Manisero, Formoso tapped to lead K-8 school board Key issue for district is reaching a decision on reorganization plan BY KATHY BARATTA Staff Writer ENGLISHTOWN - On the heels of voter approval of a $75.7 million budget for the 2008-09 school year, the Manalapan Englishtown Regional School District Board of Education has reorganized for the coming year. Incumbents Donna Formoso, Ryan Green and Dr. Valerie Maglione were reelected to the board in the April 15 school election and took their seats to begin serving new three-year terms. The school district's administrative offices are in Englishtown. The district educates children in grades K-8 who reside in Manalapan and Englishtown. During the reorganization meeting, Anthony Manisero was re-elected as the board's president and Formoso was elected as the board's vice president. Manisero said that in addition to reaching a new contract agreement with the Manalapan Englishtown Education Association, the other priority facing the district is the recommendation of the superintendent to create neighborhood schools that would house pupils in grades one through five. Superintendent of Schools John J. Marciante Jr. has recommended making the Pine Brook School a building for all of the district's sixth-graders; leaving the Manalapan Englishtown Middle School (MEMS) for seventh- and eighth-graders; leaving the John I. Dawes Early Learning Center for all of the district's kindergartners; and making the other elementary schools (Clark Mills, Taylor Mills, Lafayette Mills, Milford Brook and Wemrock Brook) buildings for children in the first through fifth grades. Several public meetings have been scheduled to solicit input from residents about that proposal. Those meetings will be held in the MEMS auditorium on May 8, May 21 and June 5 at 7:30 p.m. Manisero said one of the biggest selling points about the proposal would be the savings on transportation because of a decreased need in busing services. He said the reorganization plan would allow the district offices to move from Englishtown to the Pine Brook School and do away with a plan to build a new administration building next to MEMS. Manisero previously said the board had been informed that it would cost an estimated $2.7 million to remediate the Englishtown building to bring it up to code standards. He said the construction of a new administration building on Millhurst Road in Manalapan would be paid for out of $900,000 in surplus funds that are available to the board, as well as what the school district realizes from the sale of the Englishtown building. Manisero said the district will soon be soliciting bids for the Englishtown building. He said the minimum acceptable bid will be $1.1 million. "We know the future holds a 4 percent cap (annual increase on the tax levy) and a minimum of state aid. Neighborhood schools would save with regard to busing and we would only have to move teachers. Kids could continue their education in the same, continuing environment," he said. Formoso, who is starting her third term, thanked her fellow board members for supporting her as vice president. "I'm looking forward to working with everyone. This is a very hard-working board and we still have a lot of work ahead of us," she said. As to the proposed reorganization plan, Formoso said, "There is a lot to do before anything is decided." The board will hold its next regular public meeting at 7:30 p.m. May 20 at the district offices at 54 Main St., Englishtown.