Schools

Princeton Schools Look At Options To Handle Increasing Population

A referendum on expansion is a possibility.

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Anthony Bellano, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge

Princeton, NJ -- The Princeton School District is considering short-term fixes for an escalating student enrollment while considering a possible future referendum for expansion, according to reports.

The highest increase is at John Witherspoon Middle School, where enrollment is up 50 students for a total of 765, according to the Princeton Packet.

According to the report:
  • Community Park Elementary School has seen an increase of 38 students, up to 361;
  • Riverside Elementary School is up 25 to 277;
  • Princeton High School is up 18 for a total of 1,594;
  • Littlebrook Elementary School has nine additional students for a total of 337; and
  • Johnson Park Elementary School is up 23 for a total of 366.
The increases are related to new residential developments on the former hospital site at Avalon Bay, and Princeton University’s Merwick-Stanworth on Bayard Lane.District policy calls for no more than 25 students in elementary school classes, and 30 students in classes at schools above that, according to Planet Princeton.

There is room for expansion at John Witherspoon, where the district could hire more teachers to help reduce class size next year, according to the report. The district is considering a capacity study throughout the district.

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The Princeton Public School District is a sending district for Cranbury, and at least one parent said during this week’s school board meeting that the district should consider ending that policy, according to the report.

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