Parent group ready for BOE meeting

A group of parents concerned about the possible closure of a neighborhood school are hoping to pack the Board of Education's regular meeting tonight.

The group was formed late last year amid rumors that the school district was considering closing West Belmar Elementary School. Last month, the board at its regular meeting confirmed that the district was studying the school's closure.

The group, which met Sunday for a strategy session in advance of tonight's scheduled meeting, hopes to bring large numbers of residents opposed to any plan that includes closing the school, group organizers said.

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Wall Patch will be giving live updates from the Board of Education meeting tonight, Jan. 18. Follow us on Twitter@Wallpatch

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Sunday’s meeting was only the latest in a series of similar sessions the group has had in the past months. Organizers have said they were mostly brainstorming sessions – a chance for people to think about questions to pose to the Board of Education.

"It looks like we're going to have a lot of people tonight,'' said Melanie Giblin, a group organizer. 

Residents spent two hours Sunday discussing alternative solutions to the town’s school budget woes that might allow West Belmar to remain open.

The consensus seemed to be that West Belmar could take on around 50 more students, primarily from the Central School, which currently uses four trailers to accommodate its overflowing population, some group members said.

“We see no reason for education in Wall Township to go backwards,” Tom Coyle, a group organizer, has said.

The group also has a website (savewallschools.webs.com) and a Facebook page (Save The Wall Township Schools) for additional information.

The Board of Education is scheduled to meet tonight at 8 p.m. at the Intermediate School, 2801 Allaire Rd.