Heights District Does Away with Pre-K to Resolve Class Size Woes
School district plans to use the class space to reduce class size of other grades at elementary schools.
Increased enrollment in the Hasbrouck Heights school district has forced the Board of Education to eliminate its pre-K program as of September in order to free up classrooms at both elementary schools to resolve class size issues.
Plans are not set in stone yet, according to Dina Messery, business administrator who says the district will have to see if the budget for the coming school year will support it. It is also too soon to say how this will affect staff members, she said.
Currently pre-K is conducted at both Euclid and Lincoln schools. Previously the program had only been conducted at Lincoln School until this past year when it was expanded to Euclid.
The district hopes to be able to reduce class size for kindergarten and first and second grades at Euclid and Lincoln, she says. Over the past year parents have come forward with concerns about class size at the early elementary grade levels. Second grade classes at Lincoln School reportedly had 27 students in two classrooms and 28 in the third class.
Superintendent Mark Porto reported at the start of the school year enrollment increased 5 percent from the previous school year. Since 2010, enrollment increased by more than 300 students, about 22 percent, Porto has previously reported.
The increased enrollment has also affected space issues at the middle school/high school and some restructuring was done with the media center setting up a computer lab for class instruction.
Messery says the district has searched for another place to put the pre-K classes but it has not panned out at this point. The district will continue the search in the hopes of bringing the program back for the 2014-2015 school year.
In This article
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Hasbrouck Heights Board of Education
379 Boulevard, Hasbrouck Heights, NJ -
Euclid Elementary School
1 Burton Ave, Hasbrouck Heights, NJ -
Lincoln Elementary School
302 Burton Ave, Hasbrouck Heights, NJ -
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Hasbrouck Heights Middle and High School
365 Boulevard, Hasbrouck Heights, NJ
Liz Fass
1:02 pm on Monday, January 28, 2013
I really hope they don't do away with the pre K 4 class. I was looking forward to enrolling my daughter for next September. It's too bad they can't have the program at another building
Caroline Stevens
4:13 pm on Tuesday, January 29, 2013
This is music to my ears. People need to call the HHBOE 201-288-6150 (Superintendent) Let them know how much you like this program. Or how much you look forward to sending your child to this wonderful program. The Prek4 teachers are AMAZING people --loving, patient and very dedicated. The material these children are learning is FANTASTIC. So please call or write the HHBOE let them know how important this program is for your child, the school and the community.
Liz Fass
8:27 am on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Really sad Caroline, you know how I was looking forward to next year. Wish it would make a difference
Alana Quartuccio
4:25 pm on Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Just to clarify, we've updated this article to clearly state that this apparently is happening for next year. As the article states it's too soon to tell what the exact plans will be going forward with the staff but there is no pre-K planned for 2013-2014 but the program could continue down the line (as of 2014-2015) iif an appropriate space can be found.
Liz Fass
8:27 am on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
I saw that Dr. Porto had sent an email regarding this. Very sad indeed. By the time they re institute it, my daughter will be in kindergarten. If it wasn't for the silly age guidelines (she misses the cut off by 17 days) she would already be in the prek program this year. Sadly, they don't make any exceptions or do any type of testing to see if a child truly is advanced enough to be in a program. My child is more than ready and it's not just because she's mine. Oh well, guess my money will be going to a private institution rather than our Board of Ed, which I'd prefer.
Edmund Carter
9:53 am on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
hey, I have a great idea, let's have the County swoop in and build another Senior Center on former school property!!! do not rob the kids of this town a chance for a really good education in pre k! Build UP at Lincoln and Euclid and expand! This town has more money than it likes to admit and a good portion of it should go to the schools instead of other places! Do the right thing BOE! Seek state assistance if needed. Keep the preK open!
David G
10:58 am on Sunday, February 3, 2013
The reaction to the situation under consideration makes no sense, there are to many students so lets cut out a year of schooling? Leadership is not easy so I would urge the board to look for a logical solution.
Allie
10:58 am on Sunday, February 3, 2013
Eliminating Franklin School to put in a Senior Center was not the best decision for the kids but it is done so what now - we have some kids who are going to our towns schools illegally find them and send them back to the towns they live in, we have apartment dwellers with many kids there can't be enough taxes paid to support all these kids it would be nice if some of those existing apartments started renting to seniors at a discounted rate maybe subsidized by the town or county this would take a major burden off our school system and the subsidizes paid would by far help the school system. I am not sure how this program worked but didn't the school get money from the parents - if it did was this really a wise decision if it didn't why not?
Crystal Brown
11:23 pm on Sunday, February 3, 2013
Englewood is not the not the only place where residents need to unite and stand for the children!
Crystal Brown
11:23 pm on Sunday, February 3, 2013
Englewood is not the not the only place where residents need to unite and stand for the children!