Beekman Manor to be redistricted
BY CHRIS MURINO Staff Writer

SOUTH BRUNSWICK - Thirty students from Beekman Manor will be redistricted to Crossroads NorthMiddle School instead of Crossroads South next year, Superintendent of Schools Gary McCartney announced at the Board of Education meeting Monday night.

"We believe we can better approximate a common class size," McCartney said. "We need to move 30 students for each of the next three years."

McCartney said they had to identify a single neighborhood that could yield thirty students for a phase-in, and BeekmanManor was that neighborhood. It was chosen because they had the number of students needed and they never experienced realignment before.

"Our institutional programs are exactly the same," McCartney said. "We believe it's a seamless switch."

In 2003, a bond referendum was passed to expand Crossroads North Middle School. This was done to make the school sizes more equal. The addition was finished last spring.

In a letter to affected parents, Business Administrator Anthony Tonzini detailed the reasons why this will be beneficial.

"The realignment of a development of students will equalize class size between North and South, equalize total student population over time, free up muchneeded space at South, maximize the new space at North, and preserve the middle school unit structure," he wrote.

McCartney understands this may not be the most popular decision.

"We look forward to having circumstances that don't upset people," McCartney said, "but, we have to make sure the educational setting is conducive for learning for all students."

There will be an option to grandfather the child, enabling them to continue at Crossroads South, if he or she has seventh or eighth- grade siblings already enrolled in the middle school for the 2008-2009 school year.

The Crossroads North Parent Orientation is 7 p.m. June 19th. The orientation for Crossroads South's parents will be June 18 at 7 p.m. All fifth-grade students will attend student orientation at North or South on Friday, June 13.