Princeton French School Prepares To Increase Students, School Hours

Matthew Hersh

Citing success and forecasting long-term growth, the Princeton French School's requests to increase enrollment and extend operating hours were granted by the Princeton Regional Planning Board.

In a meeting held last Thursday, the board determined that the enrollment limit be increased to 70 students, and that hours of operation be extended from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The previous enrollment limit was 50 students.

Former Planning Board guidelines limited all regular school activities between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., except for occasional meetings and special events related to the school operation and management. The extension of operation to 5:30 p.m. is specifically designed to permit an after-school program for approximately 25 students, according to French School attorney Richard Goldman. If implemented, an after-school program would "lift the burden" for parents who cannot get out of work to pick up their children by 4 p.m.

However, French School neighborhood residents argued that an increase in student population would lead to an increase in traffic along the dead-ended All Saints Road off of Terhune Road in the Township. Steve Boyack, of All Saints Road, feared that the area would "morph into a daycare center" if an after-school program were established. The school's student population currently ranges from ages two-and-a-half to 10 years. He added that increased traffic in the neighborhood would have an adverse impact on the eight residences on the street.

"Unlike a public school in a neighborhood where students bike or walk, [here] the students all arrive by car or SUV," he said. He added that with 70 students and faculty combined coming and going daily, All Saints Road would have to accommodate approximately 1,000 car trips per week.

"That's quite a bit more than the traffic of all the residents and [of the] church combined," he said. He recommended that the Township should install a "traffic-calming median" or a speed hump.

Township Deputy Mayor and Board member Bill Enslin reminded Mr. Boyack that the Township prefers not to install speed humps because they could hinder roadway plowing in winter storms. Mr. Enslin said that while the Borough uses the speed humps, the Township has over 100 miles of roadways that need to be addressed during storms. He said that increases in police enforcement could ameliorate high-speed traffic along the road.

Mr. Boyack also asked the Board to consider approving a measure that would install sidewalks along the road to accommodate French School expansion. He said that extended operating hours would mean increased traffic well after sundown in the winter months.

Janice Mazeo, also of All Saints Road, supported the idea of installing sidewalks, saying she has "almost been hit" by cars while walking her dog. She also supported adding a median.

Ultimately, the Board approved a plan that would install a stop sign and a painted stop bar on the pavement at the exit drive onto All Saints Road. The Board committed to reviewing future traffic reports from the Township Engineer Robert Kiser before considering other traffic-controlling measures.

Other recommendations under consideration after approval of the school's application were carpooling programs and public schoolbusing,

The French School did not propose any changes to its current layout. According to Mr. Goldman, the school's dimensions allow it to use the physical space currently provided "for now." The attorney did not discount the possibility for future expansions, however, saying "we had no idea that [the school] would be so successful so fast."