Parents outraged at proposal to close schools

They're just options. That was Superintendent of Schools Mel Persi's message to the Brick Township Board of Education and a crowd of close to 500 concerned parents who jammed the all-purpose room at the Veterans Memorial Middle School last week.

ERIC SUCAR staff Parents concerned about the possible closure of three district elementary schools packed Veterans Memorial Middle School to hear a Feb. 6 school budget presentation It was the first time board members and the public officially saw the budget numbers for the 2008-09 school year.

And the numbers weren't good.

The original budget totaled $142,269,133. But the 4 percent state cap on budget increases limited the total budget to $130,798,152. That left district officials with a budget that was $11,470,981 over cap.

So Persi and the assistant business administrator began slicing.

The option that drew the biggest objection from parents was the proposal to close the Osbornville, Laurelton and Herbertsville elementary schools, a move that would save $1,926,556 from the budget.

PHOTOS BY ERIC SUCAR staff Above: It was standing room only at the Veterans Memorial Middle School last week as concerned and angry parents listened to school district officials discuss the possible closure of three elementary schools. "Closing three schools is not an option," resident John Vincenti said. "That should be taken out of the presentation and should not be shown again. Start with a zero-based budget and work up. To me it looks like you are going backwards."

None of the roughly 20 parents who rose to speak favored closing the three schools.

One man suggested cutting bus routes to save money.

"I would not want to have to drive my kids to school, but if it's a choice of closing three schools or driving my kids to school, I will drive my kids to school."

Parents also disagreed with adding more administrative positions to the budget.

Persi proposed adding a curriculum director, a special education supervisor, a human resources director, a security supervisor, three information technology specialists and a school communications spokesperson. Salaries for the positions would total $678,000.

"Our job is curriculum," Persi said. "That's our major focus. We really don't have anyone that is leading the charge."

"Cut down on the spending, cut down on the administration, and stop threatening our children," parent Kim Picone said angrily. "I'll volunteer to be a communications specialist."

Some parents questioned the timing of the meeting, which was held at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 6, which was Ash Wednesday.

"I had to leave here to go get ashes and now you can listen to me," said parent P.J. Scelfo. "Let go of your bigger salaries. Give 1 to 2 percent raises. Get with the real world. I got a 2 percent increase. You're going to have to do that. Put on your bigboy underpants and get going with it."

District officials had nine days to craft a tentative budget, because they did not receive the state aid numbers until Jan. 25, Persi said.

"We had nine days in order to pull things together," Persi told the crowd. "We have some difficult choices to make. Hopefully, the public is going to offer suggestions that the administration might consider.

That night was the first time board members had seen the numbers as a whole, board President CynthiaMcCarthy said.

"The numbers did not arrive on time," she said. "I'd like everybody to understand we just got the numbers we can work with. Nothing has been decided. We are just here to be presented with the options."

Persi went through a lengthy Power- Point presentation that detailed all the suggested cuts, which ranged from closing the three schools down to cutting $24,000 for the cost of graduation gowns for students at the two district high schools.

Some in the audience groaned when they heard the graduation gown option.

"They may not be good options, but they are options," Persi said. "We feel the parents could support that. It's a one-time expense."

The district would still be left with a $3,515,650 shortfall before adding in the school closures, he said.

Closing the Osbornville Elementary School would save $1,136,639; closing Herbertsville would save $765,242. Closing the Laurelton School, the oldest school in the district, would save $24,675, Persi said.

"That's an option the board could consider," he said. "That's probably one of the largest reductions we could make."

"I don't need to sit here and play to a crowd," board member Virginia Reinhold said. "I don't know how everyone else feels, but I would prefer not to close the schools. It's not where I want to go. I'm not saying I might not get backed into a corner."

The change in the state's funding formula for schools came at a time when Brick's student population is dropping. The enrollment drop means less state aid, Persi said.

"Up until 2003, we were a growing district," Assistant Superintendent Walter Hrycenko said. "For some reason in 2003, we started to go down."

Board member Allen Atheras said the district had some "very tough choices" to make.

"And we have to spread it around to everybody," he said. "You cannot support leaving schools open when there is declining enrollment. If we don't balance the budget, it will be taken out of our hands. Someone will take it and massacre our programs."

Mayor Stephen C. Acropolis, who attended the meeting, pledged his and the Township Council's support to help avoid closing the schools.

"I know that you will do everything to make that a last resort," he told the board. "You have the commitment of the mayor and council to make that a last resort. This school funding formula is a disaster. It's a problem of both parties, after 20 years of mismanagement."

The board planned to adopt a tentative budget at a special Feb. 12 board meeting, after the Bulletin's Monday night press time.