Schools

Adult School's Dropping Enrollments Put Pressure on High School Board

For years, classes in yoga and photography helped the Watchung Hills Adult School grow, but recent enrollments aren't keeping up.

For years, the Watchung Hills Regional Adult School offered a slate of classes that drew in a stream of adults, classes in computer skills and hobbies, foreign languages and exercise.

But more recently, even the inclusion of online business and professional development courses hasn't been enough of a draw for the school to avoid tapping into retained earnings to make ends meet.

Ultimately, the school's funding is the responsibility of the Watchung Hills Regional Board of Education, and board members are hoping to find a way to turn the adult school's fortunes around.

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"The problem is revenues," Watchung Hills Business Administrator Timothy Stys said at the board's Oct. 4 meeting. "People just aren't registering for programs."

Stys said he estimates the school can limp along for a few more years on the roughly $60,000 in retained earnings on hand, with about $20,000 needed each year to meet expenses above the tuition revenue.

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But board members agreed a solution will need to be found before the district becomes liable for any part of the adult school's operations, including a suggestion by board President Robert Horowitz that the adult school partner with Raritan Valley Community College. Harold Grossnickle suggestion checking with the Somerset Hills YMCA, also.

Horowitz said the board should develop a plan by April to rectify the situation.

"We're reaching a point where we don't want to have to shut it down all of a sudden without notice and be on the hook for $20,000 or $25,000," he said.


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