Enrollment up, but stable at Sayreville high school
BY MICHAEL ACKER Staff Writer
With 59 additional students this year at Sayreville War Memorial High School, the annual surges in enrollment appear to have calmed a bit.

Enrollment at the school increased from 1,605 to 1,664 students.

"We are not going up that much more than that," Superintendent of Schools Frank Alfano said. "We have kind of stabilized. We are not getting those huge jumpers like we used to get in the past."

Overcrowding at the borough's middle school led to the construction of the Samsel Upper Elementary School (SUES) in 2004, and Alfano said enrollment at the new building has also stabilized since its construction.

"When I first got here seven or eight years ago, the middle school was extremely overcrowded," Alfano said.

Carla Sutherland, assistant superintendent of schools, said enrollment increases continue, but the rise in student population at the high school was not significant this year. The most accurate enrollment figures will come in on Oct. 15, she said.

This year, the high school will continue its achievement program for youth who are at risk of not completing school or who are having difficulty adjusting, Sutherland said. And the high school boasts a new class on music and entertainment production.

"We have a new recording and entertainment workshop program at the high school," Sutherland said. "… I believe that the equipment was existing equipment. We did not need anything new."

The board focused its efforts toward providing students in kindergarten through third grade with a new reading series using state aid, Alfano said.

"That was a huge investment in time and money, as well as to train teachers to use this new system," Alfano said.

The board filled a few vacancies at the high school and elsewhere this year, Alfano said, noting that no new positions were created.

Teacher Bonnie Brady replaced Stephanie Maldinado as the new vice principal of the upper elementary school, he added.

Carol Duffy took over Harold Bell's position as director of special services education, and Catherine Mellon filled in the vacancy left by Duffy in the supervisor of special services position.

Donna Sicola filled the vacancy left by Larry Anderson as guidance supervisor, Alfano said. Sicola is an internal candidate who was promoted to the supervisor position, since Anderson retired.

Construction of the new science wing at the high school will be complete in December and open by January, Alfano said.

"Once the wing opens up, we'll take a look at some new programs," Alfano said.

The wing is part of the district's $47 million construction project, which is scheduled for completion in 2009. Earlier this year, it was learned that firewall and fire suppression work were left out of the plan and would cost an additional $445,000. It also came to light that the district lacked proper permits from the building department at the start of the project.

The board has since made an effort to expedite the project, which began in fall 2006. Work continued with temporary permits until full permits were issued.

Board President Michael Macagnone said the progress being made with the science wing shows that the district is progressing nicely with the overall project.

He noted that the school year began smoothly.

"It is my understanding that our first week of school went off very well, and that is indicative of the leadership at the building level," Macagnone said.