Jamesburg Public Schools

Jamesburg Public Schools
Address
Augusta Street
, Middlesex County, New Jersey, 08831
United States
Coordinates40°21′12″N 74°26′13″W / 40.353256°N 74.436997°W / 40.353256; -74.436997
District information
GradesPreK-8
SuperintendentGina Villani
Business administratorAtilla Sabahoglu
Schools2
Students and staff
Enrollment664 (as of 2020–21)[1]
Faculty64.8 FTEs[1]
Student–teacher ratio10.2:1[1]
Other information
District Factor GroupDE
Websitewww.jamesburg.org
Ind. Per pupil District
spending
Rank
(*)
K-8
average
%± vs.
average
1ATotal Spending$15,91711$18,891−15.7%
1Budgetary Cost8,168114,159−42.3%
2Classroom Instruction5,73118,659−33.8%
6Support Services72212,167−66.7%
8Administrative Cost99111,547−35.9%
10Operations & Maintenance71421,612−55.7%
13Extracurricular Activities101104−90.4%
16Median Teacher Salary54,4791361,136
Data from NJDoE 2014 Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending.[2]
*Of K-8 districts with 401-750 students. Lowest spending=1; Highest=64

The Jamesburg Public Schools are a community public school district that serves students in kindergarten through eighth grade from Jamesburg, in Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.[3]

As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprising two schools, had an enrollment of 664 students and 64.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.2:1.[1]

The district is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group "DE", the fifth-highest of eight groupings. District Factor Groups organize districts statewide to allow comparison by common socioeconomic characteristics of the local districts. From lowest socioeconomic status to highest, the categories are A, B, CD, DE, FG, GH, I and J.[4]

Since the 1979-80 school year, Jamesburg's high school students have attended Monroe Township High School in Monroe Township, as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Monroe Township School District.[5][6] As of the 2020–21 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 2,474 students and 184.1 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.4:1.[7]

History

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Jamesburg High School, which was founded in 1905, graduated its last class in June 1979.[8] The first building to house the high school was eventually demolished and replaced by the current Grace M. Breckwedel Middle School building. The second building that housed the high school was turned into an office complex, which is known as Forsgate Commons.[9] It is located on the intersection of Forsgate Drive and Davison Avenue, directly behind the district's John F. Kennedy Elementary School.

With annual tuition costs per student at Monroe Township High School rising past $16,000 as the Monroe district has added debt service costs into their tuition charges, the Jamesburg Public Schools has looked for an alternate high school in the area to send students at lower cost, which would have started with the freshman class in 2012-13, though students already enrolled at Monroe Township High School would continue their attendance there until they graduate. The Jamesburg district contacted 18 districts and received interest from high schools in the Freehold Regional High School District, Matawan-Aberdeen, Old Bridge, South Amboy and West Windsor-Plainsboro, which had been sent demographic information in July 2011 about the Jamesburg high school population as part of their review process.[10] However, in October 2011, the district decided to continue sending their high school students to Monroe Township.[11]

Schools

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Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[12]) are:[13][14]

Elementary school
  • John F. Kennedy Elementary School[15] with 463 students in grades PreK-5
    • Kristy DeFazio, principal[16]
Middle school
  • Grace M. Breckwedel Middle School[17] with 193 students in grades 6-8. The school offers opportunities for middle school students to participate in the National Honor Society, Student Senate, Band, and theme-based research projects.
    • Chad Donahue, principal[18]

Administration

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Core members of the district's administration are:[19][20]

  • Gina Villani, superintendent[21]
  • Atilla Sabahoglu, business administrator[22]

Board of education

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The district's board of education, comprised of seven members, sets policy and oversees the fiscal and educational operation of the district through its administration. As a Type II school district, the board's trustees are elected directly by voters to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats up for election each year held (since 2012) as part of the November general election. The board appoints a superintendent to oversee the district's day-to-day operations and a business administrator to supervise the business functions of the district.[23][24][25]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d District information for Jamesburg Public School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 15, 2022.
  2. ^ Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending April 2013, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 15, 2013.
  3. ^ Jamesburg Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Jamesburg Public Schools. Accessed May 1, 2022. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Kindergarten through eight in the Jamesburg School District. Composition: The Jamesburg School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Jamesburg."
  4. ^ NJ Department of Education District Factor Groups (DFG) for School Districts, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed October 12, 2014.
  5. ^ Monroe Township High School 2016 Report Card Narrative Archived December 13, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed December 12, 2017. "Monroe Township High School is centrally located within a forty-three square mile suburban community in Southern Middlesex County. Originally opened on Perrineville Road in 1973, the high school became a receiving school for approximately 300 high school age students from neighboring Jamesburg in 1980."
  6. ^ Cheslow, Jerry. "A Townful of Empty Nesters", The New York Times, October 14, 2007. Accessed August 8, 2008. "In addition to the four elementary schools, the Applegarth Middle School teaches Grades 7 and 8, and the 1,400-student Monroe Township High School covers Grades 9 through 12. It is shared with the borough of Jamesburg, the 'hole in the doughnut' municipality in the center of the township."
  7. ^ School data for Monroe Township High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 15, 2022.
  8. ^ Voisin, Liz. "Gladness, sadness mix as Jamesburg graduates last class", The Home News, June 13, 1979. Accessed May 1, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "Despite a standing ovation for the 40 members of the Class of 79 who received diplomas last night, the Jamesburg High School graduation was colored by a touch of sadness the school will close its doors June 30."
  9. ^ Jamesburg High School History, Jamesburg.net. Accessed August 7, 2019.
  10. ^ Haberstroh, Christina. "Five High Schools Consider taking Jamesburg Students, The Sentinel, July 7, 2011. Accessed May 1, 2022.
  11. ^ Staff. "Jamesburg students will remain at Monroe H.S." Archived October 21, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, News Transcript, October 26, 2011. Accessed November 2, 2016. "The Jamesburg board had set an Oct. 1 deadline for interested districts to respond. The board would have then conducted a feasibility study before choosing a new high school for its students. Instead, Jamesburg will continue the send-receive relationship it has had with Monroe Township since 1979."
  12. ^ School Data for the Jamesburg Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 15, 2022.
  13. ^ School Performance Reports for the Jamesburg Public School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 3, 2024.
  14. ^ New Jersey School Directory for the Jamesburg Public Schools, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.
  15. ^ John F. Kennedy Elementary School, Jamesburg Public Schools. Accessed May 1, 2022.
  16. ^ Principal JFK School, Jamesburg Public Schools. Accessed May 1, 2022.
  17. ^ Grace M. Breckwedel Middle School, Jamesburg Public Schools. Accessed May 1, 2022.
  18. ^ Principal GMB Middle School, Jamesburg Public Schools. Accessed May 1, 2022.
  19. ^ Administration, Jamesburg Public Schools. Accessed May 1, 2022.
  20. ^ New Jersey School Directory for Middlesex County, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.
  21. ^ Superintendent of Schools, Jamesburg Public Schools. Accessed May 1, 2022.
  22. ^ Business Administrator, Jamesburg Public Schools. Accessed May 1, 2022.
  23. ^ New Jersey Boards of Education by District Election Types - 2018 School Election, New Jersey Department of Education, updated February 16, 2018. Accessed January 26, 2020.
  24. ^ Compehensive Annual Financial Report for the Jamesburg School District, New Jersey Department of Education for year ending June 30, 2023. Accessed April 14, 2024. "The District is a Type II District located in the County of Middlesex, State of New Jersey. As a Type II District, the school district functions independently through a Board of Education. The Board is comprised of seven members elected to three-year-terms. The purpose of the District is to educate students in Grades K-8." See "Roster of Officials" on page 11.
  25. ^ Board Members, Jamesburg Public Schools. Accessed May 1, 2022.
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