Eighth-grade graduation will move to Toms River
Board sets building fees for nonprofit and for-profit groups
BY REBECCA MORTON Staff Writer

MARLBORO - The Marlboro K-8 Board of Education has approved a new location for eighth-grade graduation in June 2008 and new facility usage fees for nonprofit and profit organizations.

The actions were taken at the board's Aug. 21 meeting.

Graduation for eighth-graders who attend the Marlboro Middle School, Route 520, and the Marlboro Memorial Middle School, Nolan Road, will be held at the Poland Springs Arena at the Ritacco Center at Toms River North High School, Toms River, Ocean County.

As previously reported in the News Transcript, the Marlboro school district has been holding its eighth-grade graduation ceremonies at the Collins Arena on the campus of Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, but due to scheduling problems and the possibility of renovations being in progress next June, that facility was not expected to be available to Marlboro.

Superintendent of Schools David Abbott searched for alternatives, including the PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, which was deemed to be too expensive. The use of the Poland Springs Arena in Toms River is not to exceed $500.

School administrators have said they expect the move to Toms River to be a one-year situation and said they expect the eighth-grade graduation ceremonies to return to Brookdale after that.

Board member Cynthia Green voted against moving the graduation ceremonies to Toms River and board member Murray Hoffman abstained on the matter. Board member Michael Lilonsky was absent from the Aug. 21 meeting.

The rest of the board members voted to move the graduation ceremonies to Toms River for the upcoming school year. Board member Joel Golub said he thought the relocation was reasonable and worth a try as it could give students a nice ceremony.

Board President Terry Spilken said that close to 800 e-mails were sent out to parents to inform them of the relocation of the eighth-grade graduation. Out of the 800 e-mails, eight responses were received, of which three were negative responses to the relocation to Toms River, he said.

In other business, the board has now opened Marlboro's schools to nonprofit and for-profit groups.

For nonprofit groups no charges or building fee will apply when a custodian is present in the building as part of his regular hours. A charge for a custodian on days when one would not normally be in the building will be $47.50 per hour on Saturday and $63.32 per hour on Sunday and holidays. There will also be a $35 per hour cost for air conditioning.

For-profit groups that use school facilities will pay the above custodial fees and a fee for the space.

A middle school auditorium will cost $1,500 per day of the performance and $500 per day for any rehearsals. A gym/cafeteria will cost $1,000 per day and the fee for classroom use will be $100 per day per classroom.

Equipment may also be rented from the school. Wired microphones are $15 per day, microphone stands $5 per day, wireless microphones $50 per day, and the house sound board/mixer $125 per day.

Also, the board thanked former board member Andrea Miller for the dedication and integrity she showed during her four years of service with the panel.

"I'm not going away," Miller laughed.

The board members congratulated Joanmarie Penney, the principal at the Marlboro Memorial Middle School, upon receiving her educational doctorate.

And, a bid was awarded to Brian Patterson Mechanical for boiler and burner replacements. Starting immediately the Asher Holmes, Frank J. Dugan, Marlboro Elementary and Robertsville elementary schools will receive replacements for their boiler and burners. The contract is in the amount of $518,000.

The board also awarded a bid for district Web site design and maintenance to School World, Fairport, N.Y., in the amount of $48,800.

Business Administrator Cindy Barr-Rague said four bids for the contract were received, but only two bids addressed the district's specific requests. This Web site design will be customized for the district and should be up and running in four months.

Resignations were also accepted that night. Patti Ann Casazza, a language arts teacher at the Marlboro Memorial Middle School, Michelle Masi, an instructional assistant at the Robertsville School, Christine Elkow, a school aide at the Dugan School, Peggy Lands, an instructional assistant at the Marlboro Elementary School, and Lenore Podias, a school aide at the Dugan School, will no longer be working at their respective schools.

The board will hold a workshop meeting on Sept. 11 and a regular meeting on Sept. 18.