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By TIM ZATZARINY JR.
Courier-Post Staff
Superintendent Charles Ivory can describe his school district in one word: crowded.
And with 1,800 homes under construction and 1,000 more planned here, the squeeze is only going to get worse.
Things are so tight at Williamstown Middle School that 25 teachers have no permanent classrooms. And some classes are being taught in the cafeteria and library.
It's all part of the township's growing pains as it moves from a rural community to a quickly expanding suburb.
Over the past decade, the township's population has grown by more than 2,200 people to 28,967, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures.
There are 5,100 students in the district's six schools. But enrollment is growing an average of 100 students annually and that number is expected to jump to 250 per year by September 2004, Ivory said.
"It's a real strain," he said. "Our problem was we were not hiring many new teachers."
When the district's average class size ballooned to 35 students in the elementary schools, officials knew something had to be done.
In April 2000, the district adopted a long-range plan that included hiring 50 new teachers and adding guidance counselors at the elementary schools for the first time.
Now, average class size districtwide is 25 students.
And some more long-term relief is on the way.
In March, voters approved a $34 million school bond referendum. Part of the money will be used to renovate the middle school and add 60 classrooms.
All fifth-graders will be removed from the elementary schools and paired with six-graders at the middle school.
Next year, all fourth-grade students will be sent to the Oak Knoll Elementary School. The move will relieve overcrowding at the Radix and Holly Glen schools, Ivory said.
Other plans include expanding the Whitehall school within the next three years to handle the next wave of elementary school students.
And over the next decade, the district wants to build an early childhood learning center for prekindergarten and and kindergarten students. The center would be built on land adjacent to the middle school.
The district has also started some innovative programs, such as the Academy for the Engineering Sciences, which opened in September 1999 at Williamstown High School. Students who complete the academy's pre-engineering program and score at least 1,200 on their SATs are guaranteed admission to the Rowan University College of Engineering.
The academy will eventually grow to include 200 students, Ivory said.
Not everyone in the township is happy with the by-product of residential growth.
Last week, a proposed school tax increase that would have increased the average homeowner's bill by $167.16 was defeated in a 1,061 to 940 vote.
Voters also defeated a a a proposal to raise $445,146 to retain two elementary school Spanish teachers and restore cuts to busing and technology programs.
Increased school costs are "a tough sell for established residents," said Allison Munch, the school board president.
While the district is preparing for the future, it must be careful not to overextend itself, Munch said.
"It's always a delicate balance," she said. "We want to try to be careful to avoid overconstruction so that when growth levels off, you're not left with empty schools."
Today and Tomorrow stories:- Profile: Monroe
- Long-awaited building boom is the byword
Monroe stamds at a crossroads between a formerly rural town and a rapidly developing suburban community. - Schools experience growing pains
By 2004, Monroe student enrollment is expected to jump by 250 children per year. - Cultural, athletic pursuits on the increase
The Williamstown Performing Arts Center expands the scope and quality of cultural activities for area residents. - Scattered sites attract new enterprises in Monroe
For Gloucester County's second-largest community, commercial development remains a challenge. - Programs cater to burgeoning senior population
Monroe senior citizens keep occupied with trips and social activities. - Expansion date remains indefinite while library copes
The Monroe Township Public Library continues to offer residents a lot in a little space. - Housing explosion has hit its stride
New houses are popping up like spring flowers everywhere in Monroe. - What do you think will be different in Monroe in 2010