David Kilby, Managing Editor
MONROE — In some ways, these are the best of times and worst of times for the Monroe Township School District because as students and teachers enjoy the new high school and new iPad 2s, they also are dealing with low state aid, rejected budgets and disagreement among board members.
Dr. Kenneth Hamilton, superintendent of schools, said at the Nov. 16 Board of Education meeting that the state aid formula uses a mathematical calculation to determine the wealth of a community. However, he said that calculation doesn’t take into account the fact 66 percent of Monroe’s population is made up of senior citizens.
Earlier this year, Dr. Hamilton said the average FG district, the high-middle class category the state places Monroe in, receives $1,869 per student in state aid whereas Monroe receives $204 per student. In July, the Monroe School District received an extra $887,122 in state aid to bring its total to $2,012,940, which still is millions of dollars short of what other districts similar to Monroe receive.
He said he sent a letter to the state Department of Education, asking it to “keep Monroe on the radar.”
”Hopefully, changes will be in effect by the next state aid cycle,” he said at the meeting.
He added student enrollment in the district has increased by 211 students since October 2010.
”Folks are still finding Monroe to be an attractive place to live,” he said.
Despite the low state aid, when auditors gave the financial report for the district’s 2010-11 school year at the meeting, they had no recommendations on how to budget more wisely.
When voters turned down a nearly $103 million proposed budget in April, the district cut an extra $1 million from its 2011-12 spending plan, which included dozens of full-time and part-time positions.
Board members commended Business Administrator Michael Gorski for managing the 2010-11 school budget, which included the transition costs into the new high school.
”I know you guys watch every penny and report everything to the board almost to a fault,” said Ken Chiarella, board member, to school administrators.
The Monroe Township Education Association, Monroe’s teachers union, also did its part when it recently agreed to a contract equivalent to a three-year pay freeze when considering the savings anticipated from the contract’s health insurance opt-out provision.
The contract will give MTEA members a 2 percent salary increase in the 2011-12 and 2012-13 school years and a 2.25 percent increase in the 2013-14 school year. The Monroe Board of Education approved the contract 6-1 at its meeting.
Board member Mark Klein voted no because he believes the teachers union hasn’t done enough to help the district’s financial situation.
The teachers union went without a contract all summer, which included the transition into the new high school.
