School closing may solve financial woes ■ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Board working to trim budget By David Thaler Fenske Monday night hinted that the size now is 25. Increasing it to 29 would save MATAWAN board might find the remaining $300,000 to an estimated $50,000 to $60,000. Faced with the need to cut more than be cut by closing an elementary school. • But Marie Panos, MRTA president, said $700,000, the Board of Education last night “I don’t see how you can avoid discussing that reducing the class size to 15 students began working on a preliminary budget for it,” he said. would save money. 1984-85. Hall reportedly is ready to recommend < “With that level of individualization,” she The board’s finance committee presented closing the Broad Street School and the ad­ i said, “we might be able to avoid some re­ both the preliminary budget and a list of jacent administration building. The ad­ mediation problems” in higher grades. proposed program cuts at a meeting held ministrative offices would be moved to the The smaller classes, she said, “would be last night. Cambridge Park School, which was closed cost-effective.” Dr. Richard Brown, finance committee last year. The district has been ordered by the state chairman, said the board plans to adopt a Closing a school would save an estimated to increase its high school classes to 40 tentative budget by Feb. 2. The budget often $260,000 to $300,000, administrators have minutes. The board has responded by decid­ is changed between the time it is tentatively said. ing to switch from nine periods to eight a adopted and the time it is placed on the The finance committee last night present­ day. ballot, said Board President Robert Fenske. ed a “laundry list” of proposed cuts. On the Ms. Panos urged the board to retain the But the budget submitted to the county list were the driver’s education and summer nine-period schedule. superintendent of schools on Feb. 2, Fenske school programs. In switching to an eight-period schedule, commented, “tends to set a maximum.” In previous years, the board has eliminat­ she said, “you are severely limiting the pro­ The district is limited to a 6.14 percent in­ ed the two programs several times. Each grams children can take. It is a disservice to crease in spending for current expenses. time, however, it has restored them. students.” The limit, or cap, is set by the state. The The Matawan Regional Teachers Assn. The nine-period day, she said, could be re­ district’s 1983-84 budget totals $20 million. urged the board Monday night to establish tained without increasing the district’s costs Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kenneth “an optimum class size” of 15 students in significantly. • % Hall said he would recommend applying ap- grades K-5, retain a nine-period schedule at The summer enrichment program, Ms. 1 proximately $200,000 of the district’s the high school, establish a summer enrich­ Panos said, could include a computer $320,000 surplus to the proposed budget. ment program. workshop and a science enrichment pro­ Another $200,000, he said, could be trimmed One of the options the board is considering gram. ROBERT FENSKE without having “much of an impact on our in an effort to pare its budget is increasing “You already have a performing arts pro­ programs.” class sizes in grades 3-5. The average class gram in the summer,” she said. Three bid to replace Somma as Huskies' head grid coach MATAWAN The position was not advertised outside A former coach and two assistant coaches the district this year, Valcarcel said. The have applied for the vacant head football decision to advertise only within the district coaching job at Matawan Regional High virtually assures that the new coach will be School, The Independent has learned. either Rizzo or Martucci. Barry Rizzo, who coached the Huskies for Faced with that choice last year—and a more than two decades before retiring four vocal faction supporting each can­ years ago, has submitted an application, ac­ didate—the board brought in Somma. cording to a. reliable source. Martucci, a former player and an assist­ “I haven’t received it,” said Deputy ant coach under Rizzo, Britton, and Somma, Superintedent of Schools Dario Valcarcel, applied for the position last year. “’but it could be at the high school.” The deadline for applications is Monday, Valcarcel said he had received applica­ Valcarcel said. The administration is ex­ tions from Joseph Martucci and Sam pected to make a recommendation to the Turner, who are now assistant coaches. board soon after the deadline. Rizzo also sought to come out of retire­ Rizzo, who coached several championship ment last year when Leon “Butch” Britton teams, was one of the few coaches in the resigned. But the Board of Education in­ state who still used the single-wing offense. stead hired Donald Somma, head coach at Britton abandoned the single-wing when he Elizabeth High School. took over. Rizzo has said that he would Somma resigned last month. restore it if he returned to the sidelines. Vote to be held March 6 « » School bus referendum slated HAZLET The state reimburses the district for bus A referendum on school busing will be transportation only for students who live at held March 6, the Board of Education decid­ least two miles from school. ed last week. The board’s vote was 7-2 in favor of the Although the referendum will not be bind­ referendum. ing, several board members have said the Board members Pauline Stevens and board will follow voters’ wishes. Martin Marino voted against the referen­ Residents will be asked if students living dum, criticizing it because it is not binding. in 11 locations should ride buses to their Since the board has already recognized 11 schools for the rest of this school year. hazardous routes, Ms. Stevens said, it A separate question will ask if the stu­ should provide transportation. dents should ride buses to school in 1984-85. The board decided to hold a referendum The students all Jive less than two miles on hazardous-route busing after parents from school, but walk to school along roads who live near Lillian Driv.e asked the board Ready for summer which the board believes are hazardous. to provide buses for children from that area The approximate cost of busing the stu­ who attend Union Avenue Middle School. A snowman at tfie Soldi house, ,616 Poole Ave., Union Beach, was ready for summer swim­ dents for the rest of this year is $38,480. The The parents said that Middle Road was ming Sunday with a visor, sunglasses, pail, and tube. Area residents were also wishing for cost for 1984-85 has been estimated at more too hazardous a route for the students to summer last weekend as temperatures dipped below zero. (Photo by Chuck Steiner) than $170,000. walk. 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