Post by Marc LeVine on Nov 29, 2006 10:24:46 GMT -5
District contemplates next step in school space issue
Freehold may conduct survey to gauge what residents might support
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO
Staff Writer
FREEHOLD - School administrators are continuing their effort to find the space they need for the district's 1,371 pupils because, as Board of Education President Jim Keelan said, "This problem is not going to go away."
The district operates two elementary schools and one intermediate school in addition to an off-campus preschool program. Administrators say the district's three schools are operating above their functional capacities and that more educational space is needed.
The district is a total of 270 children over capacity in its three buildings, Keelan said.
District administrators said the functional capacity of the Park Avenue Elementary School is 390 pupils; the enrollment is 451. The functional capacity of the Freehold Learning Center elementary school is 460 pupils; the enrollment is 529. The functional capacity of the Freehold Intermediate School is 270 pupils; the enrollment is 391.
According to administrators, in 1998 the district's total enrollment stood at 1,085 pupils. That figure had increased to 1,356 in 2002-03; to 1,379 in 2003-04; and it dropped back to 1,348 pupils in 2004-05 before rising to 1,362 in 2005-06 and to the present enrollment of 1,371 pupils.
Twice in the past year, residents rejected a construction referendum that would have created new classroom space and relocated the district's administrative offices.
So what's next?
Discussions with administrators from other school districts and meetings with borough officials; research into additional grants; exploring the possibility of additional funding from sources other than taxpayers; and investigating space in other areas of town are all under way.
One initiative located Zander Consul-ting, whose services may be enlisted to assist in the preparation of a community survey that would be aimed at determining what type of school construction project, if any, voters would support.
According to Superintendent of Schools Elizabeth O'Connell, "We need to gather information on why the last two referendums failed. We need to find out why the residents voted this down twice and find out what they would be willing to support. I don't want to have a third defeat."
Zander Consulting, a school communications firm based in Sparta, has worked with other districts, according to O'Connell, who said she is comfortable with the firm's experience in the area.
Money for the survey would come from the superintendent's account, which she said is used for non-instructional items.
"We do not want to take money from instructional accounts," O'Connell said, adding that administrators are working with the Freehold Borough Educational Foundation, which has offered its assistance.
O'Connell said it will be up to the board to decide if it wants to proceed with the survey.
Administrators dealing with the crunch in classroom space moved the district's preschool program to the First Presbyterian Church, West Main Street, in September, according to Keelan. The district's enrollment figure of 1,371 pupils includes the 4-year-olds who attend preschool at the off-campus site.
Keelan said although the rent that the district is paying to the church for the use of its facilities is reasonable, "those are still dollars we could have used for educational purposes, rather than rent."
In addition to possibly developing the community survey, school administrators are also taking a closer look at how services may be shared with other agencies.
According to Business Administrator Veronica Wolf, the district already shares services with the municipality, such as fuel, lawn and ground maintenance, and snowplowing.
Wolf said she will be meeting with administrators from the Freehold Regional High School District to brainstorm ideas in the hope of sharing additional services.
Freehold may conduct survey to gauge what residents might support
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO
Staff Writer
FREEHOLD - School administrators are continuing their effort to find the space they need for the district's 1,371 pupils because, as Board of Education President Jim Keelan said, "This problem is not going to go away."
The district operates two elementary schools and one intermediate school in addition to an off-campus preschool program. Administrators say the district's three schools are operating above their functional capacities and that more educational space is needed.
The district is a total of 270 children over capacity in its three buildings, Keelan said.
District administrators said the functional capacity of the Park Avenue Elementary School is 390 pupils; the enrollment is 451. The functional capacity of the Freehold Learning Center elementary school is 460 pupils; the enrollment is 529. The functional capacity of the Freehold Intermediate School is 270 pupils; the enrollment is 391.
According to administrators, in 1998 the district's total enrollment stood at 1,085 pupils. That figure had increased to 1,356 in 2002-03; to 1,379 in 2003-04; and it dropped back to 1,348 pupils in 2004-05 before rising to 1,362 in 2005-06 and to the present enrollment of 1,371 pupils.
Twice in the past year, residents rejected a construction referendum that would have created new classroom space and relocated the district's administrative offices.
So what's next?
Discussions with administrators from other school districts and meetings with borough officials; research into additional grants; exploring the possibility of additional funding from sources other than taxpayers; and investigating space in other areas of town are all under way.
One initiative located Zander Consul-ting, whose services may be enlisted to assist in the preparation of a community survey that would be aimed at determining what type of school construction project, if any, voters would support.
According to Superintendent of Schools Elizabeth O'Connell, "We need to gather information on why the last two referendums failed. We need to find out why the residents voted this down twice and find out what they would be willing to support. I don't want to have a third defeat."
Zander Consulting, a school communications firm based in Sparta, has worked with other districts, according to O'Connell, who said she is comfortable with the firm's experience in the area.
Money for the survey would come from the superintendent's account, which she said is used for non-instructional items.
"We do not want to take money from instructional accounts," O'Connell said, adding that administrators are working with the Freehold Borough Educational Foundation, which has offered its assistance.
O'Connell said it will be up to the board to decide if it wants to proceed with the survey.
Administrators dealing with the crunch in classroom space moved the district's preschool program to the First Presbyterian Church, West Main Street, in September, according to Keelan. The district's enrollment figure of 1,371 pupils includes the 4-year-olds who attend preschool at the off-campus site.
Keelan said although the rent that the district is paying to the church for the use of its facilities is reasonable, "those are still dollars we could have used for educational purposes, rather than rent."
In addition to possibly developing the community survey, school administrators are also taking a closer look at how services may be shared with other agencies.
According to Business Administrator Veronica Wolf, the district already shares services with the municipality, such as fuel, lawn and ground maintenance, and snowplowing.
Wolf said she will be meeting with administrators from the Freehold Regional High School District to brainstorm ideas in the hope of sharing additional services.
