Rumson, R-FH School Districts Get Federal Sandy Relief Funds

 Rumson and Rumson-Fair Haven Regional school districts were two of 26 in the state doled out, together, roughly $35,000 of $1.25 million in federal funding for Hurricane Sandy schools recovery.

The funding, which came from the U.S. Department of Education's Project School Emergency Response to Violence (SERV) program "will help support the continuous recovery of school communities in New Jersey," NJ Department of Education Commissioner Christopher Cerf announced in a released statement. "These funds ... are available to districts to fund short- and long-term education services designed to restore safe learning environments for their students."

Of the some $35,000 Rumson and R-FH districts received, the Rumson district, which includes Forrestdale and Deane Porter schools, got the bulk, or $34,249. Rumson-Fair Haven Regional School District, which comprises the high school, received $1,174. 

Rumson's low lying areas along the Shrewsbury River, especially in its West Park section bordering Sea Bright, were the hardest hit by Sandy in the borough. Sea Bright does not have schools.

The highest amount garnered statewide was for Keansburg district, or $322,527, and the lowest was the R-FH $1,174 allotment.

With school districts getting roughly 45 percent of the funding they requested, the money may be applied toward Sandy-related expenses incurred and/or initiatives and activiites "intended to restore a sense of safety and security ... to assist students in understanding the impact of the Superstorm and stabilizing their lives" and management of practical problems created in a district by the storm, according to the released statement.

 Examples of grant-eligible services or activities, according to the release, include:

•  Overtime for teachers, counselors, law enforcement, security officers and other staff;

•  Substitute teachers and other staff, as necessary;

•  Emergency transportation;

•  Technical assistance on developing an appropriate response to crisis;

•  Transportation and other costs to operate school at an alternative site, such as leasing of space to substitute for a damaged building;

•  Temporary security measures such as non-permanent metal detectors and additional security guards and security cameras;

•  Targeted mental health assessments, referrals and services related to Sandy, with the goal of restoring victims/survivors to their pre-incident levels of functioning.

“Our communities have exhibited tremendous resilience in the face of the after-effects of Super Storm Sandy and they should be commended for all they have done to support our students and their education,” said Cerf in the release. 

The list of districts that applied and their award amounts is as follows:

COUNTY

DISTRICT

AWARD

Atlantic

Brigantine

$                    5,515

Atlantic

Pleasantville

$                  58,240

Essex

Newark

$                  32,500

Hudson

Hoboken

$                  48,142

Hudson

Jersey City

 $                    5,459

Middlesex

Sayreville

$                  67,049

Middlesex

South River

$                  46,951

Monmouth

Asbury Park

$                    9,192

Monmouth

Keansburg

$                322,527

Monmouth

Long Beach

$                    6,727

Monmouth

Manasquan

$                  63,655

Monmouth

Monmouth Beach

$                 47,052

Monmouth

Rumson

$                  34,249

Monmouth

Rumson - Fair Haven

$                    1,174

Monmouth

Union Beach

$                  28,667

Ocean

Bayhead

$                    9,977

Ocean

Brick Township

$                211,891

Ocean

Central Regional

$                  38,973

Ocean

Lavallette

$                  24,465

Ocean

Little Egg Harbor

$                  51,554

Ocean

Pinelands Regional

$                  47,443

Ocean

Point Pleasant Borough

$                    7,820

Ocean

Point Pleasant Beach

$                  16,001

Ocean

Seaside Heights

$                  24,537

Ocean

Stafford

$                    3,469

Ocean

Toms River

$                  36,771

Total

$            1,250,000