HOWELL — Classes will reconvene for pupils in the Howell K-8 School District on Sept. 4.
District administrators said 30 new staff members have been hired to replace retirees and to fill in for staff members who are on maternity leave.
As the 2008-09 school year begins, class time in all Howell schools has been extended by 15 minutes.
In a letter to the community, district administrators said, “We have added an additional 15 minutes onto our instructional day. This additional time will assist us in meeting the demands of the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards.
“Our supervisory and teaching staff members have been working through the summer months to update our curriculum and to ensure its alignment with new state mandates.”
The district’s enrollment stands at 6,926 pupils, which includes 594 kindergarteners, 683 first-graders, 735 secondgraders, 736 third-graders, 717 fourth-graders, 755 fifth-graders, 819 sixth-graders, 762 seventh-graders, and 867 eighth-graders.
In a letter to the community, administrators said, “The same fiscal concerns are facing us again this year. Passing our school budget helped us maintain, for one more year, the resources and services that you have come to expect.
“As we move forward, it will be our priority to identify ways to resolve the budgetary issues that are driving our decision-making, while at the same time, maintain our commitment to high-quality instructional programs.”
There was talk in the spring that one of Howell’s schools might be closed at the beginning of the 2008-09 school year and its pupils reassigned to other buildings. That turned out not to be the case.
Staff writer Toynett Hall may be reached at [email protected].