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PEQUANNOCK - Summer enrichment program to remain
(by April Plantamura - Staff Writer - April 16, 2008)
PEQUANNOCK - Superintendent of Schools Dr. Larrie Reynolds recently reassured the public and school board members that the Imagine Summer Enrichment Program will be a go this year and that the program may even make some money because the cost of running it has decreased.
The program’s projected enrollment is currently less than half what of it was last year.
The Imagine Program is designed to afford students the opportunity to engage in educational hands-on projects and activities during the summer under the guidance of certified district teachers. The district is offering two sessions: one running June 18 through July 1 and the second from July 7 through 18, excluding July 4.
Each session costs $375, but parents can sign their child up for both sessions at a cost of $750. For those parents who are interested in signing up more than one child, there will be a $50 discount on the second child’s enrollment fee and $100 discount on the third child.
The sessions will run Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., with after care being offered to 5 p.m. for an added cost of $125 per child per session. Dr. Reynolds said that after care will be based on how many parents are interested in utilizing this feature. The program also requires parents to pay a $200 deposit.
At the Monday, April 14 workshop meeting of the school board, Dr. Reynolds provided a budget breakdown to the board members for the summer program. There are currently 74 students enrolled in the Imagine Program, which means that a deposit or the full fee has already been paid. This enrollment is more than 150 less than last year’s enrollment of 240 students.
“These figures might include some of the same students,” Dr. Reynolds said.
This means that out of the 74 total students enrolled in the program, there are several students enrolled in both the first and second sessions.
Dr. Reynolds said that the Imagine Program will have three teachers and a site director, who will also take on all clerical duties. The teachers’ total salaries will cost $13,948, or $35 an hour. The program’s site director has already been paid $2,000 to plan the program’s curriculum and is still owed an additional $5,184, bringing the total personnel costs of the program to $19,132. Curriculum planning costs are not included in this breakdown.
The non-personnel expenses, which include food for the students and classroom supplies, will cost the district $8,215. This brings the total expenses of running the program to $27,347. Based on the predicted enrollment of 74 students paying $375 per student per session, the estimated revenue for the Imagine Program is $27,750. This would result in revenue to the district of $403, or 1.45 percent, for offering the summer enrichment program.
Board Member Alberta Alleva expressed her concern over these estimated figures by pointing out that last year’s Imagine Program ended up costing the district an estimated $10,000.
“I don’t think any of us can afford to lose any more money,” Alleva said.
Dr. Reynolds said that the reason for last year’s large loss in revenue was that roughly 42 students initially signed up for the program but canceled at the last minute. Board Member Ken Hardaker asked Dr. Reynolds whether he had any contingency plan for this year’s program, to avoid losing money in the same way.
“We would have to adjust some of the expenses,” Dr. Reynolds said. “Some things are fixed, like the cost of materials and textbooks, but some things are not.”
Alleva also questioned Dr. Reynolds about the decrease in enrollment from last year to this year, to which Dr. Reynolds provided one possible explanation.
“I’ve never found a deposit system to work too well,” the superintendent said. “People want to participate in summer activities but don’t want to have to pay up front. It’s neither good nor bad; it’s just the way it is.”
Alleva said that she believes the current state of the economy in the country also plays a large role in the lack of interest in this year’s Imagine Program.
“This is a lot of money and not everyone can afford it,” she said.
Dr. Reynolds said that he has every intention of moving forward with the summer enrichment program and is 80 percent sure that it will not result in a loss of money for the district.
“I don’t want parents who have already signed their kids up to panic, thinking we are canceling the program,” Dr. Reynolds said. “We are still accepting enrollment and encourage parents to contact our offices to sign up and arrange payment.”
Anyone interested in enrolling their children in the Imagine Summer Enrichment Program can contact the district board office at 973-616-6040.
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