Holly Glen teachers expressed additional concerns about teaching materials for the upcoming school year, and Superintendent Charles Earling commended students for their March 14 ‘sit-in’ demonstration.
By Krista Cerminaro
The 2018–19 budget, plans for relocation of Holly Glen Elementary School students and staff for the next school year and the most recent walkout in honor of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students were among topics addressed at the Monroe Township Board of Education meeting on Thursday, March 15.
In regard to placement of Holly Glen students next year, Superintendent Charles Earling stated he, along with Holly Glen faculty, administration and staff, would look into one additional site, Open Bible Baptist Church on Radix Road. The issue with this site, according to Earling, is that while there are classrooms and a gymnasium, they wouldn’t be able to serve hot lunches, and there is no main office location or cafeteria.
Earling’s recommendation, along with the elementary school principals and curriculum specialists, was to keep grades two and three at Radix Elementary School and grades four in the Williamstown High School downstairs K-wing, and shift kindergarten and first-graders to Whitehall, where they’ll be able to occupy classrooms. Special services students would remain at Oak Knoll Elementary School. Earling also said that all children, including walkers, would be bused.
This, according to Earling, would eliminate overcrowded class sizes.
“We do not want to put the students and staff back in Holly Glen until that place has been cleared, and the new HVAC system installed,” Earling said. “We do want to get them back into their school building. It’s just a matter now, of the money and the time.”
Parents expressed concerns about their students arriving home at different times, and Holly Glen teachers inquired about what to do as far as supplies lost from their classrooms, for the upcoming school year.
Holly Glen teacher Kimberly Jezak noted she and her colleagues are concerned about the teaching materials they’ve accumulated throughout the years, such as books, bulletins, toys, and other supplies — and whether they can be salvaged or must be replaced.
“I spend hours on the weekends remaking stuff. Could you imagine being a brand new teacher and knowing that 21 years of stuff is sitting in a classroom?” Jezak said. “That’s a topic of conversation in our building every single day — how can we teach with just manuals? You can’t teach with just manuals. If you do, then your students are missing a lot.”
Jezak also noted they’ve requested multiple times to have their materials cleaned.
Board member Anthony Ayres noted they’re trying to take cleaned supplies and get them back to teachers. Once the school’s cleaned and deemed safe, according to Ayres, inventory can be taken.
“Last week, we got boxes, and as we were opening them, we broke out in a rash and our throats closed up, and we had to send them back,” another teacher noted.
“What we need to know is your concerns,” said president George Caruso. “Once we have them, we can present them and see what direction we can go in. Once we know that, then decisions can be made on reimbursement and things like that.”
Earling stated an AllRisk representative would be present at the April 5 meeting to address concerns.
Jezak also questioned what would happen if the referendum to fix Holly Glen does not pass.
“We can appeal it to the governor,” said Earling. “Delsea was in that situation, and the state came in and ruled they must do the construction.”
Earling also addressed when Delsea appealed to the government, the funds were imposed on taxpayers.
The board motioned to approve a budget meeting for Thursday, March 22 at 7 p.m., to discuss budget topics such as priorities and how to allocate additional aid, according to business administrator and board secretary Lisa Schulz.
According to figures released by the state Department of Education, the total state aid for Monroe Township school district is $37,527,604.
“The district did receive an additional $1.7 million in state aid, over and above what we received last year,” Schulz stated.
The board also approved a motion to increase the tax levy by 2 percent for the 2018–19 school budget, in the amount of $991,858 — for a total tax levy for 2018–19 of $50,584,710.
According to Schulz, the 2 percent increase amounts to roughly 3.8 cents, which equals an increase of about $77 per year on the average home — the average home value being $203,096.
Earling also commended student leaders, administrators and the WHS and WMS community for their “sit-in” demonstration in place of a walkout on March 14.
“In what was supposed to be a march out, it was a ‘sit-in.’ It was a well-behaved demonstration, a lot of respect. A lot of planning was put into this, to honor and recognize those that lost their lives in Parkland, Fla.,” Earling said. “I cannot thank you enough for the tremendous behavior and respect displayed by our student body — not only in the high school, but in the middle school as well. As we know, in some places in the country, the demonstrations were not as successful as we had here in Monroe Township, so again — congratulations to all of you. Unbelievable job.”
In other news:
• Resolution 7, approval to adopt the Professional Medical staffing, LLC agreement to supply district schools with certified substitute nurses, was pulled from operations and finance.
• The board addressed the need for more competitive pay rates for substitute teachers.
“We aren’t competitive, and all the quality subs are going into districts that are paying more,” chairperson James Henderson said.
• The board estimated a $2.2 million increase in discretionary services is needed in terms of the budget.
• The board motioned to approve professional services associated with the track repairs, and noted that $40,000 allocated to repair it will stay with the track.
• Earling read a statement from Monroe Township Chief of Police John McKeown about the danger of rumors, noting that senior leadership of MTPD and senior leadership of MT school district met to discuss safety of students, staff and community at large.
“We continue to have a great working relationship that’s built on mutual concern for safety of, and service to, our community. Your safety is our priority. Second, any potential threat that becomes known to the schools or the police is addressed in a collaborative process — this process is thorough and follows current law, and is confidential. The police department does not disclose information on the existence of substance of investigations to satisfy the public’s curiosity. We will promptly disclose information that is necessary to ensure the safety of our community. Third, parents teachers and students need to stop spreading gossip, rumors and hearsay. We waste countless hours of investigating misinformation,” McKeown said in a statement read by Earling.
A copy of the meeting agenda can be found online at www.monroetwp.k12.nj.us.
