STOCKTON: Regionalization town hall, July 11

The purpose of these meetings is to cover specific details associated with a fully regionalized PreK through grade 12 South Hunterdon district

By John Tredrea, Special Writer
   On Sept. 24, voters in Lambertville, Stockton, and West Amwell will vote on whether to merge the four existing local school districts into a single PreK-12 district.
   So area residents can learn more “about the potential benefits of regionalization,” the Regionalization Committee is hosting Town Hall meetings. The first was held in West Amwell Township on June 3.
   — The second is scheduled for July 11 at 7 p.m. at the Stockton Firehouse, Mill Street.
   — The third will be held in Lambertville on July 23 at 7 p.m. at the Justice Center.
   ”The purpose of these meetings is to cover specific details associated with a fully regionalized PreK through grade 12 South Hunterdon district,” Dan Seiter, leader of the South Hunterdon County School District Regionalization Committee, said.
   He encourages “all residents who have an interest in learning more about regionalization to attend at least one of these Town Hall meetings.”
   At the Sept. 24 special election, voters will answer two linked questions, according to James D. Gallagher, president of the Stockton board of education.
   — The first question will ask voters to authorize the dissolution of the existing South Hunterdon Regional School District.
   — The second question will ask voters to approve the consolidation of the Lambertville, Stockton, and West Amwell elementary school districts and SHRHS into a new all-purpose regional school district serving children in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.
   For regionalization to take place, passage of both questions is necessary. The first question would pass if a majority of voters in two of the three communities vote yes.
   However, the new district can be formed only if a majority of voters in each of the three communities vote yes on the second question. If one or both questions fail to pass, there would be no regionalization and the four districts would continue to operate as they have in the past.
   AT THE JUNE 3 Town Hall meeting in West Amwell, West Amwell Elementary School Board President Peter Gasparro, who chaired the session, said: “I truly believe regionalization will deliver an exceptional education.”
   Mr. Gasparro’s sought to dispel various myths and rumors that had been circulating about the proposed regionalization.
   ”Voting yes does not mean a new school will be built,” he said. “Our existing buildings are more than adequate.”
   He added that “voting yes does not mean existing schools would be closed” or that class sizes would become larger.
   On May 30 when the four boards decided on the Sept. 24 election, Steve Wolock, vice chairman of the South Hunterdon School Regionalization Committee, emphasized that the four existing districts would continue to operate as usual for the 2013-14 school year — no matter what happens on Sept. 24.
   For more information, readers should visit the Regionalization Committee’s website: http://www.southcountyregionalization.com, There they will find the text of the feasibility study and answers to many frequently asked questions about this issue.