Residents can sign up for school e-mail alerts
BY JENNIFER AMATO
Staff Writer

NORTH BRUNSWICK - The Board of Education's Web site will now offer registration for e-mail alerts to be sent to residents regarding information about upcoming special events and programs occurring in the district.

To coincide with the open government the school board is trying to establish, the messages will allow contact with community members with or without children in the school district to be informed of issues such as the budget process, board meetings, school closings, financial aid for college and parent nights.

"The board is absolutely committed to really improving communication with the community at large. Not everyone picks up the local paper and not everything going on that is sent home with the kids makes it home. ... In an effort to keep the community abreast of regular events and special events we really felt this was a significant tool," said Vincent De Lucia, the director of staff development and communications.

The district felt this was the next logical step in opening a forum for residents after it had received criticism about communication in reference to budget discussions and board policies, among other concerns.

"We really want people to register, [specifically] anyone in the community with an e-mail address. The schools are the fabric of the community and clearly the financial considerations of families are via taxes which come from the schools, so we want to keep them informed," De Lucia said.

The board hopes this will alleviate some frustration next year when the 2007-08 school budget is opened for discussion.

"I think this will really provide the best opportunity, in addition to using the media and attending public meetings, for residents to be aware of the budget process before the vote next April."

In addition to the e-mail alerts, there is a link on the Web site for residents to contact their state legislators regarding property tax reform, which was a major concern for taxpayers during the recent school budget discussions. There are also e-mail links to staff members and board members so that the community can contact them directly.

To register for the e-mail notifications, visit www.nbtschools.org. There is a prompt on the center of the page for the registry.