Students, parents protest potential closing of Middletown school

Students and their parents rallied in Middletown on Monday to protest the potential closing of an elementary school.

News 12 Staff

Feb 24, 2020, 4:49 PM

Updated 1,547 days ago

Share:

Students and their parents rallied in Middletown on Monday to protest the potential closing of an elementary school.
Port Monmouth Elementary School is nearly 100 years old. But costly repairs and a reduction in state aid may force the Middletown School District to shutter the school. The group says that they are upset by how the district announced the possible closure.
"To go and announce it on social media before they tell the school community is a disgrace to us,” says parent Pat Smith.
Superintendent Dr. Bill George posted a video online last week laying out the reasoning behind possibly closing Port Monmouth and shifting the student body to New Monmouth.
undefined

"The impetus for this proposal is the significant decline in student enrollment and decrease in funding. In addition, our new five years-facility plan requires more than $3.7 million in maintenance in the Port Monmouth School alone,” George said.
Parents like Jessica Sickler say that losing Port Monmouth Elementary would just add to the pain of the continued recovery from Superstorm Sandy, which destroyed hundreds of homes in the neighborhood.
"I just moved back in in September, so it took seven years just to get back into my house from Sandy. So, all of those properties are built back up and sold. New families are in. They haven't done an updated study. If they did, they haven't shared it with us,” Sickler says.
If the plan goes through, the school could close in June. Students would switch over to the new school in September. A vote is scheduled for next Wednesday, March 4th.


More from News 12
0:33
Monmouth County high school students may have had personal info stolen in data breach

Monmouth County high school students may have had personal info stolen in data breach

1:57
Taste of summer returns to New Jersey with highs in the mid-80s

Taste of summer returns to New Jersey with highs in the mid-80s

0:45
Manchester police: 2 men accused of burglarizing several businesses around New Jersey

Manchester police: 2 men accused of burglarizing several businesses around New Jersey

2:35
Ocean Grove temporarily allows Sunday morning beach access

Ocean Grove temporarily allows Sunday morning beach access

0:16
Krispy Kreme opening new location at the Jersey Shore

Krispy Kreme opening new location at the Jersey Shore

0:25
Prosecutors: 73-year-old man accused of murdering his wife in their Moorestown apartment

Prosecutors: 73-year-old man accused of murdering his wife in their Moorestown apartment

1:57
Peapack-Gladstone taking new steps to control geese problem

Peapack-Gladstone taking new steps to control geese problem

0:23
NJ Transit police save man from drowning in Hudson River with rescue ring buoys

NJ Transit police save man from drowning in Hudson River with rescue ring buoys

0:20
Prosecutor: Teen killed, another injured in shooting outside Trenton apartment

Prosecutor: Teen killed, another injured in shooting outside Trenton apartment

1:54
Best of New Jersey: A taste of Italy in Monmouth County at Limoncello at Piazza Di Roma

Best of New Jersey: A taste of Italy in Monmouth County at Limoncello at Piazza Di Roma

0:14
Prosecutor: Walk-in Camden hospital patient dies days after being shot

Prosecutor: Walk-in Camden hospital patient dies days after being shot

2:38
Are you getting ready for boating season? The Coast Guard shares tips for National Safe Boating Week

Are you getting ready for boating season? The Coast Guard shares tips for National Safe Boating Week

0:25
PBA: Millburn police officer killed in car crash

PBA: Millburn police officer killed in car crash

1:18
TGI Fridays in Brick Township among 36 across the US permanently closing

TGI Fridays in Brick Township among 36 across the US permanently closing

0:30
Jersey Proud: Hillside HS football team sorts food donations for those in need

Jersey Proud: Hillside HS football team sorts food donations for those in need

2:13
‘It’s our responsibility to tell their story.’ Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall unveiled in Wayne Township

‘It’s our responsibility to tell their story.’ Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall unveiled in Wayne Township

2:30
Roselle schools temporarily put on lockdown following reports of gunfire in the area

Roselle schools temporarily put on lockdown following reports of gunfire in the area

0:15
Officials: Single-engine plane crash-lands in Holland Township field

Officials: Single-engine plane crash-lands in Holland Township field

1:51
Officials: Train pulls down wires in Elizabeth, causing some power outages

Officials: Train pulls down wires in Elizabeth, causing some power outages

2:31
Prosecution focuses on Egyptian halal beef deal in Menendez’s bribery trial

Prosecution focuses on Egyptian halal beef deal in Menendez’s bribery trial