STAFFORD – Although the Stafford School District previously jumped at the opportunity to apply for the state’s free preschool program grant, officials ultimately decided the costs outweighed the benefits.
On March 4, the Stafford Board of Education unanimously decided to withdraw its application for the New Jersey Department of Education’s Preschool Education Expansion Aid (PEEA) for the 2019-2020 school year during a special meeting. The district will be returning to tuition-based preschool programming.
At the Feb. 21 Board of Education meeting, officials noted that they were considering the idea of withdrawing from the grant after discovering that some requirements to expand the preschool program weren’t included in the funding, like transportation for example.
Board President Walter Jauch said that the district was looking at a $1.1 million shortfall in additional costs to expand the program, which would have to be taken from the general fund. Jauch estimated a total cost of $2.3 million to go through with the grant.
“If we have to start eroding at our core program for K through 6, it’s not going to matter that we have a good, free preschool,” said Jauch.
Superintendent George Chidiac and Business Administrator Lourdes LaGuardia explained what the PEEA grant included during the Feb. 21 meeting. Chidiac was not present during the March 4 special meeting. The Board approved last minute personnel changes after a closed session, stating that Mr. Chidiac will be taking “emergency retroactive leave” effective March 1 to April 9. While he is absent, Personnel Director Barbara D’Apuzzo will take on the role of acting superintendent.
Chidiac and LaGuardia previously explained that Stafford would have received a $1,469,263 grant to expand its preschool program to include 117 students spread out between nine classrooms. The expansion would also require the hiring of special-area teachers, classroom aides, and increase the need for transportation.
In terms of transportation, Jauch explained that this is a high-cost area, “a lot of the extra busses that we need, some of the busses are aging…they have to be pulled off the road and they have to be replaced with something else.”
From the time that the district submitted their PEEA application in August 2018, they had 60 days to figure out how “to get it up and running.” These measures included postponing purchasing some new busses, postponed expanding makerspaces in schools, suspending professional development opportunities, suspending all spending opportunities outside of mandatory bills, and using reserve funds which are a one-time “injection,” said Jauch.
Finally a school district that weighs the options without jumping in head first! Congratulations!
Kim Macaluso this is exactly why TR never applied. It sounds good but it costs big bucks that the grant won’t cover.
Please don’t bring them up ??
Yep something to help make kids better…, guess someone wasn’t happy they couldn’t get their hands on the money
Lew Fiord it’s such a hard business. There’s no room for profit even while paying staff crap wages. And it’s not just day care, it’s early childhood education. It requires some knowledge that not everyone has.
I don’t know a lot about THIS particular event, but in general, preschools don’t have huge margins.
^ free preschool makes kids better? Please elaborate.
My son is smarter than the average turd his age. Why?
He has a devoted mother that teaches him daily. Hands on, real experiences.
Good parenting equates to “better” kids 😉
Sharon Lynn Huber NOT EVERY HOTELS WHEN THE ONE ISN’T CAN STAY HOME. MOST BOTH PARENTS HAVE TO WORK FULL TIME JOBS
No one disputes that, ever. What people point out is that not every child is privileged enough to live in the world you have been blessed to create for your own. These same children will hopefully grow up and will be part of the same society as your own. Think of what their life experience may build them to be, then ask if that outcome is what you wish your child to be living with in their future? I mean if you can’t see the humanitarian aspect, perhaps you can see the more selfish aspect if. Adding support and nurture to another child actually in tern will improve the future experience of your own.
So superior. We bow down to you, O Great Mother
I cant speak for everyone but my daughter went through early intervention and when she aged out at 3 our town offered a free preschool program where she could continue her therapies. She was nonverbal until recently and despite our constant efforts of doing educational things and repetitive things to help her speech, the free preschool program has helped her tremendously. It has nothing to do with parenting that certain kids need more. Just because my daughter needs services doesn’t make her less than others or make me a bad mom.
Good parenting doesn’t always equate to “better” kids… wait til they are teenagers and you have no control
Samantha Oelfke the disabled preschool program is available at no cost. If your child qualifies.
Samantha Oelfke the disabled preschool program is available at no cost. If your child qualifies.
Amy Robertson-Marks I understand that but if she didn’t qualify and free preschool were still available, the social interaction would benefit her as well as other kids. The original comment from Sharon implied free preschool doesn’t make kids better or improve them but it’s the parents that matter. The parents helping their child is only part of it sometimes. Not everyone can afford an extra $1,000 a month for preschool but their child may need that social interaction and structure that preschool offers. Even being in early intervention and having a medical diagnosis the school still does an evaluation.
Tizzie Cregan I’m with you on that I moved from mass and I relied on being able to send my son with no cost after he aged out of intervention Stafford is doing a crap job with my son anyway but least he’s getting services that I need for him which are somewhat helping I still work with my son at home take him to outside care as well as working with different places to help with my sons auto-aim 100 percent on board in my care of my child and no less of a mother because I send him to school he has been in school since 3
Debbie Mack
nothing is FREE !!
My daughter starts free full day preschool this coming September. Berkeley Township is the best. I’m excited for my daughter’s opportunity. This also helps out so many parents I know. ❤️
Taylor McKeon my son is in it now. It’s an amazing program. Socially and educationally
My daughter is in bayville school prek and its fantastic. Your daughter will absolutely love it
So tax payers can pay
So tax payers can pay
Taxes taxes n more will pay free college free this free that great
Taxes taxes n more will pay free college free this free that great
I seriously don’t think people realize that’s where all these “free” things come. ?♀️
I can see different sides. I don’t understand why these funds cannot be distributed to help towards families attending existing small business preschools. There are local small businesses that will likely close because of the free preschool that berkeley is now offering without notice to them. That’s a lot of people losing jobs. There needs to be changes in how the funds are allocated.
Free preschool would’ve helped me greatly. In other states, there are sliding scale grants so that families can afford tuition. Here it’s if you’re under x amount, it’s free; if you’re a dollar over, you get nothing.
I know a family with 3 adults in the household. Their combined income blows mine away. They’re taking trips to Disney and all other vacations. They get FREE childcare from CHS. I have 1 income and tuition is almost $800/ month. I’m not asking for free. I’m just saying that a sliding scale would be nice so it isn’t so difficult for working single parents to survive.
Lol, there goes that “free” word again. How about from now on we replace “free” with “money raised from a tax increase”, then we check the support.
Here is what they WONT tell you. This “State Funding” (which is still your tax dollars) is not permanent. In 5 years, when the state cuts off the funding, the districts will have 2 options: 1) Keep the program and fund it through a big property tax increase OR 2) eliminate the program and layoff faculty. Which do you think will happen? It’s a tax hike scam and they are using children as cover. #FailingJersey
So where are all those Ocean County School dollars going????
Janine Stefanelli Casler
Kelli Federico Goshorn is this where Nathan goes?
No
Kelli Federico Goshorn that’s good news!!