Hazlet posts school changes on the Web

Maps of new boundary lines and an explanation of the Hazlet School District's reconfiguration are available on the district's Web site to provide transparency about the preschool program redesign.

The new Early Childhood Learning Center, to be located at the Sycamore Drive School, will house 10 full-day kindergarten classes as well as the expanded full-day preschool program.

Under the restructuring, Lillian Drive School, Middle Road School and Raritan Valley School will house grades one through four, while Beers Street School and Cove Road School will contain grades five and six.

To comply with state mandates, the Hazlet School District restructured the six elementary schools and created an Early Childhood Learning Center, according to Schools Superintendent William O. George.

The district Board of Education passed a resolution on Nov. 24 that authorized the changes in grades preschool through sixth, effective for the 2009-10 school year.

Now that the boundary lines have been drawn, the district is looking at transportation issues.

"Transportation is the next priority now that the boundary lines have been established," the Web site states. "We will evaluate all transportation routes in the district for potentially increasing the number of students we currently bus and establishing route times. By state law, we are responsible to bus all high school students that live more than 2.5 miles or elementary students that live more than 2 miles away from the school they attend."

According to the Web site, the current projection is for 28 preschool students, who would be split into two classes.

"The state calculates our targeted population by using a formula for the number of students receiving free or reduced-cost lunch in the district," the site explains.

All six elementary schools in the district currently house kindergarten through sixthgrade classes and the district currently has a preschool program for children with special needs.

Transportation is provided for students crossing hazardous state highways or roads lacking sidewalks.

George has said that he wants to make the process of reconfiguring and redistricting the district's preschool through sixthgrade classes as transparent as possible and has posted all of his presentations and questions and answers on the district Web site.

A posting on the Web site states that the district is looking into keeping students with the friends they have made in earlier grades.

"Efforts will be made to place students in classes with peers from their previous schools," the Web site states. "In addition, students from different schools will be integrated into these classes to ensure that the children can develop positive peer relationships with students from all sending schools."

A concern among parents at the board meetings has been whether the classrooms are equipped with bathrooms for the preschoolers and kindergartners, since bathrooms must be either in the classroom or in a nearby classroom for the youngest students.

"Bathrooms will be located in close proximity to all kindergarten classrooms, and students will be properly supervised for bathroom breaks," the Web site states. "Water fountains in the hallways will be modified for younger students. Additionally, sinks with water fountains will be installed in all classrooms."

Some parents have been concerned about how the changes will be funded.

"Funds are budgeted every year for facility enhancements," the Web site states. "A portion of the budgeted funds will be allocated to complete the necessary improvements to the Sycamore Drive School [including classroom renovations and bathroom upgrades]."

According to the Web site, the board could apply to the executive county superintendent for permission to re-allocate some or all of the $250,000 budgeted for the West Keansburg School lease purchase. The board had attempted to purchase the vacant school building but was not the winning bidder.

In addition, the district is applying for state grants to fund 40 percent of the facility costs.

George has said that the reason for the redesign is to create consistent class sizes across district elementary schools, and to provide subject-specific instruction in grades five and six as well as to reduce duplication of services in elementary grades, including special education, child study team, basic skills, etc.

"We will be able to have full-day kindergarten with no additional personnel," George said during a previous presentation. "It will best utilize our current physical plant."

He also said the new structure would help foster small learning communities while increasing opportunities for student socialization with age-appropriate peers.

At all of George's presentations over the past months, he has told concerned parents that the changes are being done for a reason.

"No change for change's sake," has been his mantra.

He said that geographic proximity to each school is a priority, and he listed the criteria for building assignments.

Students' schools will be based on geographic location, square footage of buildings, building and site configurations and to make sure that there is an even distribution of students

He said the goals are to send children from the same neighborhoods to the same schools, using major roads and geographic borders as boundary lines, as well as to be fiscally responsible. According to George, under the present model, full-day kindergarten and preschool expansion would cost approximately $500,000.

With the reconfiguration, the expansion incurs no additional personnel costs, he has said.

When transportation decisions are made and presented at a Board of Education meeting, the changes will be posted on www.hazlet. org

Contact Jamie Romm at

jromm@gmnews.com.