FREEHOLD – As a result of student overcapacity, the Freehold Borough K-8 School District Board of Education has entered into agreements with two neighboring school districts to provide classroom space for summer programs.
On May 21, board members approved an agreement with the Freehold Township K-8 School District to provide classroom space, cafeteria space and related arts instruction for Freehold Borough’s Extended School Year and Title I summer programs. Board members also approved an agreement with the Freehold Regional High School District to provide classroom, kitchen, gymnasium and athletic field space for Freehold Borough’s 21st Century and Credit Recovery summer programs.
Administrators said the agreements were made because the Freehold Borough school district does not have the space to accommodate these programs, which Freehold Township and Freehold Regional can provide.
The Credit Recovery Program will operate from June 25 to July 27 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., the 21st Century Sports and Enrichment program will operate from July 2-27 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., the Extended School Year program will operate from July 5 to Aug. 10 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and the Title I program will operate from July 10 to Aug. 10 from 8:30 a.m. to noon.
According to Freehold Borough administrators, Freehold Township will provide Freehold Borough with up to 20 classrooms in the West Freehold School on a Tuesday through Friday schedule and office space for an office assistant and other child study team services from Freehold Borough at the school.
Freehold Township will allow access to Freehold Borough staff at the West Freehold School and, upon notification, the parents of Freehold Borough students. Freehold Borough will provide custodial services, a nurse and security, and will be responsible for administrative duties, including student discipline and teacher evaluation.
The Freehold Regional High School District will provide Freehold Borough with up to 10 classrooms at Manalapan High School on a Monday through Friday schedule and provide office space at the school for a supervisor and an office assistant from Freehold Borough at the school.
Freehold Regional will allow access to Freehold Borough staff at Manalapan High School and, upon notification, the parents of Freehold Borough students. Freehold Borough will provide custodial services and security and will be responsible for administrative duties, including student discipline and teacher evaluation.
In both agreements, transportation will not be provided by Freehold Borough. The Freehold Township school district will provide door-to-door transportation for Freehold Borough students in the Extended School Year program and will pick up approximately 80 Freehold Borough students in the Title I program at the St. Rose of Lima Parish Center in Freehold Borough, where the students will also be dropped off at the end of the school day, according to Freehold Borough administrators.
Freehold High School in Freehold Borough will serve as an arrival and dismissal point for bused students in the agreement with Freehold Regional, with five buses departing from Freehold High School at 8:30 a.m. tor Manalapan, four buses departing from Manalapan High School at 1:30 p.m. to Freehold, one bus departing from Manalapan High School at 2 p.m. to Freehold, and one bus being on standby for a round trip daily shuttle from Manalapan High School to the YMCA of Western Monmouth County in Freehold Borough at times agreed upon between Freehold Borough and Freehold Regional.
Freehold Borough will pay Freehold Township $13,200 for the rental of 20 classrooms and $6,158 for transportation, for a total cost of $19,358, and will reimburse Freehold Regional for costs incurred.
The agreement between Freehold Borough and Freehold Township will be effective from July 1 through Aug. 10, and the agreement between Freehold Borough and Freehold Regional will be effective from June 25 through July 27, unless either agreement is terminated earlier.
