Middletown School District Still Waiting For Results Of Redistricting Study It Paid Consultant To Do

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — Where are the results of the redistricting study the Middletown school district paid a consulting firm to do?

This is the question on the minds of many in the Middletown community, particularly parents. Outgoing school board member Joe Fitzgerald, wrapping his final term as a school board member, asked this at the Board's meeting Tuesday night (watch it here).

"Do we have an update on strategic planning yet?" Fitzgerald asked.

Earlier this year, the Middletown school district hired Ross Haber & Associates, at a cost of $24,000, to do a facility-use study of the school district. That firm did an analysis about which Middletown school buildings are aging and could be taken offline, and how school boundaries could possibly be redrawn.

Ross Haber & Associates was supposed to present its findings to the district in mid- to late September.

Now, superintendent Jessica Alfone said Tuesday night the district will get the results after Thanksgiving. She has never given a reason for its delay.

"Ross Haber said after Thanksgiving," Alfone answered Fitzgerald at the meeting. "That is what his last message was when the district reached out to him."

Once she gets the study results, Alfone said she will meet with and share its findings with the Strategic Planning Steering Committee, which is made up in part of Middletown school parents.

Alfone previously said in May the consulting firm will look at "how our boundaries could be redesigned" and any Middletown school buildings "that are aging and could be taken offline."

"All of our facilities are being evaluated. Everything's fair game," she said in May.