Revised redistricting plan passes board with 8-0 vote
Will affect less than 3 percent of students; some opposed changes
BY KATHY CHANG
Staff Writer

The Woodbridge Board of Education voted in favor of the new revised school-districting plan last week, though not without some opposition.

"It was a tough decision that we knew would affect some parents and their children," said Schools Superintendent Vincent Smith. "We worked hard for the last seven months and we listened to the public. It was a great team effort by the central office and the board."

Board members voted 8-0 for the new proposed school-districting plan at a special meeting held May 24 in the Avenel Middle School cafeteria. Board member Lewis Huber was not present for the vote.

Board member Judy Leidner, who was adamantly against the original plan presented on May 9, said she was appreciative that the administration listened to the parents' concerns.

"Different scenarios were played out," she said. "This plan is a much better plan."

Board member Pat Hardiman, who is also a member of the Policy and Planning Committee, agreed.

"This has been an emotional process, and based on the fact of the changes, I vote yes," she said.

The board introduced the school redistricting plan at a special meeting on May 9 at the Avenel Middle School cafeteria, which brought out over 300 parents and their children.

Many parents and children were angry and confused about the proposed plan and many expressed concerns that the plan was a done deal.

The school's administration and the Policy and Planning Committee met on May 15 to discuss making changes to the original proposed plan. Smith emphasized that the changes are good for some and in the end will affect some parents and children. He said they did the best they could and that the proposed plan presented on May 9 was not a done deal.

The new plan will affect about 3 percent of the 14,000 students in the school district - 263 elementary students, 49 middle school students, and 67 high school students.

Carl Fisher's daughter, Charlotte, 9, is one of the 263 elementary school students affected.

"My daughter will be emotionally uprooted not once but three times," said Fisher, whose daughter is currently in the fourth grade at Lynn Crest School No. 22 in Colonia and would have to move to Port Reading School No. 9 under the new plan.

"She has been at that school for four years and created bonds and ties," said Fisher to the board. "She will go through three different schools in two years."

Under the new plan, Fisher's daughter would be allowed to stay at her current school provided that he or his wife provide transportation.

"That's the problem," said Fisher, who lives in Woodbridge Proper. "I work as a letter carrier for the township and my wife works in New York City. We go to work early and rely heavily on the buses."

Fisher said he would sit down with his wife and daughter to come up with a decision whether to keep her in the Woodbridge Public School system or have her go to private school.

Charles Kenny, who is the Ward 1 councilman for the township, asked the board to reconsider letting younger siblings stay in the schools their older siblings go to.

"I can't believe that there is that many children going into fifth grade who have younger siblings in the same school," said Kenny, whose daughters are affected by the plan.

The administration said they do have a number of students going into the fifth grade who have younger siblings; however, they did not have the number for the meeting.

Iselin resident Sergio Ghiano asked the board what the cost of additional bus routes would be with the new proposed plan. The administration said they do not have a set number of additional routes that would have to be implemented, if any, but said a standard route cost would be $12,500.

Several parents asked if after-school care would be affected by the new changes. The administration said they would make plans for transportation for after-school care even for the parents who would provide transportation for their fifth-graders.

Smith said the administration plans to have the new plan implemented in September for the 2007-08 school year. The new revised school-redistricting plan is outlined on the township school district's Web site at www.woodbridge.k12.nj.us.