Plan To Reconfigure Grades In Chatham Discussed By Superintendent

CHATHAM, NJ — Chatham Superintendent Michael LaSusa provided the community with an update on a potential plan to change grade configurations beginning with the 2025–26 school year.

The plan, which was initially presented to the community in 2022, would help the district implement full-day kindergarten while also calling for a reconfiguration of the school district to help combat enrollment declines.

In 2022, LaSusa presented the case for converting the district's three elementary schools, Milton, Washington, and Southern Boulevard, from K-3 to K-2; converting Lafayette to a Grade 3-4 school; and adding fifth graders to Chatham Middle School, which would serve Grades 5 through 8. Chatham High School would stay 9–12.

Stephanie Lukasiewicz, a Chatham Middle School teacher, thanked the board for keeping the public informed about the reconfiguration decision but also expressed concern on behalf of the faculty.

"There has been a lot of concern and questioning from our staff just because of how big this change is... We feel that real, authentic staff input is invaluable in this process to make it as smooth as possible for the students," Lukasiewicz said.

At the district's first board meeting in 2024, LaSusa reported that some current second-grade pupils may transfer to Lafayette School for third grade in the upcoming school year, ahead of schedule.

"We've been exploring the potential idea that, on a voluntary basis, having some students attend Lafayette next year as third-graders and having some staff members who are currently third-grade teachers move over to Lafayette a year ahead of time," LaSusa said.

Shifting some of the upcoming third-graders to Lafayette would free classrooms for additional sections of full-day kindergarten in the upcoming year, LaSusa said.

Currently, the Chatham school district, according to LaSusa, is at a disadvantage because it does not provide full-day kindergarten to all students.

"There are very few districts left in the state of New Jersey that don't run a full-day kindergarten program, and the reason for that is that a full-day kindergarten program is superior to a half-day program," LaSusa said.

According to LaSusa, only 5 percent of New Jersey districts do not provide full-day kindergarten, which is not required by the state, and Chatham and Kinnelon are the only districts in Morris County that do not provide full-day kindergarten for all students.

The district has since put out a survey, which is open to parents, asking if they would be interested in having their current second-grader attend third grade at Lafayette Avenue School next year.

According to LaSusa, 49 parents have expressed interest so far, and four teachers have been identified as potentially switching over.

The poll will be open until Jan. 19, and the district will make decisions depending on the number of parents who confirm and express interest.

LaSusa stated that there will be public presentations regarding the planning for K–2 schools in March, another presentation for Lafayette School in April and another on Chatham Middle School and the incorporation of fifth graders in May.