Class size may drive construction decision
Marlboro panel reports 369 more pupils expected
BY TALI ISRAELI
Staff Writer

According to calculations made by the Marlboro Board of Education's Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC), a new school may be needed in the near future.

The CAC, which is made up of residents, teachers and board members, was created earlier this year to research and analyze how administrators can best address space and enrollment issues facing Marlboro's K-8 public schools.

On May 22 the committee presented its theories and calculations to the public for the purpose of gaining feedback and answering questions. A similar presentation is expected to be given to the board at 8 p.m. June 6 at the board's offices on Township Drive.

The CAC was split into five subcommittees - class size and school configuration; enrollment projections; finance; available land; and facilities and programs.

The CAC's recommendations regarding class size are to have 20 pupils or fewer in kindergarten and first grade; low to mid 20s for second through fifth grade; and mid 20s for sixth through eighth grade.

During the presentation, the CAC used three class-size scenarios to determine whether a new school is needed in the district.

According to Scenario 1 - in which the total number of classes in the district would stay the same - grades K-1 would have 23 to 26 students, grades two through five would have 25 to 32 students, and grades six through eight would have 31 to 33 students. With this scenario, no additional classrooms are needed.

In Scenario 2, with mid-size classes, grades K-1 would have between 22 and 24 students, grades two through five would have 25 to 27 students, and grades six through eight would have 27 to 28 students. In this scenario, the district would need 26 additional classrooms.

Scenario 3 incorporates the CAC's recommended class sizes; grades K-1 would have 20 to 22 students, grades two through five would have 23 to 25 students, and grades six through eight would have between 25 and 27 students. With this scenario, 48 additional classrooms are reported to be needed.

The CAC concluded that using Scenario 2 or Scenario 3 would require a new elementary school to be built in the district.

According to public information officer Sharon Witchel, the number of classrooms in a Marlboro elementary school ranges from 27 to 30 rooms for core subjects. She said some schools may have additional rooms for subjects such as music, computer, art and small group instruction.

The CAC made the following conclusions based on its calculations regarding class size:

+ Schools in the K-8 district are currently at capacity, with some schools being overcrowded.

+ Limiting class size is desirable, but doing so increases the need for classrooms.

+ Projected enrollment of regular education and special education students would require a number of classrooms that equate to a new school, if the district is concerned about limiting class sizes.

+ Changing configurations of existing schools does not affect space issues.

+ The new school should be able to accommodate either grades one through five or grades one through six.

+ The new school should be built to match other schools that at one time housed kindergarten through sixth grade. Some of the classrooms should be designed with bathrooms and larger spaces for use by children with autism and multiple disabilities.

As for future enrollment, the CAC projected an increase of 369 pupils over the next five years. There are currently 6,143 students attending school in Marlboro; in the 2009-10 school year that number is expected to rise to 6,544 students, before declining to 6,512 pupils in 2010-11.

According to the presentation, the forecast reflects a slower enrollment growth over a five-year period, with peak enrollment seen in 2009-10. However, the CAC concluded that the special education projections could have a significant impact on the district.

According to the presentation, in 1998-99 the district had 381 classified students; last year the district had 606 classified students (a 59 percent increase over the past seven years). In 1998-99, the district had 30 autistic and multiply disabled students; last year the district had 100 autistic and multiply disabled students (a 233 percent increase over seven years).

According to school board President Terry Spilken, all of the special education students who are enrolled in the district are Marlboro residents.

The job of the finance subcommittee was to estimate the projected cost and tax impact if a new school is built; this was done in five different scenarios.

The first scenario is a new single-story elementary school (97,000 square feet), which would accommodate 750 students with room for future additions. A minimum of 20 to 25 acres would be needed for this type of building. The scenario also includes an eight-classroom addition at the Marlboro Early Learning Center (12,000 square feet).

The estimated cost for this project would be $42 million. The annual tax impact for a home assessed at $100,000 would be $73 and for a home assessed at $300,000 the tax impact would be $218 a year for 25 years.

The second scenario includes the construction of the same 97,000-square-foot elementary school (with room for additions), with a 10-classroom self-contained special education wing (11,000 square feet). The estimated cost for this project is $41.79 million. The annual tax impact for a home assessed at $100,000 would be $72 and for a home assessed at $300,000 the tax impact would be $217 a year for 25 years.

The third scenario involves the construction of the same 97,000-square-foot elementary school, with room for additions. The estimated cost of this project is $36.5 million. The annual tax impact for a home assessed at $100,000 would be $63 and for a home assessed at $300,000 the tax impact would be $189 a year for 25 years.

The final scenario involves the construction of the same 97,000-square-foot elementary school (with room for future additions) and an athletic campus. The estimated cost of this project would be $38 million. The annual tax impact for a home assessed at $100,000 would be $66 and for a home assessed at $300,000 the tax impact would be $197 a year for 25 years.

The committee also projected costs for possible additions onto existing schools. The estimated cost for a six-classroom addition within five years (7,100 square feet) is $3.5 million. The estimated cost for a 250-student addition within five years (20,000 square feet) is $8.8 million.

The goal of the available land subcommittee was to assess parcels of land in Marlboro that would be suitable for a new school.

According to the presentation, a potential school site would require a minimum of 15 acres, excluding wetlands, streams and stream encroachments. With the majority of new residential development occurring in the north and northwestern portions of town, the CAC concluded that a school constructed in that area would be the most beneficial.

Out of nine parcels of land examined, only two were deemed suitable to build a new school, according to the committee. The first property is about 20 acres of farmland at the corner of Conover and Pleasant Valley roads.

According to the CAC, the site is a flat with no visible signs of water problems, the surrounding area is not heavily residential and the site could accommodate entrances from Conover and Pleasant Valley roads. However, the CAC concluded that the land, although suitable for a new school, is not located in the northern section of Marlboro.

The other property deemed suitable for a new school is approximately 132 acres on Texas Road. According to the CAC, surrounding roads could incorporate existing bus routes currently used to serve the Marlboro Early Learning Center, there are no visible signs of streams or water pools and the area is not heavily residential.

Concerns associated with the site include the fact that Texas Road is a narrow two-lane road and that power lines run off Texas Road.

The committee is expected to make a presentation on this issue to the Board of Education and the public on June 6.