Toms River-Seaside Heights Merger Proposal Amended To Keep Boyd Elementary School Open

TOMS RIVER, NJ — An amendment has been made to the proposal to merge the Seaside Heights School District into the Toms River Regional School District that would keep Hugh J. Boyd Elementary School open for five years.

The amended proposal was made in a letter submitted to Kevin Dehmer, the acting New Jersey Commissioner of Education, on Tuesday by William Burns, Toms River Regional Schools attorney.

The amendment, agreed upon by Toms River Regional, the Seaside Heights School District and Seaside Heights borough officials, was to keep the borough's elementary school open for the 2024-25 school year and up to four years afterward, "contingent upon enrollment."

"Simply, for the foreseeable future Seaside Heights elementary school students will continue to go to school at Hugh J. Boyd, and Seaside Heights Board of Education employees will continue to go to work at Hugh J. Boyd," the letter said.

One of the criticisms of the proposal to merge Seaside Heights into the Toms River Regional district was the plan to close Hugh J. Boyd School and transport students across the bridge to East Dover Elementary.

Families and staff members at the school have spoken repeatedly at Toms River board meetings saying their students stand to lose out because they have smaller class sizes that provide a much more thorough learning environment, especially for students who need additional help.

Middle and high school students would go to Toms River Intermediate East and Toms River High School East, respectively.

The Central Regional School District, which opposes the merger because Seaside Heights would be withdrawing from its district, challenged the Toms River-Seaside proposal on several points, including saying the district has issues with busing and could not provide transportation for afterschool activities, which would deprive students of being able to participate in those items.

Krista Whittaker, a parent from South Toms River, said at the Toms River Regional school board meeting on Feb. 21 that she has driven multiple kids beyond her own children to out-of-town sports competitions on multiple occasions.

Superintendent Michael Citta has disputed that claim, saying the district is at full staff for busing, including afterschool activities.

In addition to saying Hugh J. Boyd Elementary would remain open for the short term, the letter outlined the proposed makeup of the school board with the addition of Seaside Heights: 7 members representing Toms River, and one member each for Seaside Heights, South Toms River, Beachwood and Pine Beach, for a total of 11 members.

The board currently has nine members total, with six members from Toms River and one each from Beachwood, Pine Beach and South Toms River.

The letter also formally requests permission to hold the referendum election on April 16.

"The due date for TRRS, Borough of Seaside Heights, and the Board of Education of Seaside Heights reply to Central Regional School District’s response is February 28, 2024, less than two weeks before the proposed special election date on March 12, 2024," Burns wrote. "Assuming the referendum is authorized, it is unlikely that the timing of the authorization will afford TRRS, the Borough of Seaside Heights, and the Board of Education of Seaside Heights the opportunity to thoroughly educate the stakeholders and voters by March 12, 2024."

"It is important to note that the proposed effective date of the expansion of the Toms River Regional School District to include Seaside Heights is June 30, 2024," Burns wrote.

It is unknown when Dehmer might issue a decision on the proposal to ask voters for their permission to merge the districts. He was appointed in January to replace the retiring Angelica Allen-McMillan but did not begin his duties until Feb. 12.

Toms River Regional officials have said the district stands to receive a grant that would help with an anticipated $28 million budget deficit for the 2024-25 school year that is due in large part to cuts to the district's funding under S2.