Board Discusses Funding, Military Recruitment

Candace Braun

At its October 25 meeting, the Princeton Regional Board of Education accepted $108,000 from the state's Early Launch to Learning Initiative to fund a second year of the district's preschool program. The funds will be used for the 2005-2006 school year, and will pay for teacher salaries and benefits, general classroom supplies, professional development, and contracted services.

The Board also accepted $42,000 from the Learn and Serve American School-Based Programs Grant for the school year, which will be used for service-learning activities in the district.

Among the other items discussed by the Board were protocols for military recruitment of students on school grounds. The Board announced that in August Princeton High School's guidance office sent out a mailing in both English and Spanish informing parents and students of their rights to opt out of providing contact information to recruiters, as is allowed through the No Child Left Behind legislation of 2000. Board members added that those who are unresponsive to the first letter will receive a second mailing.

Protocols on military recruitment that were approved by the school board include: that recruiters may only visit the high school campus by appointment and only at a site pre-approved by the principal; a guidance counselor must be present for all scheduled meetings with students; and that literature may only be distributed to students via the guidance office.

The Board also approved a cooperative agreement with the Princeton and County Boards of Health determining that seven Princeton Regional School sites be used in case of the need of massive inoculations.

In addition, the Board heard a request from the PHS Boys Lacrosse Team for a trip to Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex from March 14 through March 19. Approximately 40 students would attend with three staff members and a nurse, and all trip expenses would be paid for by the team and through fund-raising efforts.

At a program committee meeting earlier in October, Board members voiced concern that students would miss three days of school due to the trip taking place in March, rather than over spring break in April. However, according to the team's coach, Peter Stanton: "This is an opportunity to use the trip as leverage to increase their performance in school."

Only students who are performing well in their classes and have received permission from their teachers will be able to attend, he said.

With the understanding that the coach and the team know the Board's concerns on missing school days, the Board approved the trip.