Budget calls for two programs to be added

BY LARRY HLAVENKA JR.
Staff Writer

Under the shroud of potential state aid cuts and working without final spending cap allotments, the Freehold Regional High School District (FRHSD) Board of Education has introduced the appropriations component of the 2006-07 school year budget.

The board took the action at its meeting on Feb. 27 at district headquarters in Englishtown.

Business Administrator Joan Nesenkar Saylor presented a $159 million budget that remains subject to change once Gov. Jon Corzine presents his state budget on March 21.

New Jersey school districts will receive notification of their 2006-07 state aid package several days later.

The board did not release any information about the property tax impact the 2006-07 budget will have in the eight municipalities that make up the FRHSD: Colts Neck, Englishtown, Farmingdale, Freehold Borough, Free-hold Township, Howell, Manalapan and Marlboro.

Talking about the state aid, Superintendent of Schools James Wasser cautioned, "if it's a disaster and we get very minimal state aid, things could get cut."

Based on early projections, Wasser said he believes the district "will be fortunate to keep what we have," meaning that administrators are hoping to receive at least the same amount of state aid that was provided in 2005-06.

For now, the budget calls for a personnel increase at all six of the district's high schools. This would include five new teaching positions spread across the district, as dictated by enrollment and need at the individual schools.

Also included are two additions to the curriculum.

The first opens the doors at the Law and Public Safety academy at Manal-apan High School. According to Wasser, in the post-9/11 society, considerable interest has been expressed in emergency management, police, fire and rescue careers.

An alternative education program stands as the other addition to the curriculum. The program will enable certain students who have had trouble adjusting to high school life to earn credits in a structured environment outside of the high school walls.

Meanwhile, all six schools stand to receive some kind of functional improvements.

Manalapan and Marlboro will undergo roof repairs; the auditoriums will be renovated at Howell and Freehold; bleachers will be added at Colts Neck; Manalapan's tennis courts will be redone; and Freehold Township will have windows replaced.

Finally, with regard to athletics and activities, the tentative budget calls for additional levels of lacrosse and volleyball at schools that support those sports; and advisers for the Junior Statesmen and Technology Student Association clubs.

Still, if the state deals its schools a financial blow, the FRHSD will be forced to adjust. This could mean anything from cutting the proposed programs to forgoing new hires, according to administrators.

With regard to where cuts could come from, Wasser speculated that retiring teachers' positions may not be filled. When asked if that could mean larger class sizes, the superintendent responded "absolutely."

Dismay over the state's potential allotments nearly resulted in a dissenting vote from longtime board member Bunny Hammer of Freehold Borough.

Taking exception with the state's seemingly yearly cuts in aid, Hammer revealed that she intended to vote against the tentative budget and "revolt" against the state's meager funding.

However, in noting that her frustration remained with the state and not the board's proposed budget, Hammer eventually agreed to abstain from voting on the measure.

The board introduced the 2006-07 budget with a 5-0 vote, supported by board President Patricia Horvath of Manalapan, and board members Bonnie Rosenwald of Marlboro, Diana Cappiello of Englishtown, Kathie Lavin of Farmingdale and Christopher Placitella of Colts Neck.

Board members Terry Kraft and Ron Lawson of Howell, and Chia Whitehouse of Freehold Township were absent.

A public hearing and adoption of the budget is scheduled for March 27. Residents will vote on the budget on April 18.