Clifton School Board Debates New Middle School And Budget Increase Ami

Leo Migdal

-Dec 3, 2025, 9:16 AM

clifton school board debates new middle school and budget increase ami

The Clifton School Board meeting focused on the plans for a new middle school and a proposed 2% budget increase, sparking discussions among board members and the community. The meeting addressed overcrowding concerns in existing schools, the logistics of opening a new facility, and the financial implications of the proposed budget. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the proposed opening of a new middle school at the site of the former Pope Paul VI school. The plan, presented by Dr. Robert Toy, aims to alleviate overcrowding by gradually introducing a sixth-grade class in the first year and expanding to include seventh and eighth grades over subsequent years. The decision to pursue this third middle school is backed by a demographic study and community surveys indicating strong support, with 38% of respondents favoring the proposal.

The school board is currently obtaining approval from the New Jersey Department of Education for leasing the building and is in the process of appointing a principal. A committee comprising middle school administrators and teaching staff will be formed to address the operational details of opening the new school. Concerns were raised about the associated redistricting process, which will determine which elementary schools will feed into the new middle school. The board emphasized that decisions would be guided by an ongoing demographic report to ensure equitable distribution of students while addressing current overcrowding. The report’s findings will shape the redistricting efforts, considering socio-economic factors and aiming for a balanced approach to integrating students from various neighborhoods. The community’s role in naming the new school was also discussed.

A new naming policy allows for community submissions with at least 25 signatures for validation. This initiative encourages student involvement, potentially incorporating the naming process as part of an academic assignment. There were also discussions about the integration of special education programs within the new facility, moving most middle school special education programs from Woodrow to the new site to better balance resources. Simultaneously, the board deliberated over the preliminary budget for the 2025-26 school year, with a proposed 2% increase. Members expressed differing opinions, with some advocating for a reduced percentage to ease the financial burden on taxpayers. The motion for a 2% increase did not pass, leading to discussions on a 1% increase and calls for clarity regarding the implications of such decisions.

The administration highlighted the need for a comprehensive understanding of budget cuts and their potential impact on programs and staffing. The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Clifton Times. For weeks, the Clifton Board of Education and Clifton Public Schools Administration have been embroiled in a contentious debate over the school budget and tax increases. Concerns about transparency, accountability, and conflicting interests have only deepened as this battle continues. Commissioners have raised alarms about inadequate information, broken promises, and tax hikes that place undue burdens on taxpayers. Despite these concerns, a preliminary budget with a 2% increase was sent to the county, with Alan Paris, Anthony Santiago, Joseph Canova, and Tanya Suarez voting “yes.”

But this issue goes far beyond a mere disagreement over tax rates. It strikes at the very core of integrity and accountability within our public institutions. What’s most alarming is the blatant conflict of interest involving Board Commissioner Tanya Suarez. Suarez is engaged to Ahmed Shehata, the Assistant Superintendent of Business, who also happens to be the district’s chief architect of the budget. This is not a trivial connection; it is a profound ethical dilemma. Mr.

Shehata’s responsibilities include designing and recommending the district’s budget—a process that directly impacts every taxpayer and student in Clifton. With a nearly $300,000 salary and immense influence over district operations, Mr. Shehata’s role is undeniably powerful. The New Jersey School Boards Association makes it clear: the board’s role is to act as a watchdog for the community—to represent the concerns of citizens, taxpayers, and parents to school administrators and ensure... That sacred duty is undermined when personal relationships blur the lines of accountability. CLIFTON — Before Thursday's meeting, the school board had proposed an operating budget that wouldn't raise taxes, by the end of the night, that had changed.

At the end of the almost five-hour meeting, the proposed operating budget was increased by 2%, which raises the tax levy by five tax points, or about $50 per $100,000 of assessed value. If approved, the spending plan will mean the average assessed home of $170,000 will see a tax increase of $85 per year. Taxpayers can add that amount to the five-tax-point tax increase from last year's voter-approved $168 million referendum to upgrade aging school buildings. Of that amount, the tax levy will be $2.5 million, or the amount to be collected through property taxes. That will mean the school tax bill will increase an additional $100 for every $100,000 of assessed value, or $170 for the average assessed home or $500 for one assessed at $500,000. Board members agreed to the 2% increase as a result of comments from staff and faculty, who said the district's longstanding understaffing issues need to be addressed.

Superintendent of Schools Danny Robertozzi told trustees that not increasing the levy would mean the board would have to increase its tax rate by at least 2% next year. Last month, Dr. Robertozzi addressed the “why” of using the district’s newly acquired Pope John Paul II building for a third middle school. “Why do we want a third middle school?” Robertozzi asked. “Because ultimately, it’s better for children.” At the April 10 meeting of the Clifton Board of Education, Asst.

Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Janina Kusielewicz reported on the in-depth demographic study commissioned by the district to address the “how.” The study looked at school populations, projected changes in student enrollment, building capacity, and the income levels of various neighborhoods in the city to help the district make a careful and informed decision regarding... It projected out five years, using historical enrollments, birth counts, fertility rates, and statistics on new housing in Clifton. This adjusted projection assumes approximately 500 new Clifton public school students over the next five years. Examining trends from 2015 to 2025, the study showed a relatively even birth rate and enrollment rate across the decade. Kusielewicz said that only “students in seats in Clifton schools” were included in the enrollment count, which did not include students being educated in out-of-district placements.

When broken down by race over the last five years, there was little fluctuation. Hispanic students continue to make up more than half the total student body, White students make up a little more than a fourth, and Black, Asian, multi-racial, and Native American/Alaskan Native students represent much... CLIFTON — The city's newest school, set to receive the first sixth grade class in September, will be called Maple Valley Middle School. On Thursday night, after reviewing several other options, school board members voted to name it for the surrounding neighborhood. The name, school board President Alan Paris said, will be "longer-lasting," unlike the names of some local "deserving residents." It was a favorite of the school board even before the vote, said Ahmed Shehata, assistant superintendent for business.

However, nothing was announced or determined until the final vote. "They could name it JFK. Who knows?" Shehata said before the meeting. He was part of the ad hoc committee that reviewed suggestions from members of the public and made the recommendation. ADI workers strike indefinitely, unions warn against shutdown Steel Dynamics completes acquisition of New Process

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Clifton School Board Debates New Middle School And Budget Increase Ami

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