Mount Laurel Schools

What's New

What fun we have going on in our schools this month!

Countryside first-graders are experiencing other cultures through an International Festival complete with food, dance and song. There will also be a Winter Book Fair at Countryside, a PTO-sponsored Family Game Night, and a Father/Daughter Sweetheart Dance.

At Larchmont, parents will be Dancing with their "Stars" this month, and Parkway and Springville will also host Sweetheart and Father/Daughter Dances. Parkway will also hold its Theater Week Performance this month, and Hartford students will be raising funds through a Volleyball Fundraiser to help in the fight against Parkinson's Disease.

Hillside Hoops will also raise funds for favorite student charities at Hillside, while Springville's Jump Rope For the Heart will benefit the American Heart Association.

The Cat In The Hat will make a special appearance at Fleetwood this month, and throughout the district, reading will be celebrated in numerous ways. Fleetwood students will also take part in a Pennies for Patients collection.

And, throughout the district, students and staff are preparing for March Madness at Hartford and Harrington with assemblies by the Harlem Wizard.

Whoever said that Mount Laurel has no "town center" has not visited our schools recently!

Welcome to the Mount Laurel Schools!

Inspiring Potential. Enriching Futures.

"The speed of communications is wondrous to behold. It is also true that speed can multiply the distribution of information that we know to be untrue."

Edward R. Murrow

Mount Laurel's Board of Education and Administration have established policies and procedures that dictate transparency in all aspects of our operation. You will find board of education meeting agendas, exhibits and minutes posted here each month. Our annual district budget, guides to the curriculum used in our programs and our complete district policy manual are also posted.

But, as Edward R. Murrow noted long before the advent of the Internet, misinformation often travels swiftly. We hope that our website opens the door to conversation with those who use it. If ever you come to this site to confirm information you have heard and are unable to find that validation, please use this link to contact us and pose the question directly. As partners in the education of the children of Mount Laurel, it is incumbent upon each of us to make intelligent use of the tools we have at our disposal.

Questions on Parent Refusal to PARCC Test Answered

Numerous questions have been raised by parents who have submitted letters refusing to have their child participate in PARCC Testing. This letter from Superintendent Dr. Antoinette Rath clarifies the district procedures that are in place for the current PARCC testing period.

Low Cost Preschool Program Offered for 2015-2016 School Year

The Mount Laurel Township Public School District is offering a low cost preschool program for a limited number of four to five-year-old children for the 2015-2016 school year. Classes will be held in our district elementary school buildings. These Preschool Inclusion classes will enroll preschoolers with disabilities along with their peers in order to provide public school opportunities according to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. See more information here.

Do You Have A Little One Joining Us Next Year?

Kindergarten Roundup - March 9 Through March 13

Will your child be five years old on or before October 1? Do you live in Mount Laurel?

If so, you'll want to join us for Kindergarten Roundup Week from March 9 through March 13. That's our annual Kindergarten Roundup Week to register new students coming in next year. You will register your child at the school they will attend. During this special week, there will be plenty of information on hand for you about our schools, as well as "veteran" parents who will help you through the registration process. Here's all of the information you will need. If in doubt about what school your child will attend, call the Office of Communication Services at 856-235-3387.

Extended Kindergarten Option Registration Open Now

Meanwhile, Extended Kindergarten Option (EKO) registration is now open for the 2015-2016 school year for all students entering Mount Laurel Kindergarten in September. You may register for EKO now, but only those children who are officially enrolled for kindergarten in our schools later will be permitted to attend EKO. Registration is open on a first come, first serve basis. Registration forms are available here and at our Extended Day Care office located at 436 Masonville Road. Each registration form must be accompanied with the non-refundable registration fee of $75 and be mailed or hand-delivered to our Extended Daycare Office at 436 Masonville Road. Check out our EKO page for rates, schedules and frequent questions.

The news you've been waiting for! March Madness, 2015.

Sunday March 15th
2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Doors open at 1:15 p.m.
Lenape High School North Gym

This popular event sells out quickly, so make sure to get your tickets soon. To purchase tickets, you can go to the Harlem Wizards website here. Court Side Plus and Reserved Seating are not available on-line and must be purchased through the schools with the attached form. Court Side Plus and Reserved Seating are available on a first come, first served basis.

Here's The Latest News

Center Dedicated to Margaret L. Haynes

The district's Transportation and Learning Center on Mount Laurel Road was formally dedicated to long-time Board of Education Member Margaret L. Haynes on December 16. Haynes has been a member of the board consistently since 1981, and has served in nearly every capacity in terms of leadership and committee work. Dedication of the center in her honor marks the first time in district history that a board member has been so honored. The Thomas Harrington Middle School and the Hattie Britt Board Building were both named for former staff members, but no such honor has ever been bestowed upon a board member.

It's Snow Season!

Receive Mount Laurel Schools Emergency Texts On Your Cell

Emergency texts from the Mount Laurel Schools are the quickest way to stay informed. In order to receive them you must opt-in to the system. To do that, simply text the word subscribe to the number 68453 from your cell phone. You'll receive an immediate reply confirming your subscription to the service. You may sign-up for text messages using this method on as many cell phones as you would like.

Board of Education

Did you know that the Mount Laurel Board of Education meets, in general, twice each month? All of our agendas are posted prior to our meetings, and our minutes are posted on the Board Meeting page once they have been approved. All presentations from staff and administrators made during board meetings are also posted on our meeting page for your review. Stay in the know ... visit that page often!

Board Meetings

The Board of Education's Work Session meeting for March will be held on March 17 and the Regular monthly meeting will be held on March 24 at the Hattie Britt Board of Education Offices, 330 Mount Laurel Road. These meetings are open to the public. The Board welcomes public participation in meetings, and you will find complete agendas and minutes on our webpage throughout the year.

Superintendent

The first week in March will mark the opening of our PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) Testing window. During the month of March, students in Grades 3-8 in our schools will spend approximately five hours testing their knowledge of Language Arts and Math.

For our purposes as a New Jersey Public School District, the mandate is clear. We are compelled to administer the PARCC Test to students in Grades 3-8, both mid-year and at year’s end. Here in Mount Laurel, we stand ready to do that. Over the past two years, we have made the necessary technology available. We have prepared students on how to use that technology to “scroll through” the new computerized test. We have shared some of the new terminology that will likely be used in the test, and have supported the sort of creative thinking that will be required in responding to PARCC questions.

For further information on PARCC, visit our Curriculum & Assessment Webpage.

OUR MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the Mount Laurel Township School District is to prepare all children to be successful citizens and workers in the 21st century. As aligned with the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards, this includes educating students to read with comprehension, write clearly, compute accurately, think critically, reason, discover, innovate, collaborate, and use information to solve problems.

2014 Education Summit Webpage Link

More than 100 community members participated in the district's 2014 Education Summit on May 15. Discussion centered on the transformation facing our schools, namely the new Common Core Standards, the new PARCC Test to be administered in 2015 and student attendance rates. The resulting group discussion led to a number of suggestions for better communication within the community.

Check out our 2014 Summit webpage here to view the presentation and check for frequent updates.

Events Calendar

March 4

Grades K-4 Conferences Evening

Grades 5-8 Conferences Afternoon

Early Dismissal

March 5

Grades K-4 Conferences Afternoon

Grades 5-8 Conferences Evening

Early Dismissal

March 9-13

Kindergarten Round-Up

March 17

Board of Education

Work Session, 7:30 p.m.

March 19

Staff In-Service

Early Dismissal

March 24

Board of Education

Regular Meeting, 7:30 p.m.

April 3

Eve of Passover/Good Friday

Schools Closed

April 6-10

Spring Recess

Schools Closed

April 13

Third Marking Period Ends

April 21

Report Cards Issued

April 21

Board of Education

Work Session, 7:30 p.m.

April 28

Board of Education

Regular Meeting, 7:30 p.m.