To the editor
By:
At the March 23 meeting of the Hillsborough Board of Education, the board adopted its 2005-06 school budget by a 9-0 vote.
The budget is designed to continue to provide our students with a high quality, comprehensive educational program needed to assist our students attain the academic and social skills necessary to function within today’s competitive marketplace.
This year’s budget is a most judicious one. It provides the financial resources necessary to maintain most of the existing programs and services presently in place within the district while concomitantly adhering to the board’s commitment to acceptable class sizes.
Although the commitment to maintain manageable class size is particularly evident in our primary grades, it also extends into our high school program.
This is documented by the inclusion of resources to hire additional staff to accommodate the anticipated increase in student enrollment at the high school level in the following disciplines: special education, physical education, mathematics, media, science, English and social studies.
The additional staff is necessary to not only assist with anticipated student enrollments, but it is also required to facilitate the mandates of the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards and the challenging annual yearly progress (AYP) requirements as listed in the federal legislation titled No Child Left Behind.
In addition to the aforementioned, the district’s budget provides resources for technology including the purchase of computers, supplies, and equipment throughout our preK-12 program. These resources are necessary to implement the new programmatic initiatives and to provide support for staff development necessary for our teachers to remain cognizant of current and future trends in instructional pedagogy. There are additional funds included to purchase the textbooks, supplies and equipment required to facilitate instruction in all departments within our growing preK-12 school district.
Additionally, the budget calls for a second question. Contained within the second question are resources to purchase an additional 150 computers and to add additional athletic teams and coaching positions to our existing program in accordance with the district’s present athletic strategic plan.
We have also added, within the second question, resources to facilitate additional intramural programs at the intermediate, middle school and high school levels.
All have worked very hard to provide a balance of resources to all grades and to all schools. The entire administrative team as well as the Home and School Associations have had input into the process. The public was asked to give input into the budgetary process commencing in October 2004.
The board has refined and modified the initial budgetary requests on an ongoing basis up to and including the March 23 board meeting prior to its adoption. It is our collective belief that the 2005-06 budget is responsible to the citizens of Hillsborough, the needs of our children, and the mandates of the state.
The 2005 school tax increase over the 2004 taxes is $262 on the average assessed home of $350,000.
As stated previously, the Hillsborough Board of Education has unanimously endorsed this budget and encourages your participation in the election scheduled for 2 to 9 p.m., Tuesday.
This year’s budget is an increase of 2.9 percent over last year, the smallest percentage of increase in several years. Additional information on this year’s budget may be found by viewing the total budget document which is provided on the district’s Web site.
In summary, the Hillsborough Township School District exists for its students. Our programs focus on the needs of all students whether that need is embraced in our special education offerings or in the needs of the student enrolled in the most rigorous AP classes at our high school.
Whether our students are enrolled in a world language program, mathematics or language arts class, or they are participating in music or art classes or in athletic or co-curricular activities, our program is designed to meet the needs of all.
Equity of program and services is a priority.
We sincerely believe that our community can look with pride and confidence to the 2005-06 school year knowing that our children will be provided with a quality education despite the constraints placed on the district by a lack of state support for education and the new mandates imposed on local districts as noted in the recent S1701 legislation.
Superintendent of Schools

