The Haddonfield Board of Education plowed through a long agenda Thursday that included a report by board member Dennis Kelleher on the Turf Field Committee’s efforts to raise money for new artificial turf at two fields at Haddonfield Memorial High School.

A recent fundraiser featuring a barbecue and golf tournament at Tavistock Country Club raised approximately $25,000 toward the just over $1 million needed to install new turf, Kelleher said.

“It was really a tremendous thing, a family event. There were about 400 people there (at Tavistock). The turf committee is aiming to raise $500,000 to $600,000 for this project and I think they’ll do that if this event was any indication of all the interest and excitement in the community.”

Borough commissioners agreed to contribute $356,000 toward the just over $1 million cost to resurface the high school football stadium field and an adjacent field. The adjacent field is owned by the borough. The school board previously voted to provide $150,000 toward the effort.

The board voted Thursday to give the turf committee a specific amount of time to raise funds. Board member Heather Paoli said she would like to give the committee enough time to have “flexibility” in its efforts. The board voted unanimously to give the turf committee until the end of the 2013-14 fiscal year—or June 30, 2014—to reach its half-million dollar fundraising target.

Tuition, bullying, goodbye

In other business, the board discussed the current tuition rate at Haddonfield schools. In the 2012-13 budget cycle, yearly tuition was $2,000 for inclusive preschool, $9,900 for grades six, seven and eight and $11,250 for grades nine through 12. Board member Joe Ehrhardt answered questions about the alternative revenue committee’s work on tuition rates and class sizes.  Asked by Paoli whether the committee had discussed raising tuition rates, Ehrhardt responded, “We have not.”

“Would you consider that?” Paoli asked.

“I would not,” he said.

In other news, Superintendent of Schools Richard Perry discussed the school’s (and the State of New Jersey’s) mandate on how school officials deal with harassment, intimidation and bullying. “Of 76 alleged incidents of bullying among our students, 22 of those incidents were confirmed,” Perry said.

Board President Steve Weinstein asked Perry, “What do you think of those numbers?”

Perry said, “I think we’re doing well. We’re creating a culture of respect. The students understand our policy. And the parents are becoming more aware of their role.”

The board tackled a long agenda in one expeditious move. Weinstein, with board approval, consolidated 51 agenda items into a single consent vote. Those items received unanimous approval in their first reading.

The board also said farewell to Board Secretary/Business Administrator Andrew Hall, who is leaving to become an executive of a local company.

“I’m sad to see him go. I’ve never seen a better business administrator,” Perry said.