Schools

UPDATED: School Board Votes to Keep 9-Period Day at Ridge High School

Board members said they received about 360 emails, most opposing change to 8-period day.

The Board of Education on Monday night voted 6-3 to keep a nine-period day at Ridge High School through next year, re-allocating $360,000 in state aid that school officials hadn't anticipated when the board voted last November to cut the school day to eight periods.

Ridge High School, with its current nine-period schedule, now is a high-performing school, Board Member Elaine Kusel noted. "There's no reason to fix something that isn't broken," she said, to the applause of parents in the audience.

The decision about the high school schedule was made prior to the board's vote to adopt a proposed budget that will ask voters to approve spending $80.1 million to fund the township school system in 2011-12, according to a public presentation. The proposal is a 2.08 percent increase above this year's tax contribution, according to the board figures.

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However, the amount of the tax levy to fund the current budget—$74,368,937, the figure that will be printed on the school ballot—would be a flat 2 percent increase above this year's tax levy, according to school figures.

Board members said they had received at least 360 emails regarding the issue of the nine-period day. Board Member Ken Wilke said that approximately 98 percent of the emails he had received were in favor of maintaining the nine-period day. "I feel the nine-period day is a better fit for our district," he said.

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Board Member Robin McKeon said that when a majority of board members voted to reduce the day to eight periods as of last November, the district—based on last year's state aid figures—believed the cut was necessary to reduce budget costs.

When Gov. Chris Christie announced his aid figures in February, the district learned that the Bernards Township school district would receive $1.6 million in aid for next year, an increase in $777,000 above unallocated aid for 2010-11. That amount was more than a $3-million loss in comparable aid from the previous year, Board President Susan Carlsson said.

"I am also concerned that the extra aid is a gimmick," Carlsson said. She noted many state legislators are up for re-election. 

McKeon noted that part of the reason the school's administration had recommended the eight-period day was to increase instructional time in core classes. However, she said concerns about reduced opportunities to take electives, adequate time for tutorials with teachers, and other concerns had been raised about the loss of one period, despite the lengthening of remaining periods.

"Making a major change is a risk, and don't know what the results would be going to an eight-period day," McKeon said. "People feel comfortable with a nine-period day."

The vote to keep the nine-period day was approved by a 6-3 vote. Board member Michael Byrne, who said he favors an eight-period day, said students would inevitably benefit by spending additional times in core academic classes. 

Byrne specified that he is not against the arts or music programs offered in electives. However, he added, "I am passionate about improving academic programs."

Supporters of the nine-period day said that having the time to schedule possibly two electives, or a study period, allows students to explore other interests, work with teachers, make up tests or even add an academic course.

Board members Byrne, William Koch and Carlsson voted against switching back to a nine-period day for next year. Those voting to stay at nine periods at the high school were Bev Cwerner, Elaine Kusel, Robin McKeon Audrey Cohen Sherwin, Ken Wilke and Susan McGowan.

Schools Superintendent Valerie Goger had said at the March 14 meeting that going to an eight-period day would save $360,000 by reducing staff for next year, and $500,000 in following years, when the district no longer had to pay unemployment costs.

Students' schedules at the high school had been finalized based on an eight-period day as of last Friday. "Whatever you chose to do is fine with me—I will make it work," Goger told the board.

Goger then said that class sizes have been creeping up at the high school, where no new teachers have been hired for three years, even though enrollment has been growing. She suggested that the board might use some of the additional $777,000 to hire four more teachers at the school. 

However, board members agreed that for now they will keep the additional monies in the capital fund, and consider the additional teachers at a future point. "Most pressing are our roofs at this point," Carlsson said during the budget presentation.

Later during the meeting, the board heard a presentation on the possibility of funding the district's necessary roof replacements through a deal in which solar panels would be installed on school property. The board voted to authorize School Business Administration Nick Markarian to work with an architect on details of the proposal.

That 5-4 vote means that the board will not proceed with a separate solar panel project proposed by Somerset County, in which the county has suggested allowing vendors to place panels at multiple sites on school and township property in Bernards—and other towns—that expected to result in longterm energy costs.

The potential project through the architect would result in up-front financing for the roof improvements, according to Monday's discussion.

Following the meeting, Markarian explained that because the school budget is averaged over six months during each calendar year, the proposed budget actually would increase the local school tax rate by about 3.6 percent if approved by voters on April 27. That increase would add an additional $248.53 onto local school taxes paid by the owner of an average township home, assessed at $581,059, he said.

While members of the public praised the move back to a nine-period day, resident Susan McGeough noted, "The fight is not over tonight. The real hurdle is making sure we pass the budget on April 27."

UPDATED:

Ridge High School principal Frank Howlett said on Tuesday that it appears the school will ask students to reach out to their counselors to select an additional year of electives. "We may need to put the scheduling process on hold until after the election but will go ahead with the selection process," the principal said in an email.


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