Parents told of change in Jackson school times
BY DAVE BENJAMIN
Staff Writer

JACKSON - The times they are a changing. Parents and pupils should be aware that a new school bus schedule will become effective in September.

The new time schedule was announced at the June 4 meeting of the Board of Education.

"A review of all bus routes and all school schedules was done to determine the most efficient utilization of our current bus fleet," Superintendent of Schools Thomas Gialanella said. "The decision to change school hours is based on a monetary decision driven by the accumulated effect of defeated budgets for six years."

The schedule for the 2007-08 school year will be as follows:

+ Crawford-Rodriguez and Holman, 8:45 a.m. to 2:55 p.m.

+ Elms and Switlik, 9:05 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.

+ Johnson and Rosenauer, 9:35 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.

+ Goetz and McAuliffe middle schools, 8:05 a.m. to 2:27 p.m.

+ Jackson Liberty and Jackson Memorial high schools, 7:15 a.m. to 1:38 p.m.

"The board and administration realize these changes will have an impact on families," Gialanella said. "For this reason we have informed parents now to give them three months to prepare for the change."

In a letter sent home to parents, Gialanella said the changes will allow the school district to reduce the transportation staff and to use the remaining bus fleet more efficiently, saving the district more than $300,000.

New bus pickup times will be listed on the bus pass that pupils will receive later this summer. Any questions can be directed to Assistant Superintendent Mark C. DeMareo at (732) 833-4708.

Child care will continue to be available before and after school, beginning at 7 a.m. and ending at 6 p.m. For information about the scheduling impacts on the child care program, call (732) 833-4677.

"This change was not made without a great deal of consideration and deliberation," Gialanella said in the letter to parents. "While we believe it was necessary to offset other educational expenses in our budget, we also realize it comes with its own price to you and the schedules with which you have become familiar over the years."

The superintendent said the board and administration hope residents realize these are difficult financial times that will require the investigation of every possible avenue for savings that will not impact the district's educational programs.