schools, Please", The New York Times, March 29, 1998. Accessed July 12, 2017. "But takeovers were back in the spotlight last week, after Mayor Milton Milan of Camden beseeched Governor Whitman to seize control of the schools in his hard-luck city."
  7. Steele, Alison. "How an Iranian refugee rose to lead Camden's schools", The Philadelphia Inquirer, February 6, 2017. Accessed July 12, 2017. "After Rouhanifard’s family settled near Nashville, his father pumped gas until he was able to start a small business. Rouhanifard learned English, went to college, and became an educator. In 2013, Gov. Christie appointed him superintendent of Camden’s state-run school district, calling on him to turn around the city’s struggling schools."
  8. NJ Department of Education District Factor Groups (DFG) for School Districts, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed March 18, 2015.
  9. "CCSD 2016-17 PARCC Results" (PDF). Camden City School District. September 2017. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
  10. "SDA Camden High Redevelopment Project". Camden City School District. October 2017. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
  11. "Drop out rate down, student back on track" (PDF). Camden City School District. February 13, 2018. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
  12. "Philadelphia Inquirer".
  13. "Courier Post".
  14. "Camden Schools Show Improvement" (PDF). Camden City School District. September 29, 2017. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
  15. Putting Students First, Camden City School District. Accessed December 3, 2018.
  16. Camden Students Deserve a District that Puts Them First, Cherry Hill Courier Post, October 26, 2018
  17. Reiss, Fred. (2005). Public education in Camden, N.J. : from inception to integration. New York: iUniverse, Inc. p. 19. ISBN 0595351492. OCLC 62169434.
  18. Burney, Melanie. "Camden schools to require uniforms in September; A new policy aims to improve discipline among students and security in schools." (Archive). June 9, 2004. Accessed November 29, 2015.
  19. Burney, Melanie. "On first day, students give new uniforms mixed reviews" (Archive). The Philadelphia Inquirer. September 8, 2004. Accessed November 29, 2015.
  20. Laday, Jason. "Camden closing 1 school, transferring 4 to charters", South Jersey Times, March 26, 2015. Accessed December 12, 2017. "Camden Superintendent Paymon Rouhanifard announced that the 105-year-old J.G. Whittier Family School will be permanently shuttered at the end of the academic year. Henry L. Bonsall Family School, East Camden Middle School, Francis X. McGraw Elementary School and Rafael Cordero Molina Elementary School will, in addition to receiving much-needed renovations and repairs, each be taken over by one three Camden charter organizations."
  21. Steele, Allison. "Camden plans changes to 3 schools", The Philadelphia Inquirer, March 14, 2016. Accessed December 12, 2017. "Camden officials are making changes to three schools in the city's Parkside neighborhood next fall, including moving students at MetEast High School into the building that houses Cooper B. Hatch Family School.... In the coming years, the schools will operate under one name - Hatch-MetEast - and serve students in grades six through 12. Meanwhile Parkside's Forest Hill Elementary, which now serves kindergarten through eighth grade, will next year serve students through fifth grade only."
  22. Trethan, Phaedra. "District: Camden elementary school to close", Courier-Post, March 24, 2017. Accessed December 12, 2017. "Charles Sumner Elementary School will close at the end of the 2016-17 school year, Camden School District officials confirmed in a memo to faculty and staff.The memo, obtained by the Courier-Post, was sent to Sumner staff Thursday morning. In it, schools Superintendent Paymon Rouhanifard said the "difficult decision" was made based on the school building's condition, its enrollment and its performance."
  23. Trethan, Phaedra. "School officials announce plan for when the High is on hiatus", Courier-Post, May 18, 2017. Accessed December 12, 2017. "Officials have a plan for the temporary placement of Camden High School's approximately 500 students as "The Castle on the Hill" is demolished and a new school is constructed. Most of Camden High's students will attend classes at the Cooper B. Hatch Middle School building when classes begin in September, said Superintendent Paymon Rouhanifard in an interview Thursday.... The new Camden High School, a $132.6 million project unanimously approved by the state Schools Development Authority in October, will include four "learning communities" in a state-of-the-art, 242,000-square-foot facility educating about 1,200 students when it's completed in time for the 2021-22 school year, Gov. Chris Christie announced in a visit to Camden last year."
  24. McGreevey Celebrates Schools that are "Getting it Right": Schools of Excellence Winners Demonstrate Effectiveness of Governor's Education Priorities Archived October 18, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey Department of Education press release dated November 211, 2003. Accessed December 15, 2009.
  25. School Data for the Camden City School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed November 1, 2019.
  26. New Jersey School Directory for the Camden City School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed December 29, 2016.
  27. Early Childhood Development Center, Camden City School District. Accessed February 10, 2020.
  28. H.L. Bonsall Annex Preschool Camden City School District. Accessed February 10, 2020.
  29. Riletta Twyne Cream Early Childhood Center, Camden City School District. Accessed February 10, 2020.
  30. Octavius V. Catto Community Family School, Camden City School District. Accessed February 10, 2020.
  31. Cooper's Poynt Family School, Camden City School District. Accessed February 10, 2020.
  32. Alfred Cramer College Preparatory Lab School, Camden City School District. Accessed February 10, 2020.
  33. Dr. Henry H. Davis Family School, Camden City School District. Accessed February 10, 2020.
  34. Thomas H. Dudley Family School, Camden City School District. Accessed February 10, 2020.
  35. Forest Hill Elementary School, Camden City School District. Accessed February 10, 2020.
  36. Harry C. Sharp Elementary School, Camden City School District. Accessed February 10, 2020.
  37. Veterans Memorial Family School, Camden City School District. Accessed February 10, 2020.
  38. Dr. Ulysses S. Wiggins College Preparatory Lab Family School, Camden City School District. Accessed February 10, 2020.
  39. Henry B. Wilson Family School, Camden City School District. Accessed February 10, 2020.
  40. Yorkship Family School, Camden City School District. Accessed February 10, 2020.
  41. Brimm Medical Arts High School, Camden City School District. Accessed February 10, 2020.
  42. Camden Big Picture Learning Academy Middle School, Camden City School District. Accessed February 10, 2020.
  43. Camden Big Picture Learning Academy, Camden City School District. Accessed February 10, 2020.
  44. Camden High School, Camden City School District. Accessed February 10, 2020.
  45. Creative Arts Morgan Village Academy, Camden City School District. Accessed February 10, 2020.
  46. Pride Academy, Camden City School District. Accessed February 10, 2020.
  47. Woodrow Wilson High School, Camden City School District. Accessed February 10, 2020.
  48. Children of Camden get short end of the pencil, The Philadelphia Inquirer, July 6, 2006
  49. NPR: Widespread Fraud Alleged in Camden, N.J. Schools
  50. Via Associated Press. "Only 3 students scored college-ready in Camden", NJ.com, December 18, 2013. Accessed August 27, 2014. "The new school superintendent in Camden says it was a 'kick-in-the-stomach moment' when he learned that only three district high school students who took the SAT this year scored as college-ready."
  51. Burney, Melanie. "At Camden high schools, new security cameras and controlled access", The Philadelphia Inquirer, August 23, 2014. Accessed August 27, 2014.
  52. Leadership Team, Camden City School District. Accessed February 10, 2020.
  53. Superintendent's Corner, Camden City School District. Accessed February 10, 2020.
  54. New Jersey Boards of Education by District Election Types - 2018 School Election, New Jersey Department of Education, updated February 16, 2018. Accessed January 26, 2020.
  55. Comprehensive Annual Financial Report of the Camden School District, New Jersey Department of Education, for year ending June 30, 2018. Accessed February 3, 2020. "The School District is a Type I district located in the County of Camden, State of New Jersey. On June 25, 2013, the State of New Jersey took control of the School District. Consequently, the School District currently operates as a local education agency under N.J.S.A. 18A:7A-34 to 52, 'State Operated School District.'... The Board of Education currently serves as an Advisory Board. The Board is comprised of nine members who serve three-year terms. These terms are staggered so that three member's terms expire each year. Board members are appointed by the City of Camden Mayor."
  56. Advisory Board, Camden City School District. Accessed February 10, 2020. "The Board consists of nine members who serve three-year terms. Board members are appointed by the Mayor of Camden. One student representative and one student alternate represent each of the district's five high school on the board."
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