16 Students Consider Leaving Hopatcong Schools

Nine Hopatcong students requested applications to join a state program that could allow them to attend Lenape Valley Regional High School in 2012-2013.

Sixteen students total requested applications for the Interdistrict Public School Choice program, which gives children the opportunity to attend a choice school for free within 20 miles of their sending districts. Any farther and guardians become responsible for transportation.

The Stanhope-based high school accepted six Hopatcong students for 2011-2012—its first year as a choice school. Students have until Tuesday to file for a notice of intent to join the program. Applications must be submitted to sending districts by Dec. 1.

Hopatcong Superintendent Dr. Charles Maranzano said after Thursday night's Board of Education meeting that he "didn't think it reflects negatively on" Hopatcong.

"When you give people a menu to choose from or an opportunity to look at options," he said, "inevitably you're going to have people who for personal reasons will make choices."

Board of Education President Cliff Lundin said the district added a letter to each application packet asking families why they're considering sending their children out of Hopatcong. Board member Margaret Bongiorno said "it bothers me that we see this trend."

"We have to understand why" students are leaving," she said. "If it's because they offer something we don't—great, I'm happy to hear that. But I think it's important … that we know, and I want people to be honest and tell us. What have you seen? What's bothering you? Because I think we have to be fair that nothing is perfect. But if we can fix something, we should fix it to the best of our ability."

Though 16 students applied to explore leaving Hopatcong, some, if not all, could be forced to stay. If the number of students applying to a choice school—a designation for which schools apply to the Department of Education; Hopatcong hasn't applied, Maranzano said—is larger than the number of available seats per grade level, schools choose students via lottery.

Maranzano said he believes students applying to Lenape Valley are looking for specialized courses, such as certain advanced placement classes or languages—some of which Hopatcong cut after losing more than a million in state aid and watching budgets defeats in the last two years—Hopatcong doesn't provide.

"Part of the problem is the 'N' number—the number of students that are interested in these programs," he said. "If there's not a critical number, you can't make courses work. If four kids want [a specialized course], and you look at your financial situation, you can't have a low teacher-to-pupil ratio and support it with our budget."

On Monday, Lenape Valley Superintendent Paul Palek for state aid. He said Lenape Valley could accept 36 students in 2012-2013—12 freshmen, 12 sophomores, seven juniors and five seniors. Of the Hopatcong students applying to join the Stanhope school, two are currently freshmen, one is a sophomore and six are eighth-graders.

Six elementary students applied to join Mine Hill's Canfield Avenue School. Lundin said he believed many of the students could be attracted by the Mine Hill school's full-day kindergarten program.

Click here to download a Notice of Intent form from the Department of Education. Click here for a list of schools participating in the Interscholastic Public School Choice Program.