B-R Schools Before/After Care Programs: Second Thoughts?

Dr. Schilder at December, 2010 meeting for the 2011-2012 budget.

I have been amazingly gratified these days to see how citizens can get the attention of their elected officials when they assemble peacefully, yet express themselves with assertion as they make their views known. 

First, it was the reinstatement of a wrestling coach in Potomac, MD, following his firing by a high school principal, after a staunch group of parents objected to his dismissal as an over-reaction by school staff.

Then, in Bridgewater, it was the surprisingly large turnout of voters yesterday who filled the Township Building to its bursting point, regarding a proposed change-of-use petition before the Planning Board for the Redwood Inn property on Mountain Top Road. 

Third, there has been a recent push-back from Bridgewater-Raritan parents with children in the before-and-after- care programs at the various school locations:  It appears that the Bridgewater-Raritan Board of Education may be on the verge of taking a second look at a proposal which was to be presented this evening by the superintendent.

The online agenda which I pulled up a few days ago had this topic listed under a line item entitled “Superintendent’s Report,” to be followed by a presentation of the 2011-2012 budget.

 However, a “revised agenda” which I pulled up this afternoon has removed the before-and-after-care program from the Superintendent’s Report, and has remanded it to a line item entitled “Information and Communications,” naming it, “Before/After Care Programs Discussions.” (Emphasis mine.)

These school programs are now implemented by different non-profit organizations, and there is (was?) an administrative proposal to bring them all under one administrative roof, while replacing the non-profits with the schools’ own employees.  The savings associated with such a shift was reported to be $100,000 to the school district.

I have not verified whether the B-R BOE is, in fact, reevaluating these programs, but the revised agenda for this evening’s board meeting seems to point in this direction.  

We’ll find out tonight, when the board meets in the Wade Building at 8:00 PM.