Why are Margate’s 2 principals switching buildings? A good question that was never answered at the recent Margate Board of Education meeting.
This is what we know: A relative of the Mayor of Margate, Tighe School Principal, Audrey Becker, has been transferred to Ross Elementary School.
This pushes current Ross School Principal, Ryan Gaskill, over to the Tighe School.
Observers ask: Why the change? Both wanted a change of scenery? Hmm. Do theses moves provide a clue as to which of the 2 Margate schools will survive an impending consolidation? Listen to recent commissioners meeting:
Margate School board scrambles to slow declining enrollment.
In other Margate school board news, they announced that they’ll back off on plans to boost pre-school programs…at least for now. The board saw this as a potential way of bolstering the district’s falling enrollment, but it would destroy at least 3 local, private business operators that cater to pre-schoolers.
FACT: Margate has some of the highest per-student costs of all NJ school districts. Approx. $31,000 per student.
Comments: Baruffi is the interim superintendent of Margate schools. Can he maintain current standards without raising taxes?
Baruffi: One strategy to boost student enrollment: accept students from other districts, charging $5,000 per pupil.
When will the district consolidate Margate’s 2 half-empty schools?
The Margate School District costs taxpayers close to $13 million each year.
Margate school district: now only 350 students, split between two, half-empty schools.
Baruffi believes enrollment needs to drop below 300 before consolidating from two to one school. Compare this to Brigantine, which recently consolidated their two schools which still had a total of 550 students.
NOTE: Margate School Board still doesn’t record and post audio from regular school board meetings. Ventnor is another town that doesn’t record and post audio from their municipal meetings.