Town in search of school site

MILLSTONE — As a town grows so does its need for new schools. Millstone Township, which has grown significantly in the past decade, is in dire need of school space to meet the influx of new students.

Millstone Board of Education President Allen Gallagher said despite the expenditure of $16 million in new construction, renovations and additions over the past decade, the need for a new school is critical.

Gallagher noted that although taxpayers spent $6 million on additions and renovations at the Millstone Township Middle School two years ago and $10 million seven years ago to build the Millstone Township Elementary School, another facility is needed.

The construction of a third school in the community would allow district administrators to put into effect a plan that currently calls for a K-3 elementary school, an intermediate school to serve grades 4-6 and a middle school for grades 7-8.

As of October, there were 886 pupils in the elementary school and 639 pupils in the middle school.

Gallagher observed that this is the first school year in a while that enrollment hasn’t jumped significantly.

At the present time, he said, school administrators and board members are looking to purchase a big enough parcel — 20 to 30 acres — that could, in the future, suffice for the additional construction of a high school.

A total of 405 high school-age students from Millstone attend Allentown High School. There has been some discussion in the past of Millstone building its own high school and removing its students from Allentown. That plan has not progressed past informal discussion.

Gallagher said a regionalization option is being considered that would consolidate Millstone Township, Upper Freehold Township, Roosevelt and Allentown into one high school district.

The school board president said Millstone school officials would like the participation of residents in the process. He said anyone interested in joining a new school ad hoc committee should call the board’s offices at (732) 446-0890.