Kingston parents critical

Parents in Kingston disagree with redistricting plan.

By: Melissa Hayes
   Parents in Kingston are unhappy with the school board’s proposed redistricting plan, chiefly because it won’t be the first time their children have had to change schools.
   Pam Macaulay, a Fairfield Road resident, has already been through one redistricting plan in 2002 and now expects that her children will have to change schools again in 2006.
   "Kingston, unfortunately, is being moved around the township to meet whatever criteria the township needs to meet because we’re not near a school," she said. "This is going to be my third school in less than four years."
   Under the school board’s plan, students living in Kingston proper and Kingston Terrace will attend Cambridge School in September 2006. Those students currently attend Monmouth Junction.
   In 2002, all students in Kingston attended Greenbrook School before being split between Monmouth Junction and Cambridge.
   Ms. Macaulay, whose 5-year-old son will attend Monmouth Junction for a year before being moved to Cambridge, said she and other Kingston parents will attend Monday’s school board meeting to discuss the issue.
   Ms. Macaulay said being moved once to help the school district is understandable, but twice can put too much emotional stress on families.
   The move for Kingston residents from Monmouth Junction to Cambridge in 2006 could pose a problem for many families, Ms. Macaulay.
   She said the dilemma lies in the fact that fifth-graders at Cambridge go to Crossroads South, but fifth-graders from Monmouth Junction go to Crossroads North.
   She said that means a family with a child in second and fourth grade this year could have their older child attend Crossroads North and have the younger child attend Crossroads South.
   Ms. Macaulay said redistricting can make it hard for parents to get to know their children’s teachers, or to get involved in the PTO.
   "It’s just unfortunate that they can’t figure out what to do with us," she said.
   Ms. Macaulay said she hopes she won’t have to go through another redistricting when her 2-year-old twins enter elementary school.
   "By the time I’m done with my four children I’m going to have a T-shirt from every school in the neighborhood. I have one from Greenbrook and Monmouth Junction and it looks like I’m going to Cambridge," she said.