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ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS HERALD |
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REGIONALIZATION DISCUSSIONS It is pretty easy to see the physical changes taking place at the Atlantic Highlands Elementary School, and there may be more structural changes in the future. These changes could be of the financial nature, and the AHES Board is wisely considering its options. The AHES board has made some interesting decisions in recent weeks and the current discussion about regionalization of services is yet another. By now, everyone knows that Superintendent Dr. Martha Wallauer has announced her retirement after many years of dedicated service. Her announcement appears to have started the ball rolling about the consolidation of services and possible savings to the taxpayers. While the board debates the consolidation options, they also reached out to the public regarding Dr. Wallauer’s successor. In a meeting last week, a search consultant hired by the board solicited feedback from the public regarding the next Superintendent. To the administration and AHES Board credit, not a single representative from either body was present. Their planned absence allowed for a frank and honest discussion from the community. The road to regionalization and shared services may be a little trickier. While it appears that the county Superintendent of Schools endorses a plan, the ultimate decision and scope of regionalization will rest with the respective boards of the three schools. There is no doubt that exceptional personnel are in place within the district to absorb some of the responsibilities that regionalization might bring. On a municipal level, Atlantic Highlands has had mixed success in the past with sharing services and sometimes the savings aren’t as great as anticipated. What seems like a no brainer on paper, often gets caught in the morass of bureaucracy and red tape that haunts government. At the school level, regionalization has to be well thought out and executed properly, otherwise it’s the children that will suffer. Nonetheless, the AHES board and administration deserves some kudos for exploring change, starting the discussion and keeping open minds.
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