Florham Park to Add New Kindergarten Section

Parents of incoming kindergarteners in Florham Park have had a major concern on their minds for the last several weeks, one that grows with each new enrollment of the coming school year.

“Current enrollment [is] at 98 students [with] only four sections,” parent Jennifer Casola said. 

Make that five. 

Interim Superintendent Flavio Rubano confirmed the Florham Park School District will add a fifth section to the incoming kindergarten class, lowering each class size from 24 or 25 to 19 or 20 students.

"The first thing we need to do is advertise," Rubano said. "We're looking to hire someone as soon as we can," and to have that person in place before school begins on Sept. 6.

Casola said she and other parents went to speak about the enrollment at the June 17 and July 22, and started an online petition which already garnered over 100 signatures.

“With class sizes that large some kids are likely to get left behind,” Ruth Jakata wrote beside her signature. Kristina Heinold wrote in a kindergarten class of 25, “[it] is simply impossible giving each student what he/she needs. … [To] not add the additional kindergarten class is unacceptable for the parents and the teachers.” 

Rubano said he understands the parents' concerns, and must balance them with the district's budget. "We have financial constraints but we try to create a student-teacher ratio that is conducive for students to learn and for teachers to teach," Rubano said.