Dear Parents and Community Members,

I am having surgery on Monday, January 14th and will be out of the district for at least two months.

I have been going through a series of tests since September and I must have the Mitral Valve and the Aortic Valve in my heart replaced. During an open heart procedure two mechanical valves will replace the current valves.

The prognosis is positive and I am with a wonderful team of doctors and an excellent surgeon.

I will be completely out of touch with the district for a couple of weeks. During my absence, I have no doubt that the great work that goes on in each of the buildings will continue on a daily basis.

In my absence, CHPS community members should follow the normal chain of command regarding any questions or concerns. This means starting at the building level with your child's teacher, contacting your building principal if the concern is not resolved, and, if the concern still remains unresolved, contacting Assistant Superintendent Dr. Justin Smith at justsmith@chclc.org or (856) 429-5600 extension 4301.

All district business will continue as usual. Board of Education meetings and Board Committee meetings also will take place as scheduled.

I appreciate your positive thoughts, prayers and acts of kindness toward one another in my absence. I look forward to seeing you all again soon!

Sincerely,

Joseph Meloche

Superintendent, Cherry Hill Public Schools

Please note the following Road Work Alerts:

• Yorkshire Road will be CLOSED TO ALL TRAFFIC between Douglas Road and Bradford Road, between 7:30 am and 3 pm on Wednesday 01/16/19 through Friday 01/18/19, for emergency underground sewer repairs.

• Kingsport Road will be CLOSED TO ALL TRAFFIC at King George Road, between 7:30 am and 3 pm on Thursday 01/17/19 through Friday 01/18/19, also for emergency sewer repairs.

Please be prepared to use alternate routes and expect delays.

Kindergarten and first grade registration (for children entering public school for the first time) for the 2019-2020 school year will begin on February 1, 2019. Children must be five years old on before October 1, 2019 in order to be eligible for kindergarten. Dates for registration at specific schools, as well as information on the registration process, are available online.

Dates and times for the CHPS Middle School Information Nights for 5th graders and their parents are now available online.

The selection process for the prestigious Governor's School of New Jersey has begun, and school districts are invited to identify high-achieving high school juniors who may be interested in these rigorous and demanding STEM summer residential academic programs.

Two programs are available to students in 2019. The Governor's School of Engineering and Technology will be hosted at Rutgers University from June 30-July 26, 2019, and the Governor's School in the Sciences will be hosted at Drew University from July 14-Aug. 3, 2019.

The Governor's School is open to outstanding juniors selected by their high schools, and the program is free of tuition and fees.

Applications and information for the Governor's School in the Sciences and Governor's School of Engineering and Technology are available online

• The Governor's School in the Sciences (GSS) Application
• The Governor's School of Engineering and Technology (GSET) Application

Applications are due by Jan. 10, 2019.

High schools with up to 325 juniors may submit one application for each of the Governor's School programs. High schools with between 326 and 650 juniors may nominate two applicants for each of the two programs, and high schools with 651 or more juniors may nominate three applicants for each program.

For more information, please contact the program administrators. For the Governor's School in the Sciences: Adam Cassano at govschool@drew.edu. For the Governor's School of Engineering & Technology: Jean Patrick Antoine at gsetrutgers@gmail.com.

The preliminary results of the December 11, 2018 Bond Referendum Special Election show a "no" vote for all three questions presented to voters. Absentee ballots that are postmarked today, December 11, 2018 will still be accepted by the election office and counted as long as they are received by December 13th.

The Administration and Board will engage in discussion at the Board of Education Meeting on Tuesday, December 18, 2018 regarding the next election date.