By Matthew Sockol
Staff Writer
MILLSTONE – The Millstone Township K-8 School District has formed a committee whose members will explore how declining enrollment has impacted the district and may lead to the closure of one of its schools.
The district consists of the Millstone Township Primary School, the Millstone Township Elementary School and the Millstone Township Middle School.
According to a flier from the district, committee members are exploring the fiscal impact of declining enrollment and the potential closing of the elementary school, which is the oldest of the district’s three buildings.
Members of the committee include Superintendent of Schools Scott Feder, Board of Education President Salvatore Casale, board member John Sico, district administrators, faculty staff and more than 15 residents.
According to Feder, any individuals who volunteered to be part of the group were invited to participate.
The committee held its first meeting on March 9 and is scheduled to have a maximum of six meetings, according to the flier.
Topics to be discussed include enrollment and demographic forecasting, space utilization, financials, education, and program goals and feasibility, according to Feder.
Pupils in pre-kindergarten through second grade attend the primary school. Pupils in grades three through five attend the elementary school. Pupils in grades six through eight attend the middle school.
Information provided by district administrators indicates that enrollment has been declining for at least the past five school years.
By the end of the 2011-12 school year, the K-8 enrollment was 1,426 pupils; by the end of 2012-13, the enrollment was 1,324; by the end of 2013-14, the enrollment was 1,261; by the end of 2014-15, the enrollment was 1,165; and by the end of 2015-16, the enrollment was 1,123.
Feder said the K-8 enrollment for 2016-17 is slightly under 1,100 pupils.