By: centraljersey.com
Is Hopewell Valley Regional School District teaching children or getting into the day care business?
Is it a rumor or is it true that the school district is now going to run a day care center under the guise of a "full-day" kindergarten?
My friends with kindergarten children have been trying to get the facts on this new offering, but are confused by conflicting information.
At the April meeting they attended with Superintendent Tom Smith, he touted the "educational" benefits for their children to stay from 8:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the school’s new program. However, in the next breath, he said that the children would be no further along academically than if they just went home at 11:45 a.m.
So is the program day care or is it full-day kindergarten with lesson plans and continued learning?
The only description I’ve been able to find out on the school district’s afternoon session implies that after morning kindergarten, the children will eat lunch (with the upper grades in the cafeteria) and then play in the gym, have snack time, followed by more play. All for $400 a month. Sounds remarkably like day care to me.
My friends have been asking me for advice and support with their child-care decisions. I tell them that our daughter went to the Hopewell Valley After School Enrichment Program. By no means was that program a "day care."
She completed a great AM kindergarten at Stony Brook Elementary. Then she took a quick bus ride to HVASP where she began all the hands-on learning that her sponge-like brain could absorb.
The kindergarten Enrichment Program at HVASP was very affordable (HVASP’s monthly rate today, including the bus fare, is less than the $400 the district is currently charging).
As a kindergartner in the HVASP program, she learned all about science, rocks and minerals, stars, animal-life sciences, food pyramid, cooking as well as participating in an individualized reading program. I credit their amazing teachers, Gail Silver and Kim Shugar, for these great programs.
As a result of the fun and engaging afternoon enrichment program, five of the students in her class of 22 were nominated to the Gifted & Talented national testing program (that’s an impressive percentage). We were proud that our daughter was selected as part of that group.
The HVASP children all scored in the top 21 percent of children tested in the country for the Gifted & Talented program. The highest score from their group was the 12th percentile nationally.
I believe their scores were a direct result of the fun, hands-on learning they participated in through the HVASP Kindergarten Enrichment program.
So, without better clarity about our school district’s program, I have been directing my friends to give priority consideration to HVASP if they want their children to have a continued learning experience each day in addition to the regular district provided half-day kindergarten session. Children should enjoy the learning process, and that’s what our daughter achieved with the HVASP.
Marti and Brad Davis Hopewell Township
Play with taxes for preservation
To the editor:
Molly Sword McDonough draws the logical conclusion that if the Pennington Borough Council insists on enacting the historic district ordinance, the affected property owners should be compensated for the taking of their property rights. OK.
The State of Hawaii, where such a law was passed several years ago, provides a wonderful example of the results obtained under such a scenario. In Honolulu, until this year, all properties deemed sufficiently historic and thus affected (which in the Pennington case would include the Cornell House owned by Ms. McDonough) paid an annual flat rate property tax of $100 (yes, total tax $100 for one year), revised to become $300 starting next year.
Of course, all such historic Hawaiian properties are under very strict regulation as to what they can and cannot do and have to do. That, after all, is the historic property law’s entire purpose.
One of such requirements in the case of Hawaii is that the "public must have reasonable visual access to" the house.
Yet, as it turns out, many of those houses are surrounded by hedges, woods and/or other obstacles totally hiding them from public view. So what has the city done about this noncompliance alone (not to speak of the others)? Nothing. Why? Because no funds were provided for hiring or otherwise paying for officers who would check up on and enforce compliance. (See story in Honolulu Star Advertiser of Sept. 12, 2010).
In other words: Giving the tax breaks, creating appropriate holes in the state’s budget, were not enough, but more money is needed to make sure the public interested in looking at historic properties gets what it is supposed to receive through this kind of legislation.
Hey, it’s just tax money of everybody else! Hilarious if it weren’t everyone else’s money, in the case of Pennington yours and mine, not to bring in the subject of fairness in taxation.
Win Straube Pennington
Private school busing idea
To the editor:
While channel surfing recently, I caught a portion of a school board meeting where parents who had opted to send their children to local private schools were expressing their frustrations at the way state-mandated busing was being offered for their children by the school district.
I think it would be fair to say that the parents felt the bus schedules offered were unrealistic and left many with no other choice than to forgo the busing and opt to drive their children to school themselves.
I think it would also be fair to describe the school district’s position as frustrating, based on the mandatory reviews, approvals and the dynamic nature of the private school population spread so thinly across our large district that must be accommodated.
I’d like to propose a possible alternative that might not only save the district some money, but could also improve the bus service offered for our neighbors that have opted to send their children to private schools.
My suggestion is that the district adopt a spoke-and-hub approach to busing most (if not all) private school students to their schools in the morning. This would involve the private school students riding on the regular high school/middle school buses and then transferring to a second bus that would take them from the CHS/TL bus area directly to their respective private schools.
The district would likely have to keep after-school buses as they are now with one bus per private school returning the students home each night.
Assuming the district buses carrying both public and private school children can be scheduled to arrive at CHS/TL by 7:30 a.m., it should be possible to deliver private school students to Pennington, PDS, Hun, Stuart, Chapin, Cambridge or other area school by 8 a.m.
Students attending schools too far away to be handled this way will have to work under the existing model with the district offering either an "in lieu" payment or bespoke bus routes, whichever is more cost-effective.
There may be valid reasons not to implement such a schedule, but I think most obstacles can be overcome. For example, on buses where there would be K-5 students on the same bus as 6-12 students, a bus aide could be secured. And part of that aide’s responsibilities could be to lead the K-5 students to the proper private school shuttle bus upon arrival at CHS/TL.
I have passed this suggestion on to the school board members as well as Dr. Smith for consideration, if not for possible implementation this school year, maybe for next year.
Ken Hansen Hopewell Township
Nothing to fear but fear itself
To the editor:
If those against Pennington’s proposed historic district had their way, we’d all believe that historic preservation is based solely on fear.
They would also have us convinced that this action is a taking away by the government.
Should we then conclude that residents of Berkeley Square, Mill Hill and the Statehouse historic districts in Trenton and the Jug Town and Lake Carnegie historic districts in Princeton were motivated strictly by this deadly emotion when they created these historic districts?
Were the homeowners terrified when they asked for and received approval of the Kingston, Lawrence Township and Windsor historic districts? Even here in Hopewell Valley, resident property owners worked hard to create the Pleasant Valley, Titusville, Harbourton, and Hopewell historic districts. What were they all afraid of?
We hear statements like "severe erosion of property rights" and "taking of our property rights." It sounds like those who favor saving the past are in the same league as King George of England was in 1775.
We read "current Pennington residents and business people probably couldn’t imagine living without the new wing of Howe Commons and Amber Spa. Are these places your favorites, too?
Then from outside the proposed district (residents who are not directly affected), we hear that people who work to preserve the past are working on a "power-assuming, arrogant endeavor by the assumption that . . . blah, blah, blah."
Hello? What the heck is that about?
We are also told about a "very intrusive legislation" and "another layer of government" even through the actual ordinance is very tame compared to others in the area. The "government" in this case is really resident property owners who do live in the proposed area. Remember our town officials are actually our neighbors – hello – who don’t get paid for their hours of devotion.
What about "the buyers’ pool would be reduced," "improvement initiative would be limited and more costly due to the new covenants" and "limited home and business owner liberties," Now wait, who is motivated by fear?
I’m confused now. I wish the "government" would just go away. Who needs these harsh tactics?
Maybe we should have stayed with the Crown; at least they’re across the ocean.
Now did the "ordinance supporters" say it (the new law) "would supposedly enhance property values throughout the entire borough" or were they just suggesting the homes in the proposed district? How could a historic area on South Main St. affect the value of a home on Reading Avenue.
Well, we read it here in the paper. Someone said is was a fact so it must be true.
The claim was also made, here in these very pages, that "fear appears to be manifested by a desire to control." Hearing this makes me think of that group of Virginia ladies who, very early on, conspired to save Washington’s Mount Vernon. Just think, we could have ordered Star Bucks coffee and Dunkin Donuts on the front lawn as we waited for admission to a replica of the first president’s home.
Fear mongers indeed!
Jack Koeppel property owner proposed Pennington Historic District
Race for the Cure set for Sunday
To the editor:
People of all athletic abilities are most welcome to join the Komen Central and South Jersey Race for the Cure on Sunday, Oct. 3, at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson.
Choose from the women or men’s 5K (3.1 miles) runs, 4K or 1-mile health walks. Even children ages 10 and under have their own ‘fun run.’ Participate in the largest 5K race in New Jersey. The course is USATF-certified.
A huge ‘team’ of survivors, volunteers, activists, and supporters – all ‘awareness messengers’ – have been mobilizing to help empower women to take better care of themselves, to help spread a message about the importance of early detection through recommended mammography, monthly breast self- exams and clinical breast exam.
Why do we continue to raise awareness? Because there may be women who are uninsured or underinsured, e.g., women who are hourly workers taking care of children or sick family members or elderly loved ones or homes. They may not know where or how to find accurate information and resources.
Why is early detection so important? Because it saves precious lives. Discovery of a tumor at the earliest, most treatable stages can mean a significantly higher chance for full recovery.
Support education, medical services and diagnostic programs for the medically underserved. Sign up at www.komencsnj.org to run or walk at the Komen Race for the Cure. Take this opportunity to raise awareness and funds that stay in local New Jersey communities and for scientific research – and do your daily exercise.
Will living healthier, including regular physical activities, lower risk of serious health problems including breast cancer? Yes. Exercise boosts the immune system, helps lower estrogen and insulin levels and can reduce obesity. Women improve their overall health by becoming aware about breast health and early detection.
Run or walk at the Komen Race for the Cure – an extraordinary day packed with fun activities for the entire family. Get your daily exercise and participate in a great cause. You will feel great!
Show your caring and support – come together for a very important cause.
Rochelle Hammer volunteer Komen Central and South Jersey Race for the Cure Plainsboro
Y should be a healthy walk
To the editor:
Kudos to the Hopewell Valley YMCA for allowing the use of its building on Main Street in Pennington as a teen center (reported on Page 1 of the Sept. 23, 2010, edition of this paper).
Unfortunately, there was another recent article in the Hopewell Valley News regarding the possible change in location of the future home of the Y to the former 84 Lumber site on Route 31 in Hopewell Township.
That a socially responsible organization like the Y would consider constructing a full-service facility for its members that could safely be reached only by car is mind-bogglingly different in principle and practice than the teen center.
Many residents of the Hopewell Valley have seen the sign at the corner of Route 31 and Franklin Avenue in Pennington saying "Future Home of the HV YMCA."
This location is within walking distance, or a short bicycle ride, for:
– Approximately 2,500 students of Timberlane Middle School, Central High School and Pennington Prep School.
– Approximately 3,000 residents of Pennington and Hopewell Township.
– 100 homes in the adjacent Pennington Point senior community.
The governing bodies of the Valley have all endorsed the philosophy of "Sustainable New Jersey," and residents, too, I think, are very supportive.
The Pennington location is accessible by thousands of people living, working or studying less than a mile from the "sustainable" Franklin Avenue site (plus the NJ Transit "Pennington" bus also ends its route within walking distance).
The Y’s board of directors should open a dialogue with the community, similar to last year’s Community Needs Survey, and discuss why the proposed YMCA building is being considered for the former 84 Lumber site – where accessibility is by car only – instead of the Pennington site, which is no more than a healthy walk away for so many people.
Daniel Pace Pennington
Don’t return to failed policies
To the editor:
This election is about returning to the policies that brought this nations to its knees or giving the Obama administration support to rebuild this economy and institute good government oversight of the environment, education, military spending and health care.
Please support Rep. Rush Holt in District 12 and urge your friends to turn out on Election Day.
Going back to failed policies is not an option.
Carl Swanson Hopewell Township

