District pitches tentative $183 million budget
School taxes could rise by 15 cents per $100 on township properties
BY KATHY CHANG Staff Writer
Woodbridge Schools Superintendent Vincent Smith said his administration and the Board of Education would look into suggestions made last week to incorporate middle school sports such as a basketball program into the proposed budget.

"I brought this up three years ago," said Brian Molnar, board vice president. "However, no one at the time wanted to get on board as a sponsor. I would love to see [a basketball program] implemented."

About 50 representatives of the Parent Teacher Organizations in the school district attended the public hearing on the school budget at the Oak Ridge Heights Elementary School No. 21 on March 10.

Smith said he did not have the numbers in front of him, but said the cost analysis done on the proposed middle school basketball program would cost the district approximately $32,000 for both a boys team and a girls team.

"Parents have to keep in mind that the students would play with each other among the five middle schools, and we would not be able to get Nike uniforms for them; the uniforms would probably be shorts and a T-shirt," said Smith, who said the school administration would take a look at implementing the program.

The Woodbridge Township Board of Education unanimously approved a $183 million tentative school budget on Feb. 25 that increases taxes by $112.50 per year for the average homeowner.

The proposed budget for the 2008-09 year is $183,597,229, up roughly $8.6 million from last year.

The school tax will rise 15 cents, from $4.34 to $4.49 for each $100 of assessed valuation. The average home is assessed at $75,000.

"Residents will vote on the tax levy, which is proposed to be $143,651,118," said Smith.

The school district struggled to raise the tax levy by only 2.75 percent for the 2008-09 budget. The state allows only a 4 percent tax levy increase.

Under the state's new school funding formula, the district received $4.393 million in state aid.

"It's important that residents understand that we did not receive an increase of 20 percent in state aid of the overall budget, but just received $4.393 million more than what we are currently receiving [$21 million] for the 2007- 08 budget," said Smith. "We received $26 million for the 2008-09 budget, so we received a total of $4.393 million [more] in state aid."

The amount received in state aid this year is less than 2.4 percent of the total budget.

And although the school district received an increase in state aid, the superintendent stressed that it didn't mean that the tax rate would go down.

"Theoretically, we could use the $4.3 million to lower taxes; however, we have to remember that $4.3 million would have to be reduced from the expenses side, including from programs, curriculum, and personnel," he said. "Our fixed costs have increased, including pensions and utilities, and our ratables have decreased by $22 million."

Fixed costs included $2,217,760 in health care costs; $286,183 in special-education tuition costs; $698,045 in PERS [employee] pension costs; $1,051,297 in contractual obligation costs; $204,563 in gas costs; $303,195 in electric costs; $117,707 in phone costs, and $60,385 in gasoline costs.

The superintendent added that the state aid would go toward teacher salaries.

"We have lost teachers over better offers from other school districts," he said.

The $112.50 tax increase is up $30 from $82.50 last year; however, the superintendent said the district was fortunate because it was able to factor in two grants - one grant for $1.4 million, which was half of the tax relief, and a $1.076 million HELP grant - for the 2007-08 budget.

"We don't expect this to happen this year, because I already asked and was told [that] what we got [$26 million] is what we will only get," said Smith, who also added that grants available last year were not available this year. "Before the state aid last year, we were looking at close to a $112 tax increase, similar to what we are looking at for the 2008-09 budget."

The school district's initiatives include the continuation of the Honeywell Instant Alert System and the establishment of daily police presence at all middle schools.

"We had implemented the off-duty police officers four years ago, but had to take them out because of financial reasons," said Smith. "With times changing and all the incidents that we read in the newspapers about the college campuses, I feel that this is important to implement again."

New curriculum initiatives include a gifted and talented program for grades kindergarten to fifth grade; a health program concentrating on suicide and nutrition education for grades kindergarten through 12; a language arts program for grades five and six; an honors mathematics program for grade seven; a mathematics program for grade eight; a science program for grade two; an advanced placement (AP) environmental science class for the three high schools; a Special Education for Autism program for grades K-12; a disabilities program for the preschool; and a Chinese program for grades seven and eight at ColoniaMiddle School, Iselin Middle School and the Woodbridge Middle School, and for grades nine and 10 at John F. Kennedy Memorial High School, Colonia High School and Woodbridge High School.

"The Chinese program has been very successful as a pilot program in Colonia Middle School and Colonia High School," said Smith.

The superintendent said shared services and interlocal agreements have helped the school district.

Middlesex County has provided $1.9 million to the school district to renovate the two baseball fields, one softball field, and a soccer field at Woodbridge High School. The two baseball fields should be ready to play on by spring 2009, and the soccer field should be ready to play on by the fall.

The township agreement with the Denver-based distribution facilities developer ProLogis in January 2007 has provided $5 million to the school district to build a new track at Colonia High School, which is in the process of being constructed; build five tennis courts at John F. Kennedy Memorial in Iselin, which is expected to be completed in the spring; and the installation of synthetic turf on the Woodbridge High School football field, which was completed in September 2007.

The district has shared services and interlocal agreements with the township's Cable TV 35 and 36; the computer resource program; with the township for maintenance and grounds equipment, including snow removal equipment; with

the Woodbridge Fire Department for fiber optics technology; agreements with Central Jersey Visiting Nurse Association for their services for students; agreements with the Woodbridge YMCA for free swim lessons for third-graders in four district schools, no charge for pool time for the swim meets and practices for the three high

schools, free membership for all district seventh-grade students, "Fit Kids" (a before and after-school fitness and wellness program for fourth- and fifth-grade students) twice a week for 16 weeks at predetermined elementary schools; and after-school care at Avenel Street School No 4 and 5.

The school district also has agreements with the township and US Skates for free ice time for games and practices for the three district high school hockey teams and with the Club at Woodbridge for scholarships to 19 students who qualify for "The KidsWeigh," a program of nutrition education and exercise for 6- to 12-year-old students who are overweight and not active.

The next budget hearing will be held at 7 p.m. March 20 at the Avenel Middle School. The board will also vote on whether or not to adopt the budget on March 20. Any resident who is unable to attend the hearings may e-mail questions to schoolbudget@woodbridge.k12.nj.us. For more information, visit www.woodbridge. k12.nj.us.

School budget elections will be held on April 15. Residents can register up to 21 days prior to Election Day (March 25). Voter registration and absentee ballot applications are available at allWoodbridge Township schools as well as the Woodbridge Township School DistrictAdministration building on School Street and at Town Hall, 1 Main St.