• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

# Jofn t Fr*ee ., ? ^ 1 c l i b r a r y 6 5 M a in S t . ^ a n , N .J . 0 77 4 7 W. Keansburg parents petition board to keep elementary school open By Dave McGrath Two years ago, the board had proposed dents would be housed in two schools, and all The board could close one of the schools in the board voted to close one or more schools, The parents contested some of the school dis­ When the Board of Education votes next closing the W. Keansburg School to deal with pupils in grades 4-6 would be assigned to two the center or the western parts of the town­ it would direct school administrators to fur­ trict’s estimates for the conversion and said week on a controversial proposal to restruc­ declining enrollment. The issue was linked others ship without seriously disrupting the neigh­ nish recommendations for specific locations. that increased tranportation costs could nulli­ borhood school concept, Ms. Ackerson said. ture the school district elementary schools, with a proposal to convert one of the d istrict’s •Establish two schools at opposite ends of the One of the primary reasons for the propo­ fy the gains. other elementary schools to a middle school. But if the W. Keansburg School is closed, W. The Concerned Parents of W. Keansburg township for grades 7-8, two for grades K-3, sal. according to Ms. Mitchell, is economics. Strong public pressure, especially from W. Keansburg north of Route 36 would not have a The board could finance the conversion want to make sure that the W. Keansburg and two for grades 4-6. As enrollment drops, she said, it becomes School will not be closed. Keansburg parents, forced the board to neighborhood school. costs with some of its $500,000 surplus, Ms. more costly to educate students in neighbor­ Mitchell said. It could also raise the money The board has scheduled a special meeting shelve the plan in favor of further study. The W. Keansburg group says that closing W. Keansburg, according to Laura Moran, hood schools. through its annual captial expense budget or for Monday to decide whether one or more of Two years later, after reports from a its local elementary school, which houses 197 another leader of the parents' group, has long a bond issue, both of which would require the district’s eight elementary schools will be citizens committee and Superintendent of students in grades K-6, would destroy a been the township’s “poor cousin." The sec­ With centralized schools, students could be voters' approval. closed as a response to declining enrollment. Schools Roman Cabrera, the board appears to “neighborhood school.” tion has been the victim of discrimination, she grouped and “tracked" more efficiently, school officials say, resulting in lessons which However, according to Board President Bon­ be ready to decide the issue. They contend that the school is still crowd­ added. The board has not retained an architect to are targeted more directly to students’ learn­ nie Mitchell, the board will vote on only the Earlier this year, Cabrera offered four ed and there are other schools in the district study the conversion costs, Ms. Mitchell said, "This discrimination disgusts me,” she ing abilities. concept of a school closing—no school will be alternatives to deal with declining enroll­ which would be better candidates for closing. making its cost estimates tentative at best. said. specifically mentioned in the resolution. ment: “If you look at a map of the township, you One economic advantage of the proposed Much of the school district’s problem, Ms. The meeting will be held at 8 p.m. at Rari­ •Phase out some of the elementary schools will see that in the central part of the town The parents said they were not trying to plans, Ms. Mitchell said, would be a reduced Mitchell said, results from the days when the tan High School. and assign students attending them to “near­ there are three or four schools clustered to­ “sectionalize” the township, but thought that teaching force. If the neighborhood school township was developing. In anticipation of the vote, the Concerned by schools.” The remaining schools would gether,” said Elaine Ackerson, a leader of the an organized effort is the best way they could system were to remain in place, she said, the “The town grew so fast,” she said. "It Parents of W. Keansburg held a press con­ house grades K-8. Concerned Parents. “And then there are two protect their neighborhood school. teaching staff would have to remain relative­ seemed like every year there was another ference Monday morning to say that they do •Assign students in grades 7-8 to one school (a other schools very close to each other at the They also did not link their opposition to a ly stable, despite lower class sizes. school going up. They were like mushrooms, not want the W. Keansburg School closed. middle school) and redistribute K-6 students other end of town.” W. Keansburg closing with opposition to a But if the classes were centralized, fewer going up overnight.” They have circulated a petition, signed by in “ nearby schools.” One variation of the plan Cove Road, Sycamore Drive, Middle Road, middle school. Ms. Ackerson said she could teachers would be required, saving tax dol­ Now, in many of the developments, there more than 600 people, asking the board not to calls for one school to house all seventh- and and Union Avenue schools are all located in see benefits accruing from a middle school lars. are far fewer children than there once were, close the school. eighth-grade students and use the remaining the center of the township. The Raritan Val­ while others doubted that a middle school Ms. Mitchell emphasized that the plan she said. The board will also vote Monday, Ms. seven schools for grades K-6. ley and Beers Street schools are located in the would be as economical as the neighborhood would only offset anticipated tax increas­ “You know one way I can tell—Halloween.” Mitchell said, on the separate issue of •Establish one school for grades 7-8 and western section of the township and W. school concept. es—not result in lower taxes. she said. “There used to be 300 kids coming to whether to establish a central middle school redistrict the township to place grades K-6 in Keansburg and Lillian Drive schools are in Ms. Mitchell, who attended the press con­ Conversion of an elementary school to a my house every year. Now I’m lucky if I get for grades 7-8. four schools, closing three others. All K-3 stu­ the eastern section. ference at the parents' request, said that if middle school would require additional costs. 100." THE Holmdel teen wins First issue remem bered top equestrian honors: on In depen den t s Page 14 In d e p e n d e n t 10th birthday: Page 4 ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ The Weekly Newspaper vol. n no. 2 W ednesday, Nov. 12, 1980 2 0 C e n t s Parents, clerg y ask state educaton chief to veto M ataw an sex education curriculum By Judith McGee Feeney ard, James Shea, Geraldine and George •Develop an entirely new family life educa­ classes, and demonstrate that parents have community,” he said. “The district has not the law was broken," said Shea, an officer of MATAWAN Brungard, Richard Caldwell, Bayleh and tion curriculum. the opportunity to review course materials demonstrated full community involvement.” the Cardinal Newman Council of the Knights A group of 15 parents, residents, and Herbert Feder, Elizabeth Anne Ebert, the •“Demonstrate, before implementing the before they are asked if their children should The district responded that it has fulfilled of Columbus v clergymen have petitioned the state commis­ Rev. Vincent Lloyd, and Walter Byrne. curriculum, that it was developed ‘through be excused from classes. the state requirements, DiMaio said Monday. Last month, the council approved a $500 ex­ sioner of education to declare the Matawan- “This isn’t a suit,” Foss said, “because a After he receives notice of the district’s penditure to “hire an attorney and sue the The petition asks Commissioner Fred appropriate consultation and participation of. suit has the connotation of seeking damages. response, Foss said, the State Office of Ad­ board for its failure to comply with the N.J. Aberdeen Regional School District’s sex edu­ Burke to suspend the instruction of Matawan- teachers, school adminisistrators. parents ministrative Law will probably set a hearing Administrative Code," according to a recent cation curriculum invalid. Aberdeen’s Family Living and Sexuality cur­ and guardians, pupils in grades 9 to 12, physi­ We are really petitioning the commissioner The Board of Education received notice of for a ruling.” date. council newsletter. riculum immediately, said the petitioners’ cians, members of the clergy, and represen­ Proof tbat the district has not properly State officials “have not said” whether they The Knights’ Monmouth County Chapter the petition Monday. Board Attorney Vincent lawyer, Roger Foss of Red Bank. tative members of the community,’ as is re­ DiMaio said that the district would respond quired by ..a regulation of the Dept, of Ed^cs,- developed the curriculum will “be developed will «o*\sider the request tc halt instruction gave Ihe council $250 tc pursue tlie c a s e , thi* newsletter said, and Chapter 4, which in­ y e s te rd a y . According to Foss, the petition also de­ tion that was effective Aug! 7." at a hearitag,” Foss said.

Load more

  20

Copy Link