4/16/13 - Barnegat Township School District

Karen Ray: I work here in Barnegat High School and my job is being cut to part-time but I amnot going to address my job in particular other than to tell you what my concern is. I am moreconcerned about these teachers sitting out here and what they are saying at this point becausewhen I work in the library here in the high school I work a full time job. I see children slipthrough the cracks that I cannot reach. I do not have enough time to reach them, what am I goingto do with two hours less each day? What is going to happen to the rest of the children? What isgoing to happen to those children in the classroom when the teacher does not have time to get tothem, all those first, second and third graders who are learning how to read and struggling? Mygrandson goes to school in Waretown and he had trouble reading. There were 17 children in hisclass and he is in second grade now and reads better than I think I did when I was in third andfourth grade and I was a good reader. He got the attention he needed. I understand what they aresaying.I also did real estate before I started working in the school district and before I was on the schoolBoard. What I heard over and over again from young families is we are buying in Barnegatbecause the schools are good. If you think you see a lot of for sale signs now, wait when thosescores start slipping and things start going downhill, more and more young people are going tomove out of this town. They are not going to want their children to come to the Barnegat Schoolsand that is sad because right now we offer a great education here. Every one of these peoplesitting here cares tremendously about each and every one of their students. I care about thechildren who come through the high school library. I help them with scholarship applications,college applications and I will not have time to do that anymore. I will be checking books in andout and that is it. Think about the children, please.I understand the situation with the taxes. I had a hard time paying my taxes when I lived inBarnegat, they were not part of my mortgage but I did what I had to do and that is why I startedworking actually, to pay our taxes. I was a stay-at-home Mom and I took a job because our taxeswent up. I did what I had to do to pay my taxes. I heard on the radio recently that there are twothings that could be considered outside the 2% that you don’t have to go out for a vote for. Thetwo things were health benefit increases and debt service so if those are the things that you arestruggling with meeting that should be out and above that 2% and you should give 2%, maintainthe programs and then is over and above unless that news reporter was wrong, but that issomething that should be looked into and I understand you do not want to raise taxes, it is hardand I know the taxes are high but they are high in other places too.Another thing that I heard, it could be rumor but I am pretty sure it is not because of the personwho told me, is that we are the only school district in Ocean County who is cutting staff this yearand that is really a shame. So I would like you to reconsider and try and bring back as manypeople as you can, please. It is for the children and that is what we are all here for, to educate thechildren. Thank you.Amy Yacullo, 18 Briargrove Road: I had no intentions of speaking tonight until I went up to theladies room and I saw all the instructional aides that are sitting in this room right now. My son ison the autism spectrum and when he went into the preschool disabled there were plenty of ladiesand there were one-on-ones and these children were improving and getting better and my sonwent into kindergarten mainstreamed, mainstreamed because of those people back there. NowBarnegat Township Board of Education Meeting MinutesApril 16, 2013 Page 15