This past Saturday (6/13/15) I attended a forum put on by some of the Board of Education Members at the PAHS library. The sole topic was the status of the new high school. I came out of that meeting with very little new information learned, but perhaps a little different perspective on the situation.

According to the present Board Members, the beginning of a quest for the new high school began 13 years ago in 2002 when the need for a new high school was recognized. There were community meetings on various topics such as what type of high school should be built (academy, traditional, etc.). There was a contest on whom the architect should be and most importantly – where should this new high school be built.

So where are we now? It’s 2015 and no new high school has been built nor is in the process of being built. I’ve been attending Board of Education Meetings for the past 2-3 years now and have heard a lot of talk about a new high school. It’s fair to say that the previous Board (last 2-3 years) was preoccupied with the matters concerning the previous Superintendent and building a new high school was on the back burner.

During the forum, Board Member Israel Varela stated that he was instrumental in getting $190 million from the SDA (Schools Development Authority) because he wanted 72 acres of land (the Celotex site).

It was stated at the meeting by Mayor Diaz who attended the forum, that over 2 years ago, the then Superintendent (Dr. Janine Waker-Caffrey) went with her and a staff member with a representative of the SDA and did an assessment of viable sites for a new high school.

This past September the then Board President Obi Gonzalez received a letter that was published in the Amboy Guardian (11/19/14 issue) regarding the new high school. It stated that the only viable site in Perth Amboy for a new high school is the Delaney Homes site.  (FYI it’s in the Master Plan (written in 2004) stating that Delaney Homes is the planned site for the new high school.) At the forum Board Member Milady Tejeda stated that the BOE has no formal written letter from the SDA indicating a deadline.

Originally, the plan was for 15.8 acres of land (Delaney Homes). Now the land available from the Housing Authority is 11.7 acres of Delaney Homes land. Recently the Board did an appraisal of the 11.7 acre property and the Housing Authority had an appraisal of the land as well. The Housing Authority’s appraisal is $4.1 million more than the BOE’s appraisal. The Board of Education made an offer to the Housing Authority and offered the price based on their (the BOE’s) appraisal. The Housing Authority refused the deal.

Now it’s back to the same old business. To quote Yogi Berra, “It’s Déjà vu all over again!”  Time is being wasted. The whole situation is like a dog trying to catch its own tail going around in circles. While everybody’s waiting for the best deal, somebody else catches the deal from under your nose.

I understand it’s an important decision. This decision will affect the future of Perth Amboy’s school system now and for years to come.  This was stated at the forum by many of the Board Members and Interim Superintendent Dr. Vivian Rodriguez.

This indecision keeps us at status quo. In the meantime, everyone suffers (students, teachers, parents, etc.  There comes a time when a decision has to be made or someone will make it for you, and it may not necessarily be the decision that you really wanted. We’ve talked, studied, assessed and pondered on a new high school. Enough, already. Make a decision. It might not please everybody, but it’s the first step.   Hopefully 5 years from now this conversation will be a thing of the past and a new high school will finally be built. If not, it will be an embarrassment.  K.M.