Warren Board of Ed. Aprroves Consultant to Facilitate Community Input on Declining Enrollment

By Warren Schools

The Warren Township Board of Education voted last night to hire the New Jersey School Boards Association (NJSBA) to facilitate community engagement as the district examines options for its declining enrollment.

“You are not alone. All over Somerset County, there are declining enrollments,” said Gwen Thornton, an NJSBA field service representative who presented a proposal to board members on how best to involve the community and other stakeholders in the process.

The Board heard from two other presenters (one at a previous meeting) before voting in favor of NJSBA.

“Clearly, having input from your community is very important as you move forward,” Thornton said.

As part of their proposal, Thornton and colleague Charlene Peterson stated that community engagement facilitation:

• Increases and broadens stakeholder knowledge and understanding of where the district is today;
• Provides stakeholders with the opportunity to provide informed feedback;
• Gives the board actionable feedback and a fuller understanding of the community’s thinking and desires;
• Informs what the district should be doing today in order to move to where it wants to be in the future.
  Organizational details will be shared as they become available.