Parents press Hazlet board on preschool safety accommodations and special-education class sizes

Parents at the Hazlet Township Public School District meeting raised safety and inclusion concerns related to preschool placements and class sizes for young students with special needs.

Angela Barger described her 3‑year‑old son Anthony’s complex swallowing and airway needs and said the district’s proposed accommodation—assigning a classroom paraprofessional to sit near him during snack times—would not be adequate to keep him safe. Barger said Anthony has had multiple surgeries and frequent hospitalizations, receives daily therapy and that his care team recommended specific clinical interventions. "This apparent doctor, Mr. Anderson, decided a classroom para with zero medical training would be enough to sit next to him," Barger said, urging the district to consult specialists and involve parents directly in placement planning.

Barger said she had requested communication and direct contact between district medical staff and Anthony’s specialists and questioned how staff would respond when the assigned paraprofessional or school nurse was not present.

Separately, Jessica Acker, a Sycamore Drive parent and CPAC representative, urged the board to limit sizes of In-Class Resource (ICR) classes. Acker said her son is transitioning from a small self-contained class into ICR and that a typical ICR class in the district was being planned with 26–30 students — roughly the same size as general education classes this year. "The solution should never be to max out the ICR classes to avoid adding another class," Acker said. She asked the district to provide smaller ICR cohorts so students receive the individualized support necessary to mainstream successfully.

Superintendent Dr. Ridley acknowledged the concerns and the meeting chair said district staff would follow up directly with the parents to answer specific questions raised during public comment.