On Thursday afternoon, Middletown school board president Chris Aveta released the following statement to Patch:
Next year's budget was prepared planning for the closing of Navesink and Leonardo. Joan Minnuies and Mark Soporowski voted against it.
Erin Torres introduced a motion to rescind the February vote, which was when a majority of the board voted to close three schools.
Also, next year's budget will be unveiled at Tuesday night's BOE meeting, and it brings a standard two-percent school tax increase.
Dolan Dunigan is in the eleventh grade at Marine Academy of Science and Technology; his team won a March 7 science competition.
"We ask for your help again, Mayor Perry," said one mom. "I need you guys to fix this," said another.
The rally was held Sunday; see photos and video:
It's important that school districts know how much money they are getting from the state as they prepare their budgets for next year.
The budget for the 2026-'27 school year will likely be presented at that meeting.
This week, a group of Middletown parents filed an appeal petition with the NJ Department of Education, seeking to block the school closures.
On Wednesday, Middletown school superintendent Jessica Alfone sent a letter home to parents on the district's plans to close three schools.
Jessica Alfone plans to leave before any of the school closings can be carried out.
Caterina Skalaski, who was a pivotal swing vote on the issue, sobbed as she read a statement saying why she voted to close the schools.
The school board meeting scheduled for Tuesday night is now moved to Thursday.
For the second year in a row, the district will attempt to close Leonardo and Navesink elementaries, and close Bayshore Middle School.
"The budget cannot be finished until it is determined if the district will be planning school closures or consolidations," said Chris Aveta.
Attention, Middletown parents/guardians who have concerns about the educational development of your child in the following areas:
Rodrick says the Middletown Board of Education engaged in a political attack against him because he eliminated patronage jobs in Toms River.
BOE members Jacqueline Tobacco and Mark Soporowski both said they were displeased with the Haber report's suggestions:
The long-awaited Ross Haber study was unveiled to the public at Tuesday night's Middletown school board meeting.
At their Tuesday night meeting, the Middletown school board adopted a revised meeting schedule for 2026. (They added a meeting on April 21.)
The chorus is growing about what's the reason for a very delayed facilities study Ross Haber & Associates was supposed to present last fall.
At their reorganization meeting held Tuesday, Jan. 6, the Middletown school board adopted their 2026 meeting schedule. It is as follows:
"It was disappointing to see the behavior of the SOS group toward Mr. Aveta," said BOE member Jacqueline Tobacco.
Drama continues on the Middletown school board, as a growing number of board members are refusing to pay legal bills for two law firms.
Superintendent Jessica Alfone hopes to get the study back in January, five months after the consultant said he would get it done.
The Middletown school board held their final meeting of 2025 Tuesday. It is unknown why Fitzgerald was not present at his final BOE meeting.
At the Middletown school board meeting Tuesday night, superintendent Jessica Alfone addressed why she chose to have a two-hour delay Monday:
The meeting on Tuesday, December 16 will now start at 5:30 p.m., and open to the public at 7:30 p.m.
Legal fees the school district owes to Weiner Law Group for the case are now under review, and three Board members don't want to pay them:
The district will not hire two athletic directors, the superintendent stressed, contrary to a rumor circulating around town.
A director at HFA, the auditor the district uses, was treasurer of a PAC that donated to school board candidates Cody, Aveta and Weinstein.
There will be a Committee of the Whole workshop meeting Dec. 9 for the Middletown Board of Education.
Ross Haber & Associates was supposed to present its findings to the district in mid- to late September. What's the reason for the delay?
A recount was held Friday in the Middletown school board election, and Sara Weinstein was the candidate who received the most votes.
The Nov. 25 Middletown school board meeting will now begin at 5:30 p.m.
Essay Contest Celebrates the Work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The county Board of Elections has to re-count all 69,163 votes cast in this year's Middletown school board election:
Options include one of the candidates concedes the election, or a run-off election is held, or the candidates request a recount.
"We are still waiting to see what the county says," Jim Cody said Tuesday.