Mat-Ab BOE discusses use of additional state aid

ABERDEEN — The Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District Board of Education discussed using a portion of the $584,217 in additional state aid received in July to enhance technology and introduce a stronger literacy program in the district.

The proposals discussed at the board meeting on Aug. 22 would use approximately $250,000 of the state aid.

Superintendent David Healy told members of the board that the funding was to be used strictly to benefit the students.

“All the money is going back to the students. There will be no increase in salaries or pension benefits. There is nothing going back to the teachers,” Healy said.

He also explained that he met with the multiple administrators to discuss the appropriate use of the state aid based on genuine needs and not wants.

“Based on all our information gathered by all our administrators, the two areas that require the most attention remain to be technology and curriculum and instruction, specifically at the elementary level,” Healy said.

The elementary reading program would address literacy concerns by implementing classroom libraries and a guided reading program so students can learn to read at level.

“The efforts here are to outfit our classroom with the appropriate reading material with novels so our students can read at level,” Healy said.

The increased technology would include purchasing additional laptops and a few e-book readers for students as well as iPads for physical education teachers.

“The iPad can be used as a laptop to take attendance, and do their grading,” Dr. Greg Farley, director of technology, told members of the board.

Currently, teachers hand in an attendance sheet at the end of the day, Healy said .

Since the proposal is still in the discussion phase, members of the board also discussed their other options.

According to James H. Strimple, interim business administrator, the board has four options to weigh in deciding how to use the funds: as tax relief; to increase the 2011-12 budget; to incorporate in the 2012- 13 budget; or to incorporate in the 2013-14 budget.

“You don’t want to use these funds on ongoing expenses, because there is no guarantee that the governor will include these additional funds,” Strimple said.

A few members proposed using the funds this year for tax relief and holding off on the programs for next year.

“This is a difficult economic time. There are a lot of people out of work, and itmay not seemlike a lot of money, but for some people it may be very important,” board member Kenneth Aitken said.

Healy argued that to wait another year could negatively impact the students.

“As far as I’m concerned, a year to wait is too long,” Healy said. “This is needed at the elementary level. It’s all about literacy, literacy, literacy.”

Board members were also concerned about the actual effectiveness of the programs.

“Two years ago our number-one goal was that every child would be reading on level by the third grade,” John P. Delaney said. “So far, I have not seen any motion on it.”

Delaney proposed taking $20,000 of the $250,000 to make an evaluation of the reading program.

Healy reminded the board that this was just a preliminary discussion and that changes to the proposal were possible.

However, he said that he would be more willing to cut from the technology program and keep the literacy program intact.

“Literacy is key,” Healy said.

Further discussion about the programs and the best use of the additional aid will take place at the board’s next regular action meeting on Sept. 26.