Can Sea Isle School Remain Open with $600K Shortfall?

SEA ISLE – Residents of Sea Isle showed up en masse at a meeting between City Council and the city’s Board of Education. Over 100 people listened as the board and council discussed the future of the city’s school.
The meeting was touted as being an opportunity to open lines of dialog between the entities as to the viability of keeping the school open for its 33 students in grades K-3, or to close it completely and send those students to Ocean City’s school, along with the Sea Isle students in grades 4 – 12 who currently are sent to Ocean City.
At question, too, was the future of the city’s preschool program.
“I don’t ever recall a joint meeting of the school board and members of the city government,” said Mayor Len Desiderio in his opening remarks. “Ultimately we have to realize we are here for all of the children and ultimately we have to realize that any decision that is made, or any decisions that are going to be made, have to take into consideration the children. It’s important that we remember that.”
Desiderio stated that any decision that will be made will be made by the board of education.
The Sea Isle School currently educates 46 students, including 13 in the Pre-Kindergarten program.
At issue is money. The school district’s projection is that for the school year 2012-2013, they will face an operating shortfall of over $650,000. In addition to that shortfall, the building is in need of repairs totaling between $1.5 – $2 million.
It looks like you’re going to run out of money for the 2012-2013 school year,” said City Council President John Divney. “What’s in your control,” he asked the board.
“If we raise taxes,” said Board President Valere Egnasko, “we get $60,000.”
Options on the reducing the operational shortage include closing the school completely and sending all of Sea Isle’s students to Ocean City; privatizing the pre-K program and combining grades.
Eliminating one teaching position would save the district approximately $100,000 in salary and benefits, said Egnasko.
“These are not options that we’d like to entertain,” said Egnasko.
Sea Isle City has the highest per pupil costs in the state with an average per pupil cost of $35,983. Even with the elimination of the state-mandated pre-kindergarten program, taxpayers are facing a per pupil cost of $48,000 per student for the upcoming school year.
During the budget presentation for the current school year, the district told residents the “forecast for 2012-2013 is that District cannot operate the Pre K – 3 grade school under the current regulatory constraints.” To that end, the district asked the state Department of Education to order the expansion of the current sending/receiving relationship with the Ocean City District to include all grades, K – 12.
If the Department of Education orders the closing of the school, Sea Isle teachers would not have to be transferred to the Ocean City District. If the district closes the school, tenured Sea Isle teachers would move to Ocean City as though they always taught in Ocean City – with their seniority and their bumping rights. A lower-end teacher in the Ocean City School District, without tenure, would be bumped in favor of the Sea Isle teacher.
If Sea Isle does close its school in favor of sending its students to Ocean City, the school district would become a non-operating district.
The possibility was raised of the city giving the district the needed $600,000.
“All of this is taxpayer dollars,” said Councilwoman Mary Tighe. “If we take $600,000 from our budget and move it to the school district, we are double-dipping.”
“It’s not double-dipping,” responded Egnasko.
“I’m a little disheartened,” said Tighe. Several members of the board ran as wanting to close the school and they worked for that. Now they want us to bail them out.”
”We’re not coming to you asking for money,” said Egnasko.
The board asked Council if it would write a letter of support to the state.
“The best solution is to send the students to Ocean City,” said Egnasko.
“They’re putting their hopes and dreams on us writing a letter,” said Tighe. “This is their territory, not ours. They should be writing the letter to Trenton.”
“The letter is not the major issue here,” said Divney. “We resolved that we don’t have anything in the city coffers to make a dent.”
The possibility of the City using the half empty building was discussed.
According to the board of education, the building requires major repairs, whether it is used as a school or given to the city if the school is closed. A list of repairs included removal of the temporary trailers, new gym lighting, handicapped accessible lavatories, upgrades to the ventilation system, installation of air conditioning, upgrades to the security surveillance system and replacement of classroom doors and locks. All of these items were address in the district’s 2006 Facilities Plan.
“If the school is no longer here, what happens to the building and grounds?” asked Divney.
“If the city is going to sell it, then we’d sell it,” responded Egnasko. If the city’s plans were to use the building for use by the taxpayers, then the district would forfeit the building to the city.
Talk ensued of making the school yard a playground and letting city offices share the building with the district year-round.
“We have enough playground out there for 300 children,” said Egnasko. “We only have 33.” She shared that the board has spoken with the county about using part of the building for senior services but concerns arose about the future of the building when the school closed.
According to Board Solicitor Mark Toscano, when children are present in the building the school cannot be used for an event or an organization that is not part of the educational process.
“If the building is sectioned off and secured,” he said, “it would need the county’s approval and blessing.”
“This school board has been remiss in their responsibility to the community,” said resident Stacy Olant. “To my way of thinking, there is no way for this building to function partially as a school and partially as a community center. We don’t believe you.”
A reverse sending/receiving relationship was offered by Andrew Pirelli.
“What about the possibility of sending Ocean City kids here?” he asked. “Upper Township is talking about doing something with their kids. We need to reach out to them.”
“Default and let the state take over,” he added. “We’re out of money. It’s not just the city’s responsibility; it’s also the state’s.”
You’ve been running this school like you’ve been going to close it,” said Neal Byrne. “You’ve cut the budget. It’s your fault because you cut the budget.”
“We raised the taxes to the 2 percent cap,” responded Egnasko. “We raised the taxes to the 4 percent cap. Taxes have not been cut for the past five years.”
“Camden was once a beautiful waterfront property,” said one resident. “You close down the school and you make young families want to leave here. You will get Camden city.”