By Kristine Snodgrass, Staff Writer
MONTGOMERY Montgomery Township middle school students will have fewer options for sports programs in September, under the district’s 2009-10 budget set to go before voters next week.
Instead of maintaining separate seventh- and eighth-grade boys’ and girls’ teams for basketball and soccer, the district will combine the grade levels into one team, Business Administrator Tom Venanzi said. The seventh-grade cheerleading squad will also be eliminated, he said.
The decision was made as the Board of Education strove for a moderate budget increase, in response to residents who asked the district to “share the burden” of their economic difficulties. The board earlier this month adopted a $77.4 million budget, which increased by about 1 percent over last year.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Election Day, which is Tuesday, April 21.
The move will save the district about $20,000 per year, mostly in salaries for coaches and officials’ fees, Mr. Venanzi said.
”This was a way of providing a middle school athletic program in a more cost-effective way,” he said.
However, the board is open to keeping the programs in place if funding can be raised from a source other than the district’s budget, he said.
”The board is certainly willing to hear a proposal,” he said.
Tony Maselli, director of athletics for the district, said that there will not be enough spots on the combined teams to accommodate the former level of participants.
”There’s just not enough room on the eighth-grade team to support all these kids,” he said.
Mr. Maselli added that he’s very concerned about the loss of the teams, as it provides kids fewer options for staying involved with the school through extracurricular activities.
”It’s very important at that age level to have something to do, and we provide a lot of outlets for kids to do stuff after school,” he said.
The issue took center stage at the Board of Education’s last meeting, which was a public hearing on the budget. Several residents spoke during the public comment period, asking the board to find another way to make the programs economically feasible.
Bruce Epstein, of Belle Mead, who suggested parents take over coaching duties, pointed out that sports teach important qualities, such as a love of physical activity and teamwork.
”These are the goals that we want to advance for kids in our school,” he said.
Mr. Venanzi said that on a school district supported team, an employee of the board would be needed to work alongside a volunteer to oversee the athletes.
At the meeting, board members acknowledged that the cut was not an easy decision to make.
”Please don’t see this as a cut of all opportunities for middle school students to connect to their school,” board member Andrea Bradley said.

