The Clinton Township Board of Education will vote on a proposed plan to consolidate the district and close one school after the 2017-2018 school year.
CLINTON TWP. -- The Clinton Township Board of Education is going to consider closing Spruce Run School by the 2018-19 school year it was announced Tuesday.
An ad hoc committee established in 2015 to research the feasibility of closing a school presented its findings and recommendations at a meeting packed with nearly 50 teachers, parents and township residents.
The board did not vote on the recommendation, and a resolution in support of the proposed plan will be voted on in the next few months.
Despite seeing the need to close a school because of significant declining enrollment, Board President Maria Grant and board member Rachel McLaughlin of the ad hoc committee reported that operational challenges, such as necessary structural changes to the schools, would slow any transition.
Instead, Grant suggested a plan to prepare for consolidation through the end of the 2017-18 school year.
The proposed configuration would close Spruce Run School, which is the oldest school in the district with the smallest capacity.
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Under the proposed plan, Patrick McGaheran School would have students in grades pre-kindergarten through second, Round Valley School would have those in the third through the fifth grades and Clinton Township Middle School would have students in the sixth through the eighth grades.
Superintendent Drucilla Clark advised the audience not to assume that if the proposed plan is approved, that the board will automatically decide to close a school within two years.
If approved by the board, next steps would include more research, working with an architect to plan on how to consolidate the schools, conducting a cost analysis, working with a consultant on an execution plan for consolidation, reevaluating student enrollment, continuing to look for revenue sources and exploring approval requirements.
Additionally, the ad hoc committee recommended looking at creating a revenue-generating uses for a potentially vacant school instead of selling or renting the building. Options include a day care center, senior center, vocational school, community center or a school for children with special needs.
Stay with NJ.com for more on the proposed plan and public comments from the meeting.
Emily Cummins may be reached at ecummins@njadvancemedia.com Follow her on Twitter @EmilyACummins and Facebook.