Middletown Parents Still Rallying Saturday To Stop School Closings

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — The parents who formed Save Middletown Schools will still hold a protest rally Saturday morning against closing schools — this year, and in the future.

This comes after Middletown Township and the school district unveiled a new budget proposal Thursday that eliminates the need to close schools, brings a 5.88 percent school property tax increase, some staff layoffs (not teachers), the town will split the cost of armed police officers in schools and the district will sell a 10-acre lot of land off Sleepy Hollow Road to the Township for $1.9 million, bringing in much-needed revenue.

The rally will take place at 8 a.m., rain or shine, on the sports fields behind Leonardo Elementary School. The same group will host a "pre-protest pizza party" at the Navesink Library from 5-7 p.m. Friday. Free pizza will be donated by Amici’s and Franny’s.

Save Middletown Schools called Thursday's proposal from Mayor Tony Perry "hopeful" and "a boost."

Perry will be participating in Saturday's rally.

"We are very encouraged by the budget solution presented on Thursday," said the parent group.

They are also protesting against closing any Middletown schools in the future — which the district warned this week may happen as it prepares to begin a Strategic Planning Process in late May.

"While the immediate threat of closures has diminished, students, parents, grandparents and neighbors will protest against that possibility — both now and in the future," said Save Middletown Schools Friday morning.

The Middletown school board will take a vote on the new budget proposal at their meeting at 7 p.m. next Tuesday at the High School North auditorium.

Here's A Breakdown Of Middletown's New Plan To Keep Schools Open (Thursday)

Special Voting Meeting Of Middletown School Board April 8

Contact this Patch reporter: Carly.baldwin@patch.com