School district announces expansion of pre-k and new budget initiatives for academic support

The Middlesex Borough School District is making significant strides in enhancing educational opportunities for its students, as discussed in the recent Board of Education meeting held on March 19, 2025. A key focus of the meeting was the district's commitment to improving early childhood education, with plans to expand its preschool program to offer a full-day, six-hour curriculum for 75 students next year.

Superintendent Greg Nicolay highlighted the district's long-term goal of providing tuition-free preschool, which faced setbacks last year when funding was not approved. However, the district has implemented short-term solutions, including hiring teacher assistants in kindergarten classrooms, which has already shown promising results. Reports indicate that many kindergarten students are achieving reading benchmarks at impressive rates, with some classrooms seeing growth from 12% to 94% of students reading at or above grade level.

The meeting also addressed ongoing initiatives across all grade levels, including the introduction of new educational resources and programs aimed at enhancing student learning. For instance, the district is rolling out the Amplify English language arts program in middle schools to address lower performance scores. Additionally, extended day activities are being incorporated into the budget to provide more academic support for middle school students.

Financially, the district is navigating a budget that reflects a 2% increase in the proposed tax levy and a 4.62% rise in state aid. The budget includes essential expenditures for instructional salaries, support services, and capital projects, such as upgrades to school facilities. Notably, the district is now fully funded by state aid, a significant improvement from previous years.

As the meeting concluded, the board emphasized the importance of these initiatives in shaping a "portrait of a graduate" who is prepared to succeed and contribute positively to the community. The district's focus on early education, resource allocation, and innovative programming aims to foster an environment where all students can thrive.