Schools
Superintendent Outlines Budget Band-Aids
Superintendent announces potential remedies for school funding shortfall at open agenda meeting.
With about five parents in attendance, incoming remedies for recent budget cuts topped the list of topics discussed at the Open Agenda meeting yesterday held in Orange Avenue School.
"We had a smooth start for this year," said Gayle Carrick, Superintendent of Schools. "Cranford will receive $110,000 from the Governor's office through the federal government. I was advised that we might want to hold onto it until next year, which is a little disconcerting."
These funds come on the heels of a number of budget cuts for the 2010-2011 school year. The district received a loss in state aid to the tune of $2.5 million dollars.
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However Carrick also informed parents that the district has found ways to bring back several kindergarten aides and four librarians. The district is also currently looking to hire an Assistant Principal for Hillside Avenue School.
Although she declined to give details, the Superintendent also said an agreement has been reached in the teacher negotiations between the Cranford Board of Education (BOE) and the Cranford Education Association (CEA) – the schools will soon see whether more teacher jobs will be restored to the district as a result.
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Besides faculty, programs such as middle school sports were also affected by the budget cuts. To remedy the problem, some of the district's teams are being run and coached by local Cranford teams. All practices, however, continue to take place on school grounds. Curriculum coaching is being provided by students at Seton Hall University. The district recently cut coaches for math, English and other areas of study.
Organized on Tuesday evenings at 7:30 p.m. by Superintendent Gayle Carrick, the Open Agenda sessions also offer an opportunity for members of the public to address issues and concerns relating to individual schools and the school system as a whole.
In light of the recent suicide of a Rutgers University student and several teenagers across the country, parents brought up the issue of cyber and overall bullying.
In response to comments, Carrick said the Orange Avenue School PTA is sponsoring an informative session with Sergeant Hoose of the Union Country Prosecutor's Office. He will make a presentation on keeping kids safe on the Internet at 8 p.m. on Oct. 12 in the school auditorium.
One parent, commenting on the issue of kids texting on the road, also suggested adding a "no-texting" component to the school district's driver education program. "Maybe we should have students sign a pledge that's very similar to the one used by Oprah Winfrey," she said.
"I would love to get a grass roots movement going of parents talking with their kids," Carrick responded. "This should be in terms of getting younger kids to realize the importance of drinking and driving, and of alcohol being served to older kids in the home. . .and definitely in regard to kids texting."
The next Open Agenda meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 2 in Cranford High School.