2002-03 a boom time
for local school districts

As students, teachers, parents and administrators stand on the threshold of a new academic year, we are struck by some of the enrollment numbers in school districts covered by Greater Media Newspapers, which publishes the Tri-Town News and the News Transcript in western Monmouth and northern Ocean counties.

It’s no secret that communities in this region are among the fastest growing suburban municipalities in the state. That’s evident when taking a ride around our towns and watching new homes go up day after day.

But until August rolls around and reporters speak with school administrators for our annual back to school stories, the impact of all that new housing doesn’t always strike one right between the eyes. The impact is tremendous, however, when reading stories published in today’s edition.

In the Jackson K-12 school district, the projected enrollment this year will be 9,067 students. The September 2001 enrollment was 8,675 students, and the September 2000 enrollment was 8,167 students. That’s an increase of 900 students in two years — just about the size of a new elementary school. It’s a good thing Jackson opened an elementary school last year and is building another one now.

At an average cost of $8,000 per pupil, those 900 new students are costing $7.2 million to educate.

Enrollment in the six-school Freehold Regional High School District — where Howell residents of high school age attend school — will surpass 10,000 students for the first time when the 2002-03 school year begins on Sept. 4. According to Superin-tendent of Schools James Wasser, approximately 10,600 students — an increase of more than 800 students since September 2001 — will answer the opening bell next week.

As FRHSD Board of Education members struggle to come up with a plan to relieve overcrowding in some of the district’s schools, the day is not far off when serious discussion and planning for a seventh high school in the district will have to begin. Projections have indicated that the FRHSD may approach 13,000 students by the latter part of this decade.

Even Plumsted is feeling a bit of a pinch with 1,675 students starting the 2002-03 school year in three schools.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Gerald Woehr told the Tri-Town News that with improvements being made at all three existing schools, as well as the construction of a new school for pre-kindergarten through second grade, "things will be tight in terms of space." Woehr said the New Egypt Middle School will be the only building that is not overcrowded; therefore, some New Egypt High School classes will be held in the middle school.

Despite the space crunch, this is an exciting year at New Egypt High School since it will mark the first year there will be freshman, sophomore, junior and senior classes at the high school. June will see the graduation of the school’s first seniors — certainly a date to which the community is looking forward.

Board of Education members and administrators who decry the lack of an increase in state aid to keep pace with their district’s booming enrollment should be leading the charge on Trenton and demanding that the decision that led to that situation this year is not repeated when the 2003-04 school year arrives.