MARLBORO – The first days of the Marlboro K-8 School District’s 2007-08 academic year went “smoothly and wonderfully,” Superintendent of Schools David Abbott reported at the Board of Education workshop meeting on Sept. 11.
Reports from the Marlboro Memorial Middle School, Nolan Road, informed Abbott that there were only a few scheduling problems and that students were in class rather than standing in a line outside of the guidance office.
The Marlboro Early Learning Center, Tennent Road, had no issues, with students easily adjusting to finding their correct bus, according to the superintendent. Abbott mentioned that on the first day of school one child was crying about leaving mom, but the superintendent said the youngster has been fine ever since that first day separation.
Assistant Superintendent Marc Gaswirth gave an updated report on the district’s enrollment numbers. Although final reports will not be available until October, Gaswirth told the board that about 6,100 pupils are enrolled in the K-8 district.
He said earlier estimates prior to the start of school revealed an overestimate at the kindergarten level and a slight underestimate at the first grade.
Gaswirth said the numbers are certainly lower than last year’s.
An article Published in the News Transcript last year indicated that 6,129 pupils were enrolled in Marlboro schools as of Aug. 28, 2006, and that administrators expected the district to have a total enrollment of about 6,250 pupils as of June 2007.
Also discussed at the workshop meeting were some changes in curriculum for the 2007-08 school year.
An update was given on the installation of the Dance Dance Revolution game in the district’s two middle schools as part of the physical education curriculum.
Marlboro Middle School Vice Principal James McCann and Marlboro Memorial Middle School Vice Principal John Pacifico were at the meeting to inform board members that the equipment for the game is already at the schools.
Pacifico said the middle school students should expect to play the game during the second marking period when gym classes move indoors.
“The kids will love it,” Pacifico said.
A new curriculum guide at the Marlboro Early Learning Center was also discussed. The new guide will include music and art throughout the students’ subjects. An example given was a piece of music that may tie into a topic the children are learning as part of their social studies curriculum.
These additions to the district’s curriculum were expected to be formally approved at the board’s Sept. 18 regular meeting.