Friday, March 22, 2013
Board of education approves spending plan with 0.51-percent tax levy increase.
In addition to an overall budget decrease, the Washington Township Board of Education approved Thursday night a decrease in the tax impact on the average resident. The 2013-14 school budget comes in at $41,402,014, down $635,492 from last year’s overall spending plan. The tax levy–the portion paid for by commercial and residential taxes–increased 0.51-percent, complying with the 2-percent state mandated tax levy cap. It’s the second consecutive year the tax impact will decrease for Washington Township homeowners, as the average resident with property assessed at $440,600 will see a $5.23 decrease in their annual bill. The board approved a $4.36 decrease in the current year’s budget. The tax rate for the new spending plan is $1.133, down …
Friday, March 8, 2013
Altered bell schedule results from late winter storm.
West Morris Central High School is closed Friday, March 8 due to snow, and the Washington Township School district will operate on a 2-hour delayed opening schedule. The West Morris Regional High School District initially announced a two-hour delayed opening Friday, and two hours later decided to cancel classes altogether. A late winter storm came through the area Thursday afternoon and dropped enough snow to cause unsafe driving conditions overnight into Friday. To see the bell schedule times for the Washington Township Schools for Friday, go here.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Four new line items in township schools' spending plan with 0.51-percent tax levy increase.
The Washington Township School Board of Education unanimously approved a tentative budget Tuesday to submit to the county, with a handful of new line items including funding for teachers to expand the kindergarten program. Overall, the total budget expenditure is $635,492 less than the 2012-13 spending plan, a total of $41,402,014. However, the tax levy — $32,043,116 — will increase by 0.51-percent in the coming year. This is the fifth consecutive budget, according to board President Cathleen Compoli, in which overall spending has been reduced. A tax rate for the average Washington Township home was not yet ready, according to Business Administrator Liz George, but specifics would be available at the board’s March 21 public hearing and …
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Board of Education to vote on implementation March 5; would be first time in district history program was available.
For the first time in district history, full day kindergarten seems all but certain for the Washington Township Schools come the 2013-14 school year. The district, currently working on a half-day kindergarten schedule at Old Farmers, Flocktown-Kossmann, and Cucinella schools, outlined a three-scenario approach regarding enhancements to the system in the upcoming budget cycle–all of which included expansion of the grade level. “In the past, full day kindergarten was an impossibility,” said Superintendent Jeff Mohre. “But the time is right. It’s my number one priority.” Mohre pointed to the fact that a steady decline in enrollment–approximately 130 students are currently registered for 2013-14 kindergarten, down from approximately 190 …
Federal aid would be impacted at local level if Congress doesn't stop $85 billion in cuts.
A Congress-allowed sequestration would impact local school budgets, but not enough to worry officials from Washington Township and West Morris Regional High School Districts. Budget discussions have been ongoing for more than two months, according to West Morris Regional Superintendent Mackey Pendergrast, and the sequestration topic has “fallen under the umbrella” of usable figures when expenditures are analyzed. “At this point, it is difficult to ascertain the impact it will have to New Jersey and school aid for this year and next,” Pendergrast said. Education funding in the state could be cut by nearly $30 million along with drastic cuts to healthcare programs and environmental protection should Congress fail to halt $85 billion in …
Monday, February 25, 2013
K-8 district may approve two motions regarding solar energy use.
In it’s final meeting before preliminary budgets are due to the county superintendent, Washington Township Schools Superintendent Jeff Mohre will present to the board of education the most recent update to next year’s spending plan Tuesday night. According to the board’s meeting agenda, the budget update is just one of a handful of topics being explored at the session, which is being held at Old Farmers Road School at 7 p.m. The 2012-13 budget's tax levy actually dropped 1-percent from the year before, as all school boards and municipalities in New Jersey operate under the 2-percent tax cap. In addition, the board is preparing to approve two resolutions dealing with solar energy at various locations in the district. The first approval …
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Old Farmers Road School
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Thursday, February 7, 2013
Districts take preemptive strike Thursday night.
Both the Washington Township and West Morris Regional School Districts are being proactive in the face of an impending storm, scheduling an early dismissal Friday, Feb. 8. The announcement was made by both districts as night fell Thursday and northern New Jersey braced for an "intense storm" scheduled to last some 24 hours between Friday and Saturday. All after school activities for all grade levels have been canceled, including after care. Anywhere between 10 and 16 inches of snow is expected to fall, according to the National Weather Service. For more on that, go here.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Slippery roads leads to cancellation of afternoon activities.
The Washington Township School and West Morris Regional High School districts serving will have an early dismissal Monday, according to their respective websites. The K-8 administration announced the early closing about 10 a.m. Monday, after snow had begun coating the roadways in Washington Township since 8 a.m. West Morris Regional followed suit, announcing an early dismissal for its schools around 10:30 a.m. Monday. West Morris Central students will be dismissed at 11:44 a.m., the website said. With the early closings, all afternoon preschool and kindergarten classes have been cancelled, in addition to evening activities and aftercare. This is the first inclement weather early dismissal for both districts in the 2012-13 school year.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Neighboring Mt. Olive High School on cusp of hiring full time, armed retired police officer.
The security of students in school has become a national issue in the past month, after a 20-year-old man opened fire in a Newtown, Connecticut elementary school, killing 26 people before turning the gun on himself. Locally, steps have been taken to enhance security measures in various school districts. In Marlboro, New Jersey, the school district’s board of education approved the implementation of armed security guards in each of the town’s nine school buildings less than a week after the Connecticut shooting. On Thursday, it was announced by neighboring school district Mt. Olive that the high school there is one board of education vote away from installing an armed, retired police officer in that building. The topic has now been brought …
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Inclement weather adds another inclement weather day to year's total.
The Washington Township School District and West Morris Regional High School district will be closed Wednesday, Jan. 16 due to inclement weather. A two-hour delay was announced by both administrations after Winter Storm Helen dumped a snow and ice mixture on local roads Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, but the inability to traverse Washington Township's roads forced both districts to close. The only other inclement weather days needed in the calendar year were put toward Hurricane Sandy's aftermath. How are the roads in Long Valley Wednesday morning? What are you seeing out there?
Una mattina
9:46 pm on Saturday, March 23, 2013
I said the BUDGET was efficient. The WTBOE budget reduced spending by $635K verses a Township budget that increased spending by $121K. As for squaring, it's pretty simple - despite the loss of regular students the WTBOE has been building up programs, particularly in the area of Special Education, due to increased demand. more ›