Marlboro schools ready to welcome pupils back
BY REBECCA MORTON Staff Writer

MARLBORO - The lazy days of the summer of 2007 are over and children in the Marlboro K-8 School District headed back to school this week.

Enrollment has not officially been totaled for the 2007-08 school year as new students will continue to enroll during the first week of school, according to the district's public information officer.

The projection made earlier in the year for the 2007-08 academic year was 6,170 students. As of Aug. 28 enrollment stood at 6,058 students.

The numbers continue to show a downward trend in the rate of enrollment growth, according to Superintendent of Schools David Abbott.

Although the rate of growth is slowing, new staff members were hired to replace teachers who have retired and to work with special education students. As of last week all positions had been filled except for a basic skills instructor at the Frank Defino Central Elementary School. Abbott said that particular program will not start until the end of September.

Beginning this school year is the new language arts honors program at Marlboro's two middle schools. Karen Kondek, the director of curriculum and instruction, said the number of students enrolled in that program had not been totaled yet.

A new vice principal will begin her duties at the Marlboro Middle School this fall. Maureen Champagne is replacing Patricia Murphy who retired at the end of the 2006-07 school year.

Champagne, who earned her undergraduate degree at West Chester University, Pa., was a 2004 honoree of the Governor's Teacher Recognition Award Program in New Jersey. She has a master of arts in educational administration from Rider University, Lawrenceville.

The addition of off-site evacuation drills may also start during this school year. Last year a successful test was run at the Marlboro Middle School. Administrators said it is necessary for students and teachers to know how to evacuate a building and to get on buses in an orderly fashion to keep panic down in the event of an actual emergency.

New technology is enhancing the school district this school year. Abbott said the district has been behind others in technology. He described the advancements in an interview last week.

A total of 200 interactive white boards (a large classroom computer display) are being installed throughout the schools this year. As of the week prior to the start of school 37 installations were complete, with an estimate of total installment by the end of October. Teachers who will be working with the white boards have been receiving training.

Parents may have noticed additional half-day sessions scheduled for students this school year. On these half-days teachers will stay on in the afternoon to continue training with the new software. For example, on Sept. 12 teachers will receive software training with programs such as NetTrekker, BrainPop Jr., Atomic Learning and Digital Storytelling.

Video streaming will be brought into classrooms this year. Sharon Witchel, the district's public information officer, explained that with the video streaming teachers will be able to bring videos into the classroom. She gave the example that while studying the solar system, a teacher could obtain a video of the moon orbiting the sun and show that to the students.

Abbott explained that students learn differently today, as the environment is highly visual.

A new telephone system is being installed in the school district, Abbott said. The system will be owned by the district and save an estimated $7,000 per month.

The savings are expected to pay for the system.

Parents will be able to call their child's school and hear an automated menu of options. Should they wish to speak with a particular teacher the call will connect to the teacher's classroom. The calls will not interrupt class, Witchel pointed out, as a light will flash with the call instead of ringing. Every teacher will have his or her own voice mail so that they may be reached directly.

This new system teamed with the update of the district's Internet Web site will help in emergency situations. Since the system will be all digital, Witchel explained that it will allow administrators to easily go over to e-mail, text messages or phone calls. In the event of an early dismissal, text messages may be sent out directly to a parent.

Parents who wish to, will be able to receive immediate e-mail notifications rather than waiting for a notice to be mailed to their home.

This is not all happening overnight, Abbott said. It is being taken step by step, with the new Web site going live sometime in January. The possibilities for the new Web site include teacher blogs, along with the capability to download forms.

"It's very exciting but we must manage it carefully," Abbott said of all the new technology which is being introduced this school year.