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Resident and board weigh restoring full‑day preschool; superintendent cites space and cost constraints
Summary
A Mountainside resident urged the board to reintroduce full‑day preschool. The superintendent said space at Beechwood and staffing costs make restoration difficult without a long‑term, self‑sustaining plan; she estimated a full‑day class would cost roughly $152,000 and about $13,008 per enrolled student under current staffing.
A resident asked the Mountainside Board of Education whether the district would consider restoring full‑day preschool, which ran prior to the COVID pandemic.
“My name is Casey Lacasse... My question tonight is in regards to, full day pre k,” the resident said during public comment, asking why the program changed and whether it could return given increasing family demand.
The Superintendent replied that full‑day preschool had existed prior to COVID but that two principal obstacles now make restoration challenging: limited classroom space at Beechwood and district cost structures tied to staff contracts and benefits. She said the district currently operates a morning and an afternoon preschool in one classroom and estimated the incremental cost to run a full‑day program at roughly $152,000 districtwide under current staffing, adding, “$13,008.52 is where I was at” for a per‑student cost under those assumptions.
The Superintendent also said the district typically must reserve seats for students with special education needs and observed that state grant rules and class‑size limits (15 students per class under some grant definitions) affect planning. She recommended that the board consider a facilities study and a long‑term plan if it prioritizes expanding preschool capacity.
Board members responded that the program had been well‑received historically and suggested the finance and facilities committees examine options, warning there is no simple fix without trade‑offs in the 2% budget cap.
What happens next: the Superintendent said staff will bring more information to the March meeting after facilities and enrollment data are further reviewed. Board members asked parents and proponents to offer specific ideas to the finance committee so they can be evaluated against budget constraints.
Who said it: the question came from resident Casey Lacasse; the response and cost details came from the Superintendent.
