District said to have met improvement goals
BY CHRIS GAETANO
Staff Writer

SOUTH BRUNSWICK - The school district has completed the majority of the many goals it had set for itself at the beginning of the school year.

A presentation given during the Board of Education's Monday meeting went over the highlights of the completed district goals. Superintendent Gary McCartney pointed to a massive storage container full of paper sitting on the stage as the actual documentation in order to underscore the need for an abridged version of the report, which outlines the district's progress in 144 points in six different categories.

Assistant Superintendent Joanne Kerekes explained the progress in curriculum-related goals first. She said that the new math program that had been discussed last year had been successfully implemented during the 2006-07 school year. She also said that the new health program has been fully implemented, noting that all graduating seniors must now be trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Also of note to Kerekes was the execution of the district's three-year technology plan, which includes a recovery plan for disastrous loss of computer data.

"I could put 15 exclamation points after that one," said Kerekes.

She said that eventually she would like to see a program for students and parents to monitor grade progress online, something that she said will probably be seen by October of this year.

Business Administrator Anthony Tonzini spoke next on the progress of the district's facility goals. He called special attention to the fact that the renovations at Monmouth Junction, Constable and Cambridge schools were all completed on time and under budget. Continuing on to highlight some accomplishments in the realm of cost control, Tonzini said that by refinancing bonds within the district, they were able to save taxpayers some $3 million. He also said that overtime costs have gone down this year and that the district has joined a "demand and response" program, where power use in peak times will be reduced. In return?

"We get paid to reduce the amount of energy that we are using," said Tonzini.

Outgoing Director of Student Services George Scott then spoke on areas where the district has met its safety goals. He made note that all employees are now required to carry an ID badge on them at all times while in a school building and that all visitors must now be buzzed in and then sign in. He also said that the South Brunswick Emergency Procedures Guide, which instructs people on what to do in certain situations, was brought up to date.

McCartney said that the district also met its Quality Annual Assurance Report goals this year, and that revisions to the policy manual, a massive undertaking, are under way. He praised the goal-based system for the district, which was implemented at the beginning of this school year.

"It forces us to look very carefully at how we go about our business," said McCartney.

The board was pleased to see the progress on its goals and thanked the administration for all its hard work.

"Certainly, it's wonderful to have goals, but it's even better to see where we are as we move forward to accomplish these goals," said board member Matthew Speesler.

While there were a handful of district goals that were still listed as in progress, such as revisions to the special education curriculum and reviews of health benefits, most, according to a handout distributed during the meeting, will be completed before the end of the summer this year.