Stockton School 2008-2009 Budget 

Public Budget Hearing at the School
Wednesday, March 19th; 7:00 p.m.
Please contact the school if you would like a copy of our budget.  

Click here for a copy of an absentee ballot.
Click here for directions on how to fill out an absentee ballot.

Anticipated General Fund

Total Operating Budget: $639,246
State Aid: $14,244
Tax Levy: $593,266

Tax Rate/Impact

  • 2008 - For July 1, 2008 - January 31, 2008: school tax rate of 0.574 or $1,851 per average assessed home.
  • 2009 - For January 1, 2009 - June 30, 2009: projected school tax rate of 0.597 or $1,925 per average home of $322,466.

Compared to 2007 Budget

  • Stockton School : 3.8% increase on school tax levy; 2.3 cents increase on the tax rate; increase of $74, per average assessed home. 
Other Interesting Data
  • The DOE comparative Spending Guide lists Stockton's cost per pupil at $11,533.  The state average is $12,720.
  • Increases in State Aid to the district were off-set by decreases in allowable tax levy.  School budget was capped by the Department of Education at 3.84%.
  • Significant increases in special education were off-set by cutting educational programs and utilizing anticipated revenuse from private tution, fund balance, and state and federal grants.
  • Budget cuts were made to instructional materials, textbooks, educational progrmas (transportation for field trips, Camp Fairview), and employee benefits.
  • The PTO will continue to sponsor educational programs, such as school field trips and assemblies.  We also receive grants from the LAEF (our local education foundation) and the Municipal Alliance for educational programs and materials.
  • New part time PreKindergarten program for mature four-year olds will start in the fall. Program will sponsored through private tution funds, which will be used to reduce the local tax levy.
  • Teacher negotiations were completed for 2007-2010 with increases of 3.5%, 3.5%, and 4.5%.  
  • The school year runs from June 30th- July 1st while the local tax levy that comes from municipalities has a calendar from January 1st to December 31st.  Therefore the taxes needed to be raised from one school year are calculated from two calendar years- 1/2 at the previous year's rate and 1/2 at the current year's rate.
Board Members There is one board positions open for a three-year term.  One candidate has filed- David Pasicznyk, who is currently completing a three-year term for Andrew Dougherty.  Click here for canidate statement.

REMEMBER TO VOTE ON TUESDAY, APRIL 15th, 2-9:00 p.m., at the Stockton Firehouse.  (Please note time change - polls open at 2 PM.)

Absentee Ballot

Absentee ballot applications must be received by the County Clerk no later than ten days prior to the school election, unless you apply in person during the County Clerk's office hours, up until 3 PM on the day prior to the election.

 To use an absentee ballot to vote in the April 15, 2008 School Election:
- Check the box: "School"
- Fill in the election date: April 15, 2008
- Print your name, date of birth, address, municipality and phone number where indicated
- Sign your name as it appears in the poll book
- Fill in the mailing address where the absentee ballot should be mailed to you.
    Mailing directions appear on the application. All absentee ballot applications should be mailed to:
    County Clerk's Office
    71 Main Street
    Flemington, NJ 08822

BOARD MEMBER CANIDATE.  One three-year term to be filled for 2008-2011.  There was one applicant, Mr. David L. Pasicznyk. Please see canidate statement below.

 I was honored when the Board accepted my nomination to fill a School Board vacancy back in August. Since then, I have worked with the other Board members and Principal Ivans to reach out to the community and parents,  to work on applications for Grants for our school, and to craft a very frugal and slim school budget.  By applying for, and receiving grants, we reduce the burden on our taxpayers and much as we can, and I intend to continue, if not step up, out grant applications.

 Our small school, like schools and communities across the State, faces many challenges. I will work hard with the other Board members and School employees to meet these challenges. I hope that everyone in Stockton realizes the significant part our school plays in the community and that they realize that everyone involved with the School continues to strive for academic excellence and fiscal responsibility.

 The numbers speak for themselves * the results for last year's NJ ASK tests show that Stockton School far outperforms other schools. Our students scored high in Language Arts Literacy and very high in Mathematics.  In addition, our students placed First in the State as "Advanced" in Science * ahead of Princeton Charter School! And ours is one of the few Elementary Schools in the area that teaches not one, but two foreign languages to students * all on a frugal budget.

 All of this means that our children graduate from Stockton School with and education and values that will serve them well throughout their lives.

 Although I am unopposed in this election, I would be honored to receive everyone's vote of confidence, and I ask everyone who values education and our great community to support our budget.

 Bio: Bureau Chief, Bureau of Water Resources, New Jersey Geological Survey (Background in Geology and Applied High-resolution Geophysics) Married to Joanne M. Nestor, Photographer, and Stockton School PTO President One Daughter, Laurel, attends 4th grade at Stockton School Stockton Resident for over 17 years - a "New" resident!

 

My name is Atiera Abatemarco Ransavage and I’m currently running for the Stockton Borough Board of Education.  I have lived in and around the Stockton area for over 22 years.  My daughter attends the Stockton School .  The community of Stockton is a very important part of our lives.

 

I’m running for a seat on the Board because I want to be engaged in our community’s educational system.  The Stockton School is a ‘gem in the rough’ of public schools in New Jersey .  Our school provides a multitude of interdisciplinary teaching methods and truly is a community school.  As a Board member, I hope to be a part of a team that will continue to work to uphold the integrity of the school, the structure itself, the students, faculty and staff and programs. 

 

My professional experiences allow me to be a Board member with skills, insight and diversity.  I graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a Bachelor’s degree in elementary education and Italian.  I have a Master’s of Public Health from the University of Medicine and Dentistry.  I have taught in public school system for 7 years (as both an elementary teacher and a world language teacher in elementary, middle and high school), with certifications in: Elementary k-12, Italian k-12, Health k-12, and a nationally recognized Certified Health Education Specialist.  Most recently, I wrote an article for the Journal of Environmental Health.  I am currently a middle school teacher.