Parent: School Curriculum Needs Better Focus

Progress is being made by the Washington Township School Board of Education to fulfill and meet its goals set forth in August, 2011, according to Superintendent Jeff Mohre.

But one of those goals, focusing on curriculum and instruction enhancement, isn’t being aimed in the right direction, say some parents with children in the school system.

That curriculum project encompasses language arts/literacy; mathematics; social studies; science; world language; music; art; physical education; health; and media/technology.

Over the past few years, the district, despite losing classroom sections in world languages, has added instruction for English as a second language and additional special education classes.

“Why is there no plan in place for adding world languages,” asked Leta Davis. “It seems like the special education students and gifted and talented kids are getting more of the focus. Why aren’t the average kids receiving the benefits of costs savings?”

Davis referenced neighboring towns’ options of multiple world languages at the elementary level, including an introduction to Chinese course in the Chesters and Mendhams.

“We have a lot of competing programmatic forces,” Mohre said. “We have not put the addition of a world language in our administrative recommendation.”

Mohre cited the constraints of the 2-percent state-mandated tax cap on the creation of a school budget as one of the reasons the district can’t expand in some curriculum areas.

One of the recommendations, Mohre said, will be to add more special education instruction to the Long Valley Middle School next year.

“I’d like to see academic excellence in our schools,” Davis said. “Why is it OK to have just one world language? There should be more choices of where the money is spent. We’re an amazing special education district, but it’s just one segment of the population that gets a lot of attention.”

Board President Michael Rec addressed the school’s governing body, currently constructing next year’s budget, saying the board needs to “address all dimensions of the segmented population during the budget process.”

“This might be the year to look at curriculum and make some changes; let’s think outside the box,” said Long Valley resident and parent of five Julie Tuner. “How can we make the district better than it already is? We got a lot of programs back, but there are still a lot of kids falling through the cracks.”

Community Voice Lacking

Both Davis and Turner, in addition to Long Valley resident Tracy Tobin, said the community’s role at board meetings has dropped off, and not enough voices are being heard.

“The purpose of the board meetings is to let the public be heard,” Tobin said. “But there’s something wrong in this town with the apathy level, and there’s a major drop-off of attendance at meetings.”

Board member Walt Cullen said it doesn’t matter how many residents show up to a meeting, voices will be heard, regardless.

“If there’s one person in the audience or 100, we’ll listen to what they have to say and take their suggestions seriously,” Cullen said.

“We have an obligation to listen,” Rec said. “We don’t have all the answers, but we’re open to listening.”