Letters-April 5, 2007

South needs

to be affordable
To the editor:
   Is there no end to the preposterous funding demands of South Hunterdon Regional High School (The Beacon March 22)?
   As a supporter of quality education, it’s hard for me to speak up in protest about our local school expenditures. But, surely, there must be a more cost-effective way to educate a student body smaller than a single grade in most high schools other than by endless tax increases.
   Believe it or not, a good education does not require a coed soccer program. And why was basic furniture not included in the original referendum?
   While many things would be nice to have, since when must a town accede to every "request" for discretionary enhancements? In many school systems, parents organize various events and sales to pay for such items.
   Let’s get a sense of perspective and balance here, please, before our town is emptied of taxpayers fleeing to keep an affordable roof over their heads.

Take time

to thank Danese
To the editor:
   After nine eventful years, South Hunterdon’s Board of Education Vice President Greg Danese has decided to not run again for a fourth term.
   I’d like to thank him for his amazing commitment to South during his time on the board.
   From attending sporting events, involvement with the FFA and school plays, to banquets and assisting with senior citizen seminars, Mr. Danese’s dedication to South extended far beyond meetings and conventions.
   He genuinely respected and cared for the faculty, staff, students and future students, always keeping the well-being of South Hunterdon as his main priority.
   Mr. Danese has always made fair decisions based on what would be the most beneficial to a unique school like South Hunterdon. In a world where it is often times about "me." Mr. Danese showed it was never about "him," thus, making him a very special and valued board member. I strongly hope his successor and future members will also make decisions based on what works best for the school as a whole.
   Finally, I know Mr. Danese would never expect a letter or thank you for doing his job, but if you see him at a baseball game, school play or lending someone a helping hand, I ask that you take a moment to thank him for all he has done and will continue to do for you, your children and future generations.
   After nine years of unselfish devotion, he absolutely deserves it, and more importantly, he has earned it!
   Though he has heard it countless times from us already, let me be the first to say, thank you for all you’ve done, Dad. We are proud of you!

Work to prevent

child abuse, neglect
To the editor:
   Springtime is a time of optimism and renewal.
   As we observe Child Abuse Prevention Month this April, Prevent Child Abuse-New Jersey encourages everyone to make positive choices that affect the way we raise our children and support our families.
   Dramatic changes in social, cultural and demographic trends have occurred over the years, presenting today’s parents with many new challenges in creating the safe and stable homes children need in order to thrive. Various proven approaches have been funded by the state, however, more remains to be done.
   While no one can single-handedly achieve positive community wide change, everyone can do something. Together, we can choose to create a prosperous society that understands and genuinely values the well being of children. As a society, we can work together to prevent child abuse and neglect.
   There are countless opportunities for you to make positive choices for community change with a commitment of as little as 30 minutes a week. As an individual, you can start making positive choices today.
   Choose to:
   • Provide your own children a loving and stable home.
   • Advocate for new mothers to receive support through parenting programs before and after their child is born.
   • Encourage policymakers to make home visitation and mutual self-help parent support programs available and accessible regardless of income socio-economic status of community.
   • Join a parent support group.
   • Become a mentor to a child or new parent.
   Strong families benefit all citizens of New Jersey by reducing juvenile delinquency, teen pregnancy, physical and mental illness and other poor childhood outcomes. Working together, we can make a difference for children and families in this state and build a bright future for generations to come.
   Child abuse can be prevented. Visit www.PreventChiuldAbuseNJ.org or call us at (800) CHILDREN to learn more.
   It makes sense for every reason.

LEF benefit

was success
To the editor:
   I am happy to report the Lambertville Area Education Foundation benefit was held this past Saturday night, and for the sixth time in six years, it was a sellout, a great time had by all and lots of funds raised to help fund teacher-generated grants to enrich the educational experience of students in Lambertville Public School, Stockton Borough School, West Amwell Elementary School and South Hunterdon Regional High School.
   It was a great success, thanks to the hard work and generosity of so many people.
   We offer special thanks to all the donors who contributed to the auction, including A Cut Above, Ed Adams, AKA A Glenn Ricci Salon, Amwell Automotive, An Accommodating Personal Transport LLC., Andre Hair Design, Anton’s at the Swan, Anushka Nail Design, Jeffrey Apoian, Art of Framing, Art Wholesalers Ltd., Nancy Ashman and Michael Autorino.
   Also, Bette Baer, Constance Bassett, Robert Beck, Laura Blinderman, Bliss Jewelry & Accessories, Blue Raccoon, Body Tech Fitness, Bridge Street Café and Catering, Marsha Brown, Denise Brown-Kahney, Bucks County Academy of Fencing, Bucks County River Country, Franco and Michela Carnevale, James Cascio, Tom and Sandy Castor and Myles Cavanaugh.
   Also, Vincent Ceglia, Center Club Chiropractic, Certified Services, Tom Chase, Chimney Hill Bed and Breakfast, Walter Choreszewski, Chris’s Auto Body, Merle Citron, Ed and Deb Closson, Joe Collallio, Cravings, Joseph Crilley, Grace Croteau, Karen Dadourian, Bob Dahl, Dakota Moon, John Danaher, DeAnna’s Restaurant & Bar, Suzanne Douglass, Dresswell’s, Elite Linens, Errico’s Deli and Events in Style.
   Also, Fancee Plants, Farley’s Bookshop, Dr. Todd Fay, James Feehan, Fiddleheads, Flemington Central Liquors, Barbara Fordyce, Roy Freedle, Irma Fuhr, the Ferry House, Sylvia Getsler, Stockton Carriage Tours, Tracy Giannattasio, Giant Foods, Goldsmiths, Doug Gravier, Graves Design Store, Greene and Greene Gallery, Barry Gross, R. Goodwin Ltd., Gordon Haas, Katherine Hackl, Gabriella Hamilton, Jim Hamilton, Sandy Hanna, Bob Hart, Barbara Hase, John and Jill Haug, Heart of the Home, Sonia Helgesson and Dave Hewitt.
   Also, Rep. Rush Holt, Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins, Hotel du Village, Janet Hunt, inVentiv Health,Valorie Johnson, Hrefna Jonsdottir, Joseph Finkle and Son Inc, Gabrielle Kanter, Katia McGuirk Tile, Bobby Kauth, Larry Keller, Chris Kent, Joy Kinney, Dan and Katie Kramli, Lambertville Station, Lambertville Teachers Association, Lambertville Trading Company, Matt Larken, Tony LaSalle, Nora Lewis, Ana Leyland, Jan Lipes and the Living Earth.
   Also, Annemarie Macari, Philip E. Mackey, Magic Glass Studio, Deborah Maher, Manon, Maple Leather Company, Carolyn McGavin, ME Salon and Spa, Steve Meserve, Mill Ballet School, Chris and Tracy Morgan, Mortgage Mobility, Munds Nursery and Stone Supply, NCG Telecommunications Services, Joanne Nestor, New Hope Pet Center, Niece Lumber, Katherine Ockenden, Miguel Osorio, Jesse Panyko, Park Place Estate & Antique Jewelry, Charles Pellegrino, Peter Wallace Ltd. and Phillips’ Fine Wines.
   Also, Russ Poles, the Pod Shop Flowers, Queripel Interiors, David Rago, Ralph’s Personal Fitness, Glenn Ricci, Rick’s, James E. Riggs, Riverside Symphonia, Susan Roseman, Roxey Ballet, SaniCan, Seventh Heaven Moderne, Nancy Shill, Cynthia Shoemaker, South Hunterdon advanced floriculture class, David Sloan, Sneakers Plus, Sneddon’s Luncheonette and Sojourner.
   Also, Solebury Chiropractic, Stanley Cleaners, Gerald Stern, Strawberry Jam, Swan Creek Rowing Club, the estate of Pearl Swanger, The Stockton Inn, Bobby Trigg, Union Fire Company, Peg Ungerlieder, Unionville Vineyards, Annelies van Dommelen, David Waldman, Carl and Linda Weber, John Weber, John Weingart, Wilson Learning, Kathleen Wright and Zanya Salon & Spa.
   More thanks to our ticket sales outlets — Lambertville Trading Company, Dresswell’s and The Medicine Shoppe — and to the individuals and organizations who went the extra mile to help us such as Grace Croteau of Riverrun Gallery, Homestead Farm Market, Lambertville Chamber of Commerce, Phillips’ Fine Wines, Monsignor Leon Kasprzyk, St. John’s Church, Walker’s Wine & Liquor, Elite Linens and, of course, the Eagle Fire Company.
   Great appreciation goes to the great restaurants and chefs who served and/or sent trays for the evening, including Tom Block of Thomas Sweet Ice Cream & Chocolates, Bridge Street Café & Catering, Caffe Galleria, DiSh Catering, Duck Soup Cafe, Full Moon, Giovanni’s Grocery, Giuseppe’s Lambertville, Jim Hamilton of Hamilton’s Grill Room, Max Hansen Caterers, Jamie Hollander Gourmet Foods, Homestead Farm Market, Inn of the Hawke, Lambertville Girl Scouts Troop 400, Lambertville Trading Company, Sneaky Caterer, South Hunterdon Regional High School culinary arts program, Superfresh New Hope, Stockton Inn, Triumph Restaurant & Brewery, Union Fire Company, Dan Whitaker of the Lambertville Station and Whole Foods Princeton.
   Another round of applause goes to our wonderful auctioneer, New Hope Mayor Larry Keller, for six consecutive years of doing a great job and making it a lot of fun.
   Applause also to all the volunteers who worked so hard to make the evening a success — Michelene Assad, Rich Assad, Pam Baker, Lisa Brady, Nina Cally, Cheryl Carpenter, Eric Casey, Chelsae Cavallier, Andrew Clifford, Ed Closson, Debbie Closson, Barbara Coe, Allie Coleman, Carol Cruickshanks, Bob Dahl, Stephanie Davis, Meg Eickman, Brittany Ennis, Barbara Faherty, Kathy Ferry, Will Ferry, Audrey Frankowski, Tracy Giannattasio, Heather Goodman, Doug Gravier, Elizabeth Griffin, Mike Hack and Brianna Hartpence.
   Also, Jill Haug, Dilynn Huthanse, Lois Johnston, Walt Johnston, Paula Kauth, Dana Kurtbek, Katya Kurtbek, Benedetta Lambert, Russ Lambert, Lambertville Girl Scouts Troop 400, Nora Lewis, Janine MacGregor, Phil Mackey, Robert Maggio, Melissa Mantz, Deborah Mercer, Christine Miller, Dave Moraski, Chris Morgan, Celeste Mosby, Jill Myers, Matt Panyko, Morley Panyko, Monica Pearg, Angelique Platis, Pia Powell, Susan Roseman, Michelle Ryan, Karen Scheetz, Dan Seiter, Holly Schnell-McAndrew, Brittany Shurts, Richard Tettemeyer, Zachary Tettemer, Jamie Tillett, Annelies von Dommelen, Adam Warwinsky, Rich Warwinsky, Carl Weber, Andrea Wisniewski, Wendy Whitaker.
   We are especially appreciative to our very generous event sponsors, NCG Energy Solutions, Van Cleef Engineering Associates and Yardville National Bank.
   And last, but not least, we thank all of the spirited bidders who made this event the most successful auction ever conducted by the LEF.
   Thanks to everyone, we are able to continue to help bring enriching educational experiences to the children of Lambertville Public School, Stockton Borough School, West Amwell Elementary School and South Hunterdon Regional High School.

Drug testing

is deterrent
To the editor:
   The issue of student random drug testing is generating quite a bit of conversation in our community.
   I am hopeful and encouraged if this initiative has in any way been responsible for our looking more closely at the drug and alcohol issues faced by our teenagers and their families at the southern end of our county.
   Please allow me to put both the historical and current situation in perspective.
   It has been more than 10 years since our community has been discussing and implementing prevention measures designed to combat the plague of drug and alcohol use among our teens.
   Although most may not remember, the South Hunterdon Drug Testing Task Force first began work during the 1998 school year. Members included, in addition to myself, Jimmy Conover, Gregory Danese, Sharon DiSalvi, Monsignor Leon, Liz Hendricks, Marianne Fimbel, Dave Erickson, Jane Thompson and a number of other community members who were concerned with, what was then, a laize faire attitude about drug and alcohol use at the high school.
   There was no clear "under suspicion" drug testing policy and, more importantly, no student assistance counselor at South Hunterdon.
   The Task Force met for more than one year and as a result of our work, I am proud to say South Hunterdon developed the very responsible "under suspicion" drug testing policy in place today and also facilitated the hiring of Margaret Christofely, who remains as South Hunterdon’s student assistance counselor. Her job is to deal directly with substance abuse issues among the student body, provide counseling and work with our families as part of prevention and being proactive in confronting drug and alcohol use with their children.
   Margaret is a licensed, certified addictions counselor and works outside of South Hunterdon for both Princeton House and as a private counselor.
   Ten years ago, the Drug Testing Task Force discussed the idea of student random drug testing at length and decided since there were so many other prevention measures missing at the school, we would focus our efforts on addressing the obvious deficiencies and monitor progress by measuring student drug and alcohol use over the next few years to see if these measures were making a difference.
   Students at South Hunterdon have been surveyed on their drug and alcohol use patterns over the years, as suggested by the Task Force. Most recently, the American Drug and Alcohol Survey was administered last year for the first time since 1999.
   In looking at the drug and alcohol use data, and even with the strong prevention model in place, there has been virtually no decrease in the use of illegal substances by students at South. This is not to say anyone would question the need for alcohol and drug counseling in our school, however, combined with the state-mandated drug and alcohol curriculum, the ancillary services provided by Hunterdon Drug Awareness and Hunterdon Drug Prevention Resources, the implementation of SafeHomes and other common sense prevention strategies, we are simply not making any progress.
   We need to do more to help our teenagers make better decisions regarding the use of alcohol and other drugs.
   Although the critics of this program would like you to believe we are violating our student’s civil rights, this is simply an untrue statement. The United States Supreme Court has ruled twice on the issue of student random drug testing as related to students involved in athletics and extracurricular activities.
   In both instances, the school districts were upheld. The federal court has ruled involvement in these types of school programs in a privilege, not a right, and as such, this privilege can be conditioned on meeting criteria such as an agreement to be randomly drug tested.
   In New Jersey, student random drug testing has been successfully litigated by Hunterdon Central to the New Jersey Supreme Court, one of the most liberal courts in the country, who also ruled student random drug testing was legal and not a violation of student rights.
   Those who continue to insist otherwise are expressing a personal opinion, which should not presented as fact.
   In their letter published in the March 29 edition of The Beacon, Jim Mastrich and Kathryn Hall point to the fact involvement in extracurricular activities and athletics somehow makes students less vulnerable to the peer pressure associated with the use of alcohol and drugs.
   All of us, on every side of this issue, recognize the importance of this type of involvement. What is questionable, however, is the belief this type of involvement constitutes a group of teens who are less likely to be at serious risk.
   Looking at the data from any high school, including South Hunterdon, it is painfully evident the numbers associated with drug and alcohol use cannot possibly exist only among the population of students who are uninvolved.
   In fact, teens themselves will tell you this is a fallacy. The risk increases as teens move along the high school continuum, and drug use, most notably marijuana, is common place. The use of alcohol is disturbing on every level and involves students in high percentages, regardless of the high school, the community and involvement in school activities.
   Student random drug testing is a policy with specific goals. Most importantly, it is designed to provide a deterrent to teenagers in school, just the same way workplace drug testing provides a deterrent to adults in the workplace.
   Random drug testing provides teens highly vulnerable to peer pressure with a reason to say no and helps them to stay strong when they are being asked to engage in behaviors dangerous to their health and their futures.
   In addition, for students who test positive under the random drug testing program, the consequences are designed to provide counseling and support. The student is temporarily removed from the activity for two weeks, the parent is contacted, and the student is required to receive counseling from the school-based student assistance counselor or an outside counselor depending on the circumstances associated with the drug and/or alcohol use.
   All drug testing results are reviewed by a medical review officer once they have been confirmed by an independent laboratory. There are no records kept, and there is no contact of law enforcement.
   The goal of student random drug testing is to provide deterrence, support and counseling. Surely, it is hard to argue we would want less than this for our kids.
   We, too, believe parents should be responsible for their children. The reality however, is different children come from different parenting situations. And yes, even in the best of circumstances, some teens with very wonderful parents get involved with the use of alcohol and drugs.
   Compounding this problem is the fact that in our community and in the rest of Hunterdon County, we still have parents who continue to host teen gatherings where a blind eye is turned to the serving of alcohol in their homes and on their property. Imagine the message this sends to any teenager!
   Their own parents, or the parents of trusted friends, allow them to engage in underage drinking under the guise of "better here than somewhere else." This kind of blatant disregard for the law and outrageously irresponsible behavior exacerbates this already impossible situation for our kids.
   Our small size at South Hunterdon, quite simply, has nothing to do with this challenge. It is wonderful we know our students in such a unique way, but in knowing this, we also know our problems in this area are no different than they are anywhere else.
   Many parents of our teens will tell you they are disheartened by the stories they hear from their own children about the behaviors that go on at parties. We are disheartened because we hear them ourselves from those students who are frustrated and hoping, somehow, someway, things might be different. Student random drug testing gives us another opportunity to make a difference.
   Today, our teenagers are bombarded by mixed messages regarding the use of alcohol and drugs. Our society and culture say one thing and do another.
   Student random drug testing sends a message to our young people that is crystal clear — We expect you not to use drugs and alcohol, and we are going to do everything we can to help you with this decision.
   We must acknowledge we are the adults in this situation. In fact, we do know what is best. Why would we shirk this opportunity to do the most we can for these kids that we love so much?

Incumbents happy

for endorsement
To the editor:
   Geri, Rey and I want to thank the New Hope Democratic Committee for endorsing us for reelection to the New Hope Borough Council at its monthly meeting March 28.
   We are proud of the accomplishments of the council during the past four years and look forward to being able to continue to serve all the constituencies that make up our wonderful town.

Setting record

straight on budget
To the editor:
   Each year, when it comes time to pass our budget, I have learned there are people who vote no with absolutely no idea what is in the budget.
   The budget could go down, up or stay the same; it does not matter to them.
   I have always relied on the block of parents who vote since they experience first-hand the high quality education at Stockton.
   The fact is the budget always boils down to an amount of money after the fixed cost of salaries, benefits and utilities, which represents more than 90 percent of our budget. There is not much left over.
   That being said, we sometimes have the curse of the unfounded rumor mill concerning the quality of education. Unfounded comments like "enrollment is down" or will Stockton School close/consolidate are detrimental and hurt our reputation.
   This causes us to get the word out and set the record straight.
   Enrollment is not down and has every indication of going up with the addition of tuition students. With a small class graduating and a small class coming in, the numbers will remain about the same.
   We are actively getting the word out about our school to round out some grades with tuition students. These students are typically high achievers whose parents want a challenging educational environment with a low student-faculty ratio.
   They also relieve the tax burden and allow us to provide cutting edge programs to our scholars. We encourage any parents interested in learning more to attend our open house Thursday, April 26, to observe the school in action. Call for details at 397-2012.
   The school is not closing or consolidating with another district. For more than 175 years, the Stockton School enrollment has fluctuated from low numbers up to more than 100 students.
   Without busing and by providing an excellent atmosphere to teach, we can educate our kids at a very efficient price per student. We are always exploring shared services and other methods to keep costs down. Even with a significant drop in students, it still makes sense to educate them here in Stockton.
   Quality wise and no time riding a bus make for a program that is tough to match anywhere in the state. Economically, it is the most efficient way to comply with the fact that, no matter what, we are required to educate our kids!
   I have left out the most compelling fact — what better center of our community than our commitment to quality, individualized education at a crucial time in their lives?
   We do this every day with the efforts of a strong PTO, faculty, staff and our board.
   Come visit, in person or at www.stocktonschool.us/.
   And come out and vote April 17.