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Secaucus district plans to revamp pre-K after low part-day enrollment; parents urge options and notice
Summary
The Secaucus Board of Education described a plan to replace a small part-day pre-K program with full-day classes and relocate pre-K to Clarendon School to improve inclusion and operations; parents at the meeting urged more notice, half-day options, and clearer pricing information.
The Secaucus Board of Education and district leaders told the public on April 26 that the part-day pre-K model is unsustainable and outlined plans to move the program from Millridge to Clarendon School and to scale classroom offerings for 2026-27.
Interim Superintendent Dr. Toback said the district's current part-day program enrolls 24 students across morning and afternoon sections — "the equivalent of 12 full-time students" — supported by two teachers and two aides, and described that staffing and instructional limits make the current model "unsustainable." He said the district established a goal to grow early-childhood enrollment and now plans one pre-K3 class and two pre-K4 classes based on applications and signed tuition contracts.
Administrators gave specific enrollment figures: pre-K3 showed 17 applications with nine signed tuition contracts and two special-education inclusion students, and pre-K4 had 29 completed applications with 16 signed contracts and six special-education students. The district set a maximum class size of 15 and said it would likely reserve seats for inclusion placements, leaving only a handful of seats available heading into spring and summer enrollment activity.
Dr. Toback argued the Clarendon location would better support inclusion, earlier intervention and operational needs — noting access to facilities such as a gym, on-site staff and services, and budgetary benefits — and framed the change as part of building "an exceptional early childhood program." He said an open house will be scheduled and the district will hold an April 30 joint town-hall on shared services to discuss related planning.
Several parents spoke at public comment. Bruce Bass said families had planned for the previous part-day option and were surprised by short notice; he questioned a reported full-day price of $950 per month and asked whether the district could maintain a half-day option. Angela Amato urged better community outreach and a survey of parents, saying some families prefer the half-day schedule. The district said it would communicate program details and host an open house for the early childhood program.
Next steps: the administration said it will continue enrollment outreach, finalize class assignments based on signed tuition contracts and inclusion needs, and present related budget and program details in forthcoming materials and meetings.
