Monroe school board discusses the Before and After School Care program policy.
By: Melissa Hayes
MONROE The school board discussed Wednesday changing rules used to govern how school facilities are used by outside groups, including the Before and After School Care program.
Under current regulations, outside profit-making groups may not use school facilities. Because BASC offers before- and after-school care, aiding the community, the board will be voting on changing the policy.
BASC is a profit-making group.
"The (BASC) program initiated in ’96," said Joseph Homoki, board president. "We’ve been running with this policy, so we do not want to be in conflict."
BASC is a Metuchen-based network of on-site care programs that operates in Metuchen, Carteret, South River, Sayreville, Cranbury and Monroe townships.
BASC currently cares for more than 400 students at Brookside, Barclay Brook, Woodland and Mill Lake schools.
If approved, two parts of the regulation will be amended.
Currently the regulation only allows non-profit organizations, which consist primarily of township residents, to utilize school space.
If amended, a clause would be added to the eligibility section of the regulation stating that groups "not comprised primarily of Monroe residents, are eligible for facility use with the approval of the Board of Education."
The second clause to be amended is under limitations of use, and currently states, "The use of school facilities will not be granted for the advantage of any commercial or profit-making organization."
The clause "unless the use of the facilities directly provide a benefit to residents of Monroe Township and is approved by the Board of Education," would be added, Mr. Homoki said.
The board will vote Oct. 27 to make the changes.
"When we have something that works, benefits our children, benefits our parents, that’s the bottom line," Mr. Homoki said.
The program was not the issue, Carol Haring, a board member, said.
"It’s not an issue of not providing BASC," she said. "My question at the last meeting was about our policy, and our policy should go along with what we’re doing."