The district has been forced to implement several emergency measures to manage classroom capacity.
SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — South Brunswick School District is grappling with a significant enrollment surge driven by new residential developments, prompting immediate redistricting measures and comprehensive long-term planning to accommodate growing student populations.
David Pawlowski, the district's Interim Superintendent and Business Administrator, announced during a recent board meeting that the district has already enrolled 100 students from new construction projects currently underway in the township, with three major developments in active phases of completion.
The district has been forced to implement several emergency measures to manage classroom capacity. Families moving into the Henderson Square development, originally zoned for Brunswick Acres and Crossroads South schools, will now attend Greenbrook Elementary for grades two and five, while other grades remain at their originally assigned schools.
Similarly, families relocating to the Heritage at South Brunswick, initially zoned for Monmouth Junction and North schools, will instead attend Monmouth Junction and South.
The district has also closed Cambridge Elementary's kindergarten, first, and second grades to new students, redirecting them to Monmouth Junction.
Additionally, Brooks Crossing has reached capacity in third grade, requiring new students in that area to be rerouted to other district elementary schools.
To address these challenges, the SBSD’s redistricting reorganization core team has been conducting extensive research over the past several months. Their work includes reviewing demographic studies, district-wide community surveys, facility reviews, and conducting building-to-building capacity analyses to determine optimal facility efficiency standards.
"We're very much building what I would call a plane while it's already flying," Pawlowski explained. "We have students that are moving in as we are planning, and while we have data and reports informing our work, there's no way to predict exactly who will rent or buy a new property, how many children they will have, or what grade level they will be in long-term."
The district is developing three key strategic areas:
"We're sitting on a little bit of a powder keg of enrollment that we're trying to manage across the district," Pawlowski noted.
The core redistricting team will provide monthly updates to the Board of Education, with full transparency and continuous communication. The district aims to present a clear direction to the board by January 26, providing sufficient time to begin the second phase of the process - creating appropriate environments in buildings to receive new students based on the redistricting plan for the September school opening.
"We're working hard in creating a plan that will meet the needs of all students across the district," Pawlowski emphasized. "Our plans leave room for growth and the unexpected while addressing enrollment as it comes to allow for the best possible educational experience for our families."
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