Schools leader thanks voters

Dr. Richard Fitzpatrick, Superintendent of Schools
Upper Freehold Regional School District
   On behalf of the Board of Education and administration of the Upper Freehold Regional School District, we wish to express our appreciation and respect for the more than 1,000 residents who participated in the school budget election on April 21. We thank the community for making a positive statement on behalf of the children of Upper Freehold.
   In bad financial times as we are in, your vote for education is a victory for the kids. In the drafting of the budget, we diligently worked to maintain the highest quality programs at a reasonable cost. Our percentage increase was significantly lower than other communities in Monmouth and Ocean Counties. We did our best to provide an educationally and fiscally responsible budget to our community members.
   We pledge that we will do everything within our power to manage your tax dollars effectively and efficiently focusing entirely on enhancing student achievement, the health and safety of our kids and planning for the changes the district that will take place with the opening of our new middle school in September 2010.
   This budget provides funds for textbooks, instructional materials targeting elementary school mathematics in the new Envisions program, pilot intramural program for the middle school, as well as badly needed teaching positions for history, psychology, math and health at Allentown High School.
   We appreciate your support and will continue to tireless work for the children in our community.