Cinnaminson Schools Adding Aides In Response To Growing Populations

Cinnaminson, NJ -- Cinnaminson students returning to school in September will see more adults in the classroom.

The Board of Education unanimously adopted a proposal from the Early Elementary Exploratory Committee to extend two part-time aides to full-day, but not full-time, at the New Albany School, and add a teacher at the Eleanor Rush Intermediate School for the upcoming year.

The approximate additional cost to the district amounts to $29,000 a year. However, because the aides would still be part-time, they wouldn’t receive benefits.

The decision was made during a special meeting at the middle school Tuesday night.

The committee was formed to tackle an ever-increasing number of students coming into the district. The number of students has grown by 52 percent in four years, Board Vice President James McGuckin said.

The proposal calls for each of the three kindergarten classrooms at New Albany to one full-day assistant that will be in the room for both AM and PM kindergarten. The assistant wouldn’t be paid for the period between classes.

The two transitional first grade teachers would split one full-day aide.

The eight first grade teachers would share four full-day aides, who would rotate between classrooms and focus on guided reading and small group sessions.

There are currently no aides in second grade, and the proposal calls for two part-timers to be pushed to 5.75 hours a week. Each aide would split four classrooms, and assist with struggling students.

New Albany School is expected to have a total of 518 students this year.

Currently, there are 111 students enrolled in kindergarten for the upcoming year, with up to 12 additions possible, pending testing. Another student has not yet been placed, meaning there may be 124 students.

The average class size for first grade is expected to be 21.3 students, and the average class size for second grade is expected to be 22 students.

At the Eleanor Rush Intermediate School, class size is supposed to be between 22 and 25, according to district policy. However, it appears that in third and fifth grades, that number will be right at 25 students, while fourth grade may exceed that number at 27.

This led Superintendent of Schools Dr. Salvatore Illuzzi to request an additional teacher for that school. Illuzzi said that while there is enough money for two more teachers, he felt more comfortable adding one to begin with, and moving from there if necessary.

According to a chart provided by the district, there has been growth across the district, originating from the Cinnaminson Harbour community.

Since 2012, the high school has seen a student increase from that community from 21 to 55; the middle school has risen from 19 to 53; Eleanor Rush has risen from 30 to 38, including a rise into the 50s in 2014 and 2015; New Albany has seen an increase from 36 to 69; and other schools have seen minimal increases.