A two-classrooom expansion of Point Road School to accommodate a new all-day kindergarten program won overwhelming approval by Little Silver voters Tuesday, according to figures reported by the Asbury Park Press.
A referendum question on whether to float a $750,000 bond toward the anticipated $1 million cost of the building expansion was approved by a vote of 628 to 420, the Press reports.
From the Press:
Little Silver is among about 26 percent of school districts in the state that do not offer a full-day kindergarten. School officials had posted a question-and-answers note on the website about the rationale, the plan and the cost of adding full-day kindergarten.
“I have a three-year-old and don’t understand why there isn’t full-time kindergarten,” said Kristen Baeri, who said while she conceded it is expensive to live in the borough, added the tax impact “wasn’t a concern.”
Anthony Fillippelli called full-day kindergarten “a good thing for the community,” adding that his son is attending a private school to take advantage of a full-day program.
“Property taxes are not an issue. It costs for (his son) to go to a private school,” he said.
One selling point that officials used was that the school district is in the unique position of retiring old debt in 2013 and 2014, which will drive down the increase in local school taxes, if voters approve the question and the district takes out a 15-year loan.
