Watchung Schools Add Fifth Kindergarten Class

Watchung's kindergarten classes were getting a bit tight—in a district that seeks to avoid having more than 15 youngsters in a classroom, the borough's four kindergarten classes already had 20 or more students registered.  

At the Watchung Borough Board of Education meeting Monday, board members discussed the available options, including hiring two part-time aides to help the teachers with the larger class sizes.

And while the potential $20,000 savings was enticing to some of the board, concerns that the district may not have seen all of its kindergarten registrations for the 2012-2013 school year yet lead the board to decide an additional class section would be best.

"I keep going back to '88—Labor Day weekend, three sets of twins showed up," board President Charles Neiss said. 

Superintendent of Schools Barbara Resko said a room is available at Bayberry School for the added class, although it may not be next door to the other kindergarten classes. "We may have to find some furniture," she added.