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LAURELTON SCHOOL AND PRIMARY LEARNING CENTER TO CLOSE
By Keith Hagarty
At the end of the school year, both the Laurelton School and Primary Learning Center will be closed, the Township Board of Education announced this week.
While the Laurelton School had been discussed in recent weeks as a likely option for closing to help ease the school district's budget gap, the Primary Learning Center (PLC), which houses the township's kindergarten classes, was the latest option after parents recently spoke out against the idea of closing the Osbornville and Herbertsville elementary schools.
The announcement came this week as the board voted 5 to 2 to introduce its 2008-2009 school budget.
The district's original budget request was for $142.2 million, however, with a four percent state cap limiting the increased size of the budget to $130.7 million, the district had to find $11.4 million to cut from its initial proposal.
To further bridge the budget gap, the board also plans to eliminate four teaching and six special education paraprofessionals from special education for a savings of $403,450. In addition, six new teaching positions originally slated for the upcoming school year will no longer be created, saving $492,400. Another $1,082,937 would come from surplus, the board stated.
According to interim Schools Superintendent Melindo Persi, closing the Laurelton School would produce a savings of $24,675, while closing the PLC would save the district $856,625 in savings in administration and support staff costs. Brick's kindergarten classes would be moved to the remainder of the town's elementary schools.
One of the options previously discussed by district officials and the Township Board of Education to offset the district's anticipated loss in revenue centered on closing three township schools. That move would have netted an overall savings of $1.92 million. Officials estimated $1,136,639 could have been saved with the closing of Osbornville Elementary School, $765,242 from closing Herbertsville Elementary School and another $24,675 could be realized by eliminating the Laurelton School.
Persi said closing the schools could help offset an expected $3.5 million shortfall the district is facing this year because of state cap restrictions.
Assistant Superintendent Walter Hrycenko said closing three schools would have increased class sizes in the remaining schools. Average class size now ranges from 19 to 25 students; that would increase to upwards of 20 to 27 students if three schools are closed.
Some of the weaknesses district officials pointed to, which need to be improved upon in the upcoming school year, include: curriculum coordination, adequate special education supervision, security coordination and overall consistent communication.
When developing the budget, some notable problems routinely surfaced, according to officials. Some included inadequate state support, six years of flat state aid funding, a new state funding formula working against the district, the overall fiscal climate of the community, declining enrollment and a growing percentage of special needs students.
State aid for the 2008-2009 school year is expected to be $39.8 million, said Persi, an increase of $780,838 from last year's total of $39.04 million.
Over the last five years, overall student enrollment in the district has decreased by 1,240 children, with a reduction of 257 high school students, 354 middle school students, 518 elementary school students and 111 prekindergarten and kindergarten students.
Last year, voters overwhelmingly approved the $120 million 2007-2008 school budget 5,944 votes for to 3,762 against. About $80 million of last year's budget funded through local property taxes, resulting in a 6.26-cent tax rate increase.
After rejecting three of the five school budgets proposed by the board, voters also approved the special questions on last year's ballot with a resounding "yes."
One of the questions posed to voters requested $300,000 in funding to continue courtesy busing for students living less than two miles from school. Courtesy busing is not mandated by the state.
Voters also approved about $800,000 for extracurricular activities, including athletics and school clubs. Had the question been rejected by voters, school officials said middle school sports and high school clubs would have been on the chopping block.
Another $275,000 was approved for security enhancements in the school district, including the installation of security cameras and identification technology.
Also approved was a one-time $4.4 million expenditure for roof repairs and security upgrades. About $1.7 million of the repair funds came from the state with plans calling for roof repairs at both high schools, the Herbertsville annex, Veterans Memorial Middle School and Lake Riviera Middle School.
While the budget was introduced this week, board members noted that the overall budget process may still last a couple of months, with figures possibly changing in the coming weeks.
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