Stockton School 2009-2010 Proposed Budget 

Public Budget Hearing at the School
Monday, March 30th; 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: $675,864
State Aid: $14,244 (same as 2008-09 amount)
Tax Levy: $617,954

Tax Rate/Impact

  • 2009 - For January 1, 2009 - June 30, 2009: projected school tax rate of 0.597 or $1,925 per average home of $322,466.  
  • 2010 - For July 1, 2009 - January 31, 2010: school tax rate of 0.621, (0.635 with debt service), which amounts to $2,004, ($2,048 with debt service), per average home.

Compared to 2008 Budget

  • Stockton School: 4% increase on school tax levy; 2.4 cents, (3.8 cents with debt service), increase on the tax rate; or $79 increase, ($123 with debt service), per average assessed home of $322,466.
Other Interesting Data
  • 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.
  • The 2009 DOE comparative Spending Guide lists Stockton's cost per pupil at $12,727.  The State average for K-6 school districts is $12,195 and the state medium is $12,750.
  • There was no increase in State Aid to the district.
  • For the 2008-09 the district received $5,461 in Extraordinary Aid (given to districts for tuition costs above $40,000) and anticipates approximately $5,000 for the 2009-10 school year.
  • Significant costs and increases in special education (15% increase in out-of-district placement tuition) were off-set by continuing cuts in educational materials and utilizing anticipated revenues from private tuition, fund balance, and state and federal grants.
  • 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.
  • The Stockton Board of Education was recommended to receive a Capital Projects grant of $219,769 for the summer 2008 building restoration project. These funds will be used to reduce the amount of the public referendum bond. Additionally, the district received $7,723 in Debt Service Aid for the 2008-09 school year and anticipates $8,458 for the 2009-10 school year.
  • Prekindergarten program for four-year olds will continue. Program will sponsored through private tuition 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%.  
  • $19,706 of fund balance monies used towards the 2009-10 proposed budget.
  • Stockton Borough School District will participate with the other South Hunterdon Districts in the "Kid's Vote" program.  Students will have an opportunity to vote on a student-made ballot for specific school issues.
Board Members There are two board positions open for two three-year terms.  Two candidates have filed: incumbent and current board vice-president Jim Gallagher and Atiera Abatemarco Ransavage.   Click here for candidate statement.

REMEMBER TO VOTE ON TUESDAY, APRIL 21st, 3-9:00 p.m., at the Stockton Firehouse.  (Please note time change from last year - polls open at 3 PM, not 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 21st, 2008 School Election:
- Check the box: "School"
- Fill in the election date: April 21, 2009
- 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 CANDIDATE.  One three-year term to be filled for 2009-2012.  There was one returning and one new applicant, Ms. Atiera Abatemarco Ransavage. Please see candidate statement below.

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.