Spring 2004 Edition

School Budget Vote   By Amy Sutnick Plotch   Fair Lawn residents will vote on the 2004-2005 school budget on Tuesday April 20th.    The proposed budget aims to maintain many of the existing programs while limiting the tax increase for residents. It includes a 4.62% increase from $62,032,217 to $64,905.262.    "The Budget allows us to maintain the tradition of excellence in Fair Lawn Schools", according to Bruce Watson, the Superintendent of Schools.    This is not an easy challenge at a time when the federal government is imposing new mandates and the state government is cutting funding to local schools. Governor McGreevy has reduced state aid to Fair Lawn schools by $2.7 million in the past three years. President Bush's No Child Left Behind Law piles on new requirements for local school districts without new funding to pay for them.   The budget reflects key priorities. Fair Lawn is working hard and making an investment to strengthen math education. The new standards-based elementary school math program will be expanded into 3rd grade.  (It started this year in kindergarten, first and second grades.) The new middle school math program will be expanded into eight grade. These programs aim to bring students up to par in their math skills.   On the reading front, the school system will continues a literacy initiative in grades two to five. These are crucial years for learning to read. Children need to learn how to read by fifth grade in order to be successful in middle and high school.   The budget also fully funds all special education programs, a hallmark of Fair Lawn's commitment to educating all students.   The budget ballot will include two questions. The first question includes most of the expenses for Fair Lawn schools. The second question includes a list of specific jobs and equipment that will only be funded if that question is approved. The list includes teachers for Memorial and Warren Point to reduce class size, a teacher for English as a Second Language, and a guidance counselor at Thomas Jefferson Middle School.   The second question also includes teachers for the accelerated math class in eighth grade. This class is part of Fair lawn's initiative to fulfill a state mandate requiring targeted educational services for gifted and talented students. This mandate ensures that gifted students get their educational needs met just like special education students, non-English speaking students, and other groups that require special attention.     Click Here For More Information     Also see the Board of Education's Web Site