MEETING FOR THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL - Greenwich Twp Residents

[KouzJohn]

Here is the information for the meeting:

2/26/07
Greenwich School
7PM

[cmom]

I'm completely new to Greenwich. Is this for the HS on Belvidere Rd in Lopatcong or a new HS just for Stewartsville residents? Thanks for your help.

[KouzJohn]

Yes that is the location, for the following towns:

Bloomsbury
Lopatcong
Pohatcong
Stewartsville
Alpha
Phillipsburg

I hope this helps.

[Greenwich_Wizard]

They should have added on to the old high school, there is plenty of room in the back, where those worthless baseball fields are. They also had room to build twenty new high schools at the 800 acre Ingersoll Rand facility. I'm glad they didn't though, that is a beautiful facility and it is to good for a public school. The State wanted to give Phillipsburg the 100 million dollars but the whole deal was screwed up because they bought the land in Lopatcong, which outside the UEZ (poor) zone. If you think this was an accident , it wasn’t . That deal made a bunch of people a ton of money, selling the school district a piece of sink hole ridden land that you cant even build on anyway. It also had to do with Ego, I remember Lopatcong morons saying things like: we should call it 'Lopatcong High School' and so on. When the State started asking questions; why would you call it that? The morons on Lopatcong council said "why it's only right, since it's in Lopatcong and all...duh-uh-huh-uhduh" . The State said "Oh, is that so?, Now you don't get the money A-Holes!"

Bottom line Lopatcong officials effed up the whole deal.

An that’s what really happened . :(

[miamia]

Yep, they lost the money because of the name. I suppose there was probably some terrorism involved too.

[Greenwich_Wizard]

You fool, you still don't understand. The money was designated for Phillipsburg which is the Abbott district not Lopatcong. That’s who the State legislature designated the money to paid out to, you can't go around circumventing the state laws with 100 million dollars and not expect someone to find out you’re not even building it in the right municipality.

[miamia]

I do understand Mr. Wiz and I was being sarcastic because of all your previous, ill-mannered, know-it-all posts. You made it sound like they lost the money over the name and that's not the only reason. There's a lot more behind this story. The only reason you're on here is to get the attention you obviously can't get anywhere else and you can call me anything you want in the hopes you WILL get banned. You're an ignorant person that doesn't deserve future replies or attention from any of us.

[Greenwich_Wizard]

If i'm so ignorant, then why is it I know the details behind the story and you didn't? If you know all about it, tell me who's land it was that the BOE purchase it from! :idea:

[missliz]

She WAS being sarcastic in her response! This name calling stuff is so.......2nd grade. Is it necessary? NO!!! I have lived in Stewartsville for 14 years. When my son graduated SMS-we were told his graduationg class in 2008 would be first one in the new HS. Now we get info and mailings stating that the kids we have now in grade school-may never see a new HS either. So my 6th grader will be in trailers too? NOT KOOL. Pointing fingers is real easy-actually doing something to remedy the over population of our schools is what NEEDS to be done. My taxes-as well as all yours-is paying for trailers. No-they arent "bad" .......but.....they are running out of room over there to even add more trailers.
Instead of name calling-can we use that "energy"/frustration to do some good? :)

[Greenwich_Wizard]

Ok Im sorry. I deleted my name calling Sorry miamia and to anyone else i offended.

[njspanteach]

What are the options to a new high school?

Do people want to build a separate high school?

A smaller one?

Do they want a bigger one with the same towns?

[miamia]

There have been talks of a new high school for many years, even when PHS was in it's pre-trailer phase. I didn't expect it then and I don't foresee one in the near future. I know most area residents don't want to hear this but if more emphasis and money were spent on academics, instead of sports, we could have seen an addition to PHS a long time ago. There was plenty of money put into building the stadium because it's all about football but what happens to the money when it comes to teaching our children?

[njspanteach]

Historically I understand our students have been going to Phillipburg for some time. What I don't understand is our reliance on them. If we have the money, tax money, and the students that need it, why don't we work on creating our own reality instead of waiting for the powers-that-be to do their deals?

We are all intelligent people who if we wanted to, could have solved this problem a long time ago.

Is it still true that Stewartsville does not even have a voting voice on the Phillipsburg School Board?

Have Stewartsville parents tried to solve this problem in the past? What were their successes? Failures?

I also understand that some people are happy with the status quo. We probably pay less per student because Pburg is an Abbott district. Is this true? Also, we get to participate in the sports legend.

More questions:

Are Stewartsville students getting into their first-choice colleges?
Are they able to complete the courses they choose at Pburg?
Are they safe?

[I ♥ Lopat]

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Historically I understand our students have been going to Phillipburg for some time. What I don't understand is our reliance on them. If we have the money, tax money, and the students that need it, why don't we work on creating our own reality instead of waiting for the powers-that-be to do their deals?

And if the sending districs do this, then Pburg won't need a new high school built because the HS population with decrease by half. Just wait until my kids hit college age because I will probably have to move to PA once the taxes triple. I like PHS and want my kids to finish there.

[cynosure]

More questions:

Are Stewartsville students getting into their first-choice colleges?
Are they able to complete the courses they choose at Pburg?
Are they safe?

Some answers:

I know of one student (my child) who was accepted by their first choice college (also second and third)...now if we could only scrape up enough $$$ to pay the $46K per year that college wants!

This child was able to complete all the courses chosen at Pburg.

And yes, this child feels safe.

[kappy]

I spoke with someone in the know and there will be no school expansion for Phillipsburg for at least another three years. Trailers are staying.

[cynosure]

If we have the money, tax money, and the students that need it, why don't we work on creating our own reality instead of waiting for the powers-that-be to do their deals?

I have heard talk tossed around for more than five years of Stewartsville building their own high school. If we can't even pay to build a new firehouse or a new municipal building (to say nothing of the Field of Dreams, which was defeated in the ballot question), I don't know how you expect the township to pay for a new high school here!

[I ♥ Lopat]

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I <3 Lopat wrote:
If we have the money, tax money, and the students that need it, why don't we work on creating our own reality instead of waiting for the powers-that-be to do their deals?

^^^^I didn't write this. I'm against leaving the phillipsburg district.

[Demarn]

Historically I understand our students have been going to Phillipburg for some time. What I don't understand is our reliance on them. If we have the money, tax money, and the students that need it, why don't we work on creating our own reality instead of waiting for the powers-that-be to do their deals?

There are several options:

1. Hope the state comes through with the money, and the sending districts keep paying tuition to Phillipsburg without have any voting rights in the BOE.

2. One or more (probably best if at least three) sending districts break away and start their own high school. This may sound appealing, but we really would have to look at the financial costs (it is not a given that it would cost less, in fact it may cost more), and the state is in no mood for even more school districts to be created than there already are. Plus, the sending districts have a 135 year tradition with Phillipsburg which has created an emotional bond for many people.

3. Convince all the sending districts (including Phillipsburg) to regionalize at the high school level. However, doing this may mean that Phillipsburg may lose its Abbott status, and instead of the state fulfilling its obligation, all of us sending districts would have to cover the costs alone.

Is it still true that Stewartsville does not even have a voting voice on the Phillipsburg School Board?

None of the sending districts have a vote. They may send representatives that may contribute to the conversation at times, but they do not have any voting power.

Have Stewartsville parents tried to solve this problem in the past? What were their successes? Failures?

I know of at least one time in the past (going back probably more than 15 years) in which Lopatcong tried and actually had a vote to break away from Phillipsburg, but it failed. I don't know the details though, or if it included Stewartsville or other districts in a regionalized high school.

I also understand that some people are happy with the status quo. We probably pay less per student because Pburg is an Abbott district. Is this true?

No, contrary to popular belief among other NJ townships, sending districts do not pay less because Phillipsburg is a Abbott district. Since it is not regionalized, sending districts pay tuition to attend Phillipsburg. The money Phillipsburg gets from the state because of its Abbott status is beyond what each sending district pays. Currently, each sending district pays around $11,000 per student, per year, to attend Phillipsburg. In fact, I would argue that the sending districts have paid more than their fair share through-out the years, because Phillipsburg did not receive its Abbott status (and subsequent state funding) until after the Abbott court case. Meaning that the sending districts were the ones providing a large portion of the money to improve Phillipsburg HS, long before the state got actively involved.



Are Stewartsville students getting into their first-choice colleges?
Are they able to complete the courses they choose at Pburg?
Are they safe?

It depends upon the individual student.

[jcpluke]

Here is the information for the meeting:

2/26/07
Greenwich School
7PM

Please make every effort to attend this meeting. All of your questions can be addressed and answered by Dr. Brennan. If you cannot make this meeting, there are many neighborhood coffees planned throughout the next few weeks. Dr. Brennan will discuss the school budget, news from Trenton about the high school and answer your questions. Please be an informed voter!