CAMDEN, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — The reorganization plan for Camden schools has been approved by state education officials. Camden City School District officials confirm three schools will close, not four like initially proposed in January.
Yorkship will not be closing, despite needing between $12 and $13 million dollars in repairs. Superintendent Katrina McCombs said the decision to keep it open was based on three factors.
"The governor's increase in state aid for fiscal year '22 was a key driver. Also, Yorkship is the only school of any school type in its neighborhood — there are no other charter, renaissance, traditional public school or private schools," she said. "And also, Yorkship’s enrollment is strong with 85-percent of its seats filled."
Sharp, Wiggins and Cramer remain on the closure list. McCombs says she understands why people are frustrated about that.
"Every family that’s impacted by these school closures, regardless of how far they live from their new school, they will receive transportation to their new schools," she assured.
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McCombs said the district on the whole needs more than $100 million of work, and the next steps include finalizing the details of the renovations with the money available to the district. That number has also not been finalized.
District-guaranteed seats are as follows:
• Sharp School:
o Students entering grades K to five will go to Veterans Memorial School
o Students entering grades six to eight will go to Davis School
• Cramer School:
o All students will go to Davis school
• Wiggins School:
o Students entering grades K to five will go to Forest Hill School
o Students entering grades six to eight will go to Creative Arts Morgan Village Academy