Brigantine Schools Consider Shared Services with AC & Ventnor

Brian Pruitt. Photo: Press of Atlantic City

Brigantine school district superintendent Brian Pruitt, and other executive leadership from the Brigantine school district will meet with representatives from the Ventnor and Atlantic City schools to discuss ways to save taxpayers money.

According to the Downbeach Current, Ventnor school board President James E. Pacanowski said a meeting date has been set to discuss shared services with the Atlantic City and Brigantine schools.

“We are three school districts sending to Atlantic City High School, and I wanted to make sure Brigantine was involved in any shared services discussions. The meeting will include board presidents and superintendents from all three school districts, Pacanowski said. It will be held at the Ventnor Educational Community Complex 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 3.

Brigantine School DistrictEarlier this year, Brigantine’s Democrat majority and the Brigantine Taxpayers Association pressured Mayor Guenther and the Brigantine School board to prudently streamline the local school district. Just a few years ago, approximately 1400 students were on the roles.

Today, Brigantine student numbers have dipped below 700 and continue to drop. Currently, both the Brigantine Elementary and the Brigantine Middle Schools have separate staffs. The two schools operate and are located in side by side buildings connected in the middle. Recent reports from the State of NJ suggest academic performance has declined as well. See Brigantine Academic Performance Report here.

While a growing number of local residents wonder why the prudent right-sizing of duplicate positions has been avoided, they are quite pleased to see the Mayor and Brigantine school district superintendent Brian Pruitt attending this meeting in Ventnor on December 3rd. Residents, as well as most of council, were not aware of this meeting taking place.

Opponents of cutting back on non-essential positions within the Brigantine School district claim that any downsizing would ‘hurt the kids’. Prior to the recent November election, those opposed to cutbacks were not shy about their disdain for the Democratic majority’s interest in trimming the top heavy school management team. One Brigantine mom who wished to stay anonymous said: ‘today, it looks like the Republican backed school board is serious about doing what’s right for all taxpayers, not just a handful of employees that are not actually teaching our kids.’ 

Most in Brigantine were not aware of Mayor Guenther’s approving superintendent Pruitt’s participation in this meeting. Supporters of the Mayor were amazed by this surprising turn of events.

Brigantine School

Brigantine school teacher; Melisa Bew Knoff, stated in a recent Facebook posting:  ‘no matter what semantics game they want to play or what they want to call it – shared services, consolidation etc….it’s all the same. A really bad idea for our school!

Local Brigantine resident John Livezey agrees with teacher Knoff: “Seems like (Brigantine Democrats) have quite the interest in making things in Brigantine disappear. With their cutbacks and farming things out. They, “Taxpayers First”, seem to just want to cut and cut. They have no plan to build and if they keep cutting, soon there will be nothing left!”

Mr. Pruitt and the Mayor are under increasing pressure to explain their need for a double staff while overall student attendance continues to slide.

“We made it clear to both schools (Atlantic City and Brigantine) that it has to be beneficial for all of us, and we all have to be ready to take the hard stand and make the hard decisions if it is to be beneficial for all of us,” Pacanowski said.

Full story here:  http://shorenewstoday.com/snt/news/index.php/downbeach-/longport-margate-ventnor-general-news/59620-ventnor-to-discuss-shared-services-with-brigantine-and-ac-schools.html

See School Ratings Here  http://www.greatschools.org/new-jersey/brigantine/204-Brigantine-North-School/?tab=ratings

Brigantine Public Schools http://www.brigantineschools.org/

ARCHIVES:  Brigantine Tries to Pull Away from AC High  March 2011

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6 thoughts on “Brigantine Schools Consider Shared Services with AC & Ventnor”

  1. No matter what semantics game they want to play or what they want to call it – shared services, consolidation etc….it’s all the same! A REALLY BAD IDEA FOR OUR SCHOOL!!!!

  2. Shared Services, let’s ask our towns to the North how that’s worked out for them, maybe they should change to Team G, as in Give Everything Away! You Dems are no good for Brigantine, our residents, our children, nor our futures! Just because McClay back stabbed her own fellow teachers doesn’t mean it needs to be done here!! Our taxes are the second lowest in Atalntic County and for all we have, it’s worth every cent. Those that pay super high amounts, news flash no one told you to buy homes on the ocean or bay! Your just mad that their worth millions now and you pay accordingly. Team A leave our teachers, police, fire, and EMS alone!! You want to save $$ cut the fat in other ways, like your wastefull tactics, your allowing a manager to spend upwards of $10,000.00 a month for a labor attorney, follow the rules of Brigantine! Oh and by the way, I’m pretty sure there isn’t over night parking in City lots, take your van and MOVE IT ALONG!!!!!

  3. Schools need superintendents and principals just like large businesses need Presidents and Vice Presidents or mangers and asst.managers. You want to save on the schools budget by getting rid of those positions. Their salaries are probably minuscule compared to the money spent on PARCC testing.

    I love when politicians try to act like they have any idea what really goes on in schools…

  4. Linda Camerota Wynkoop: This election is so important! Vote Column B to save our schools!

    Amy Geiser Hoffman: To save our town!

    John E Livezey agrees with this, “Seems like Mr. Polillo and his running mates have quite the interest in making things in Brigantine disappear” I am afraid if “Taxpayers First” get their way they will make our whole Island disappear, with their cutbacks and farming things out. They, “Taxpayers First”, seem to just want to cut and cut. They have no plan to build and if they keep cutting, soon there will be nothing left! VOTE COLUMN “B” on Tuesday to move forward, not cut back! Remember, to make progress throughout life, one needs to keep putting one foot in front of the other, not keep stepping backwards!

  5. Schools need superintendents and principals just like large businesses need Presidents and Vice Presidents or mangers and asst.managers. You want to save on the schools budget by getting rid of those positions. Their salaries are probably minuscule compared to the money spent on PARCC testing.

  6. some salaries were posted of the “management”. just like some comments made, these are just positions within a “similar corporate environment”, which are needed. don’t go on a witch hunt with the board of education for brigantine – Gov Chris has already done that. LEAVE THE TEACHERS AND THE SUPERVISORS ALONE – they already took their lickings from the state since the big Gov has been in office. I don’t live full time in Brig and I know my taxes help support the school system, but the public school system should be left alone by local officials. I agree maybe some services could be shared, but just make sure it benefits the kids and not to save some money so it could be spent on some ineffective city project elsewhere.

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