NJROTC Supporters Continue To Press School Board

Supporters of 's Navy Junior Reserve Officer's Training Corps at Tuesday's meeting continued to press the school board to fully fund the program once the Navy yanks its funding next year.

The Navy funds half of any NJROTC program with 100 or more members, but since Wall’s enrollment is currently at 63, the program will be short $58,000 to pay its two fulltime instructors for the 2012-13 school year, officials have said. That means either the district will have to make up the difference or be forced to cut the program until the enrollment reaches 100.

After hearing three cadets tout the benefits of the program, and a handful of parents as well, board President John Tavis said that he hoped the board could find a way to preserve the program.

"Maybe we could find some creative budgeting,'' Tavis said.

Later, when pressed, Tavis walked back the comment somewhat, saying there were a number of issues the board deals with in the district budget, but perhaps the program could be preserved.

"Maybe we won't be able to do it the way it has been done in the past,'' Tavis said. "But perhaps there can be some creative budgeting to at least keep it going.''

Julie Layden, of Johnson Street, said she has been collecting signatures on a petition to help keep the program alive. Layden said she had 1,600 signatures,and hopes to have 3,000 in the coming weeks.

Layden, who has two children in the program, said that if the board found a way to keep the program going, the cadets would pound the pavement to get the word out about voting for the school budget.

"If you do this for us, they (the cadets) will be there for you,'' she said.