Herald & Lantern 16 November '83

21

Vo-Tech Might Add Academic

(From Page 1) the latter because most districts in the state are losing enrollment. He said county public school enrollment went from 12,372 last year to 12,225 this year, the entire 147 dip occurring at the vo-tech school. Kistler said a comparison of secondary school enrollment at the four public high schools would be more appropriate, that shows a decline in the last year of 89, from 3,609 to 3,520. VO-TECH ALSO LOST about 300 students in its post-secondary students program this year because of the end of the federally-sponsored CETA (Comprehensive Employment and Training Act) program. As a result, vo-tech’s staff has been cut by more than 20 in the last two years, Kistler said, to about 83 persons. Kistler agreed that some might view his full-time proposal as a device to stop votech’s enrollment decline. “The decrease in money and kids has made adversaries of people who before were more cooperative,” he said. ‘‘But I’m not taking kids from somebody else to feather our nest,” he said. “This is not a competition. But there are some kids who more appropriately should have a coordinated education. “I CAN’T EXPECT everybody to agree with me,” said Kistler, “but I believe we have to try and keep in mind that our predominant reason for doing this is that the education we’re looking to provide is more narrow, more specific, than a regular high school. “If this doesn’t go,” he said, “then I’d say, let’s increase compensatory education, like remedial reading, strengthen the post-secondary program for the person who doesn't have a high school diploma. “But,” he added, “I’m trying to get ’em before they drop out of school.” Kistler pointed out that trial runs show more students flunking the new high school dmloma tests than the Minimum Basic Skills exams whicji they will replace. They are first given iftlhe ninth grade. \ “WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN to the kids who can’t pass that?” he asked “It may make some kids more excellent, but it

WILBUR J. KISTLER JR.

munity, some business and industry people, somebody from our board of education, and perhaps somebody from the | county government.” Freeholder James S. Kilpatrick Jr. is • the ‘ freeholder liaison to the vo-tech ’ ' district. Its board is appointed by the \ county’s Superior Court judge. Bongart ^ serves ex-officio. In addition to its shared-time program ^ with home schools, which bus their students to Crest Haven, the 20-year-old • district also has a program for postsecondary students and a half-time pro- i gram for special education students. It primarily serves students in grades f 9-12, but also has some older 7th and 8th- 1 graders. THE VO-TECH BUDGET this year is j $2.7 million with 64 percent coming from 3 the county government, 19 percent from | the state, 13 percent federal, and 5 percent 1 miscellaneous, Kistler said. The latter in- | eludes a $380 enrollment fee for post- ^ secondary students. *

‘The decrease in money and kids has made adversaries of people who before were more cooperative...’

may have an effeqt on dropouts. Some kids will just be frustrated by the extra pressure.” Kistler indicated doubts about the state push for higher standards. “I don’t believe the current commissioner of education has adequately supported vocational education and is aware of the acute need in a certain segment of our population for vocational education,” he said. “I hear him talking about academia. He is an elitist in terms of more math, English, science. In some of our cases, it’s time for other relevant things,” Kistler continued. "SOME PEOPLE LIVE very good, suc-

Vo-tech this year created a new position, enrollment counselor, to recruit students. It is held by Joseph Ostrowski, who works with guidance counselors and individual students. "We feel a need to increase our enrollment strategy to make sure all of the kids in the county know about our programs," said Kistler. “We need, a stronger initiative in enrollment.” He said he expects enrollment to climb in tandem with quality of instruction, the latter being helped by the hiring two years ago of James O’Hara as director of curriculum/instruction. Both Kistler and Bongart pointed out that Somerset County already has a

‘...I’m not taking kids from somebody else to feather our nest... ’

cessful lives without being able to do algebra, plane geometry, equations and the like,” said Kistler. “There are a lot of successful people without the academic achievement to go to college. What’s the measure of success? If it’s money, a lot of them are doing better than people with PhDs.” Kistler said his committee will include “representatives of the educational com-

shared-time and full-time vocationaltechnical school which Kistler called “the best of both worlds.” He said Camden ^nd Burlington counties have full-time vocational-technical schools. STONE HARBOR DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB

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A . Message of Thanks To The Voters of Middle Township

Your overwhelming support on Election Dap gives me the corifidence and mandate I need to pursue the objectives that will make Middle Township a Better Community. Feel confident that I will keep the Voters' best interest in mind while pursuing those objectives.

THANK YQU FOR YOUR TRUST IN ME Sincerely ^

5 Charles Reds haw and Bud Volk « s l