Renaissance Parents Worried About Suggestion To Merge Middle Schools

Trish Feely, mother of two Renaissance Middle School students, says that every parent in the school district should be concerned about suggestions to merge Renaissance with the town's two other middle schools.

She and other Renaissance parents plan to be out en masse at the Montclair Board of Education's next meeting on Monday evening.

"Having three models is very important, as is having smaller classroom sizes and environments for different styles of learning," Feely said. "Each school is unique and each school serves a particular type of child.

"Removing one of them would be a real disservice to all the children in the district," she said.

Faced with a nearly $6.7 million budget gap, the board has been considering all kinds of cost-saving options, including closing two of the district's 11 schools.

Consolidating the Renaissance Middle School into one of the district's other middle schools, and merging two of the seven elementary schools, were among many options put forth last month by the board's Finance Working Group.

That group has been poring over the district's $110.5 million operating budget for the current school year in an effort to find places to cut costs.

Feely added that it would be a real waste of money to end a program that just moved locations over the summer. Indeed, Renaissance moved into the building that formerly housed the Rand Elementary School, while the Rand students moved into the new Charles H. Bullock Elementary School.

"In terms of tax money, we just saved the district a lot of money by giving up our lease and we moved into a new building," Feely said. "A lot of money was spent to make this move but it was money well spent as we were told this would be our permanent home.

"We have an energetic new principal ... it would be a real waste of money to end the program after a year," she said. "If they were going to eliminate Renaissance, they should have done it last year."

Feely pointed out that Renaissance is the only middle school with an extended day and that doesn't track students. "They hold the bar high for all students," she said.

At its 7 p.m. meeting Monday night, the board will ask members of the public for suggestions for improving efficiency, reducing expenses, and improving delivery of services.

"The public can sign up to speak at the meeting—standard procedure—and share constructive comments, suggestions, etc. with recommendations," said Felice Harrison, a spokeswoman for the school district.

The board's Revenue Working Group also will be making its presentation on Monday evening.

In anticipation of another tough budget year, the school board has organized a variety of working groups to examine specific budget issues.

These groups—which already have or will in the future present their findings to the full board for consideration—are made up of community volunteers as well as board members.

You can find out all you need to know about the budget process and what the various working groups have presented so far by going here.

But of all the options put forth perhaps the consolidation of schools is the most controversial one.

Even Mayor Jerry Fried mentioned the idea at the Township Council meeting on Tuesday night.

"This is just a matter of looking at all options open to the school board. They are in a dire situation," he said. "It's not a recommendation to cut schools ... but they are looking at all options. No one is looking at this as an ideal option."

The meeting is on Monday, November 15 at 7 p.m. at The Little Theater, George Inness Annex, Montclair High School (enter through main doors on Park Street).