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Long Branch Public Schools

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Coordinates: 40°18′00″N 74°00′01″W / 40.299908°N 74.000399°W / 40.299908; -74.000399
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Long Branch Public Schools
Address
540 Broadway
Long Branch
, Monmouth County, New Jersey, 07740
United States
Coordinates40°18′00″N 74°00′01″W / 40.299908°N 74.000399°W / 40.299908; -74.000399
District information
Gradespre-K to 12
SuperintendentFrancisco E. Rodriguez
Business administratorPeter E. Genovese III
Schools8
Affiliation(s)Former Abbott district
Students and staff
Enrollment5,494 (as of 2022–23)[1]
Faculty495.0 FTEs[1]
Student–teacher ratio11.1:1[1]
Other information
District Factor GroupB
Websitewww.longbranch.k12.nj.us
Ind. Per pupil District
spending		 Rank
(*)		 K-12
average		 %± vs.
average
1ATotal Spending$21,22087$18,89112.3%
1Budgetary Cost14,6825714,783−0.7%
2Classroom Instruction8,920628,7631.8%
6Support Services2,382582,392−0.4%
8Administrative Cost1,368361,485−7.9%
10Operations & Maintenance1,691571,783−5.2%
13Extracurricular Activities277622683.4%
16Median Teacher Salary58,9752164,043
Data from NJDoE 2014 Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending.[2]
*Of K-12 districts with more than 3,500 students. Lowest spending=1; Highest=103

Long Branch Public Schools is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade in the city of Long Branch, in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.[3] The district is one of 31 former Abbott districts statewide that were established pursuant to the decision by the New Jersey Supreme Court in Abbott v. Burke[4] which are now referred to as "SDA Districts" based on the requirement for the state to cover all costs for school building and renovation projects in these districts under the supervision of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority.[5][6]

As of the 2022–23 school year, the district, comprised of eight schools, had an enrollment of 5,494 students and 495.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.1:1.[1]

The district is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group "B", the second lowest of eight groupings. District Factor Groups organize districts statewide to allow comparison by common socioeconomic characteristics of the local districts. From lowest socioeconomic status to highest, the categories are A, B, CD, DE, FG, GH, I and J.[7]

Schools

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Schools in the district (with 2022–23 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[8]) are:[9][10][11][12]

Early childhood learning centers
  • Lenna W. Conrow School[13] (with 298 students; in grades PreK–K)
    • Bonita Potter-Brown, principal[9]
  • Joseph M. Ferraina Early Childhood Learning Center[14] (291; PreK–K)
    • Nicole Carroll, principal[9]
  • Morris Avenue School[15] (310; PreK–K)
    • Matthew E. Johnson, principal[9]
Primary schools
  • Amerigo A. Anastasia School[16] (587; 1–5)
    • Michelle Merckx, principal[9]
    • Laura Widdis, principal[9]
  • George L. Catrambone Elementary School[17] (712; 1–5)
    • Jessica Cunneff, principal[9]
    • Laura Smith-Bland, principal[9]
  • Gregory School[18] (600; 1–5)
    • Nicholas Greenwood, principal[9]
    • Twana Richardson, principal[9]
Middle school
  • Long Branch Middle School[19] (1,108; 6–8)
    • Christopher Volpe, lead principal[9]
High school
Alternative
  • Audrey W. Clark School / The Academy of Alternative Programs, an alternative education program[21]
    • Kristine Villano, principal[9]

George L. Catrambone Elementary School was constructed at a total cost over $40 million for a facility that was designed to house 800 students in a facility covering 109,000 square feet (10,100 m2) for which construction began in 2012.[22] With the start of the 2014-15 school year, a realignment of the district closed West End School, converted Morris Avenue School for early childhood use and repurposed Audrey W. Clark School for alternative education.[23]

Superintendent pay

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In March 2006, the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation issued a report to Governor Jon Corzine specifically and to the public in general that addressed "Questionable and Hidden Compensation for Public School Administrators". The report disclosed that the Long Branch school district had reported to the New Jersey Department of Education that Superintendent of Schools Joseph Ferraina (who retired in 2011) was receiving a base salary of $193,149 when, as the Commission of Investigation stated, he was actually receiving a total compensation of $305,099, some 58% higher than the amount reported to the State.[24] By 2011, Ferraina was earning a base salary of $242,550.[25]

After three years as chief school administrator, Michael Salvatore accepted a contract in August 2014 under which he would earn less in base pay due to the state's superintendent salary cap. The school board approved a $165,000 annual base salary for Salvatore in a contract that expired in June 2019, which is a $10,000 reduction from his previous salary with the district. However, Salvatore's newest endeavor will supplement the contract with $10,000, which entailed governing the Deal School District as a shared service superintendent.[25]

Administration

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Core members of the district's administration are:[9][26]

  • Francisco E. Rodriguez, superintendent[27]
  • Peter E. Genovese III, business administrator and board secretary[28]

Board of education

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The district's board of education, comprised of nine members, sets policy and oversees the fiscal and educational operation of the district through its administration. As a Type II school district, the board's trustees are elected directly by voters to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with three seats up for election each year held (since 2012) as part of the November general election. The board appoints a superintendent to oversee the district's day-to-day operations and a business administrator to supervise the business functions of the district.[29][30]

The current members of the Long Branch Board of Education are:[31]

  • Violeta Peters, Board President (term expires December 2024)
  • Joseph M. Ferraina, Board Vice President (2024)
  • Maria Teresa Benosky (2024)
  • Lucille M. Perez (2024; appointed to fill a vacant seat)
  • Rick Garlipp (2025)
  • Theresa Dangler (2025)
  • Armand R. Zambrano (2026)
  • Tasha Youngblood Brown (2026)
  • Sofji "Tony" Valdiviezo (2026)

References

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  1. ^ a b c d District information for Long Branch Public School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.
  2. ^ Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending April 2013, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 15, 2013.
  3. ^ Long Branch Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Long Beach Public Schools. Accessed October 21, 2024. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-Kindergarten through twelve in the Long Branch School District. Composition: The Long Branch School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Long Branch."
  4. ^ What We Do: History, New Jersey Schools Development Authority. Accessed March 1, 2022. "In 1998, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled in the Abbott v. Burke case that the State must provide 100 percent funding for all school renovation and construction projects in special-needs school districts. According to the Court, aging, unsafe and overcrowded buildings prevented children from receiving the "thorough and efficient" education required under the New Jersey Constitution.... Full funding for approved projects was authorized for the 31 special-needs districts, known as 'Abbott Districts'."
  5. ^ What We Do, New Jersey Schools Development Authority. Accessed March 1, 2022.
  6. ^ SDA Districts, New Jersey Schools Development Authority. Accessed March 1, 2022.
  7. ^ NJ Department of Education District Factor Groups (DFG) for School Districts, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed October 23, 2014.
  8. ^ School Data for the Long Branch Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Leadership Team, Long Branch Public Schools. Accessed October 21, 2024.
  10. ^ County School List L-M, Monmouth County, New Jersey. Accessed March 1, 2024.
  11. ^ School Performance Reports for the Long Branch Public Schools, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 3, 2024.
  12. ^ New Jersey School Directory for the Long Branch Public Schools, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.
  13. ^ Lenna W. Conrow School, Long Branch Public Schools. Accessed October 21, 2024.
  14. ^ Joseph M. Ferraina Early Childhood Learning Center, Long Branch Public Schools. Accessed October 21, 2024.
  15. ^ Morris Avenue School, Long Branch Public Schools. Accessed October 21, 2024.
  16. ^ Amerigo A. Anastasia School, Long Branch Public Schools. Accessed October 21, 2024.
  17. ^ George L. Catrambone Elementary School, Long Branch Public Schools. Accessed October 21, 2024.
  18. ^ Gregory School, Long Branch Public Schools. Accessed October 21, 2024.
  19. ^ Long Branch Middle School, Long Branch Public Schools. Accessed October 21, 2024.
  20. ^ Long Branch High School, Long Branch Public Schools. Accessed October 21, 2024.
  21. ^ Audrey W. Clark School / The Academy of Alternative Programs, Long Branch Public Schools. Accessed October 21, 2024.
  22. ^ "Groundbreaking of Catrambone Elementary School Continues New Era of Efficient and Cost-Effective School Construction Under Governor Christie", State of New Jersey press release, September 24, 2012. Accessed August 20, 2014. "Terminal Construction Corp. of Wood Ridge, New Jersey was awarded a $27.5 million contract for the construction of the new school.... The total estimated project costs are $40.1 million."[dead link‍]
  23. ^ Sheldon, Christopher. "Long Branch Will Realign Elementary Schools After West End School Closure; The Audrey W. Clark School will also have a new purpose after redistricting.", Long Branch - Eatontown Patch, September 6, 2013. Accessed August 20, 2014. "Kindergarten classrooms will be pulled from the district's current elementary schools and placed into the Joseph M. Ferraina Early Childhood Learning Center and Lenna W. Conrow School, which are currently preschools. The Morris Avenue School will also become an exclusive early education center after serving as a home for pre-kindergarten to third grade students."
  24. ^ "Taxpayers Beware: What You Don't Know Can Cost You", New Jersey State Commission of Investigation, March 2006, pp. 24–25. Accessed April 4, 2011.
  25. ^ a b Williams, Carol Gorga. "Long Branch educator takes on Deal school", Asbury Park Press, August 7, 2014. Accessed August 20, 2014. "The school board recently approved a $165,000 annual salary for Salvatore in a contract that expires in June 2019. Salvatore, however, will pick up an additional $10,000 a year as the superintendent for the Deal school district."
  26. ^ New Jersey School Directory for Monmouth County, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.
  27. ^ Superintendent's Message, Long Branch Public Schools. Accessed October 21, 2024.
  28. ^ Business Office, Long Branch Public Schools. Accessed October 21, 2024.
  29. ^ New Jersey Boards of Education by District Election Types - 2018 School Election, New Jersey Department of Education, updated February 16, 2018. Accessed January 26, 2020.
  30. ^ Annual Comprehensive Financial Report of the City of Long Branch School District, New Jersey Department of Education, for year ending June 30, 2023. Accessed April 15, 2024. "The Long Branch School District is a Type II district located in the County of Monmouth, State of New Jersey. As a Type II District, the School District functions independently through a Board of Education. The Board is comprised of nine members elected to three-year terms. The purpose of the District is to educate students in grades Pre K - 12. The operations of the District include one preschool, five elementary schools, one middle school, and a senior high school located in the City of Long Branch." See "Roster of Officials" on page 14.
  31. ^ Board of Education Members, Long Branch Public Schools. Accessed October 21, 2024.
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