By Peter Elacqua
Staff Writer
MARLBORO – The Marlboro K-8 School District Board of Education has changed the cut-off date for children entering kindergarten and first grade.
On June 28 the board approved a policy change that will switch the cut-off date from Dec. 31 to Oct. 1. Officials previously said the change was being made to bring Marlboro into line with the six other elementary school districts that send their students to the Freehold Regional High School District.
Board president Debbie Mattos, Vice President Stephen Shifrinson and board members Victoria Dean, Dara Enny, Michael Lilonsky, Joanne Liu-Rudel, Craig Marshall and Robyn Wolfe voted yes. Board member Ellen Xu was absent.
The policy as it relates to kindergarten states, “The child shall have attained the age of 5 years on or before Dec. 31, 2016 of the 2016-17 school year or the child shall have attained the age of 5 years on or before Oct. 1 of the 2017-18 school year and each year thereafter.”
The policy as it relates to first grade states, “The child shall have attained the age of 6 years on or before Dec. 31 of the 2016-17 and the 2017-18 school years or the child shall have attained the age of 6 years on or before Oct. 1 of the 2018-19 school year and each year thereafter.”
In other business, the board renewed the district’s food service contract with Chartwells, West Long Branch. Chartwells issued a financial guarantee of $50,000 to the district. There will be a management fee of $71,500 and an administrative fee of $69,700, according to the agreement.
For the 2016-17 school year, lunch for elementary school pupils will be $2.50 and lunch will be $2.70 for middle school pupils. A premium lunch will cost $3.35. The reduced price lunch for elementary school and middle school pupils will be 40 cents. Milk will cost 45 cents for elementary school and middle school pupils and 20 cents for kindergarten pupils.
Finally, the board awarded contracts for the replacement of doors at two schools. C&M Door Controls Inc., Port Reading, was awarded a $36,200 contract to replace 44 interior doors with hour rated (fire rating) solid core wood doors at the Robertsville School. Smitty’s Door Service Inc., Pittstown, was awarded a $94,662 contract to replace 20 exterior doors with thermally broken insulated doors (insulated and energy efficient doors) at the Marlboro Elementary School.