Just a question

[Guest]

I have heard through the grapevine that as Cranbury grows, it might have to send its high school students to hightstown or south brunswick.

My question is - who would stay in cranbury if this happens?

I am staying no matter what - because i like the small town and have lived here my whole life.

But other who have moved here for the schooling, would you stay?

[Guest]

[Guest]

I would definitely move too. Not just if the high school changed, but even if the K-8 were merged with another district and compromised.

I moved here specifically because of the current setup with the schools. I sold/bought at the worst time of the market peek to do so.

That said, while I think it is a very real treat, I don't think it will actually happen.

Its not the first time the township has faced this threat. For that matter, I believe Cranbury high schoolers used to go to Hightstown historically.

[Cranbury Conservative]

Cranbury is built out for the most part other then if COAH happens. So as far as growth goes there really is not allot of room

I would be concerned if COAH does happen to the extent the state wants it to. We then we would be looking at probably having to build our own high-school or even worse we would have to consider consolidating the town with another community.

This however this is all just speculation. I would really worry if we loose the COAH battle.

[Jeff M.]

That is not likely to happen because both of those districts are over burdened already and Princeton has a solid financial deal in place that us leaving would burden their tax structure.

A couple of real points sicne this has been a rumor since before kids went to Lawrence.

1) Princeton is paid over 16,000 per student. That is a huge benefit to both Princeton and their tax payers. As a result of this tuition the most likely scenario would be that if Cranbury were to leave they'd face a lawsuit or threatened legal action just like what happened when they first tried to pull out of Lawrence HS in the late 80's.

2) Cranbury's value is the school system. The BOE would not look to repeat history with sending children to Hightstown. They moved from Hightstown to Lawrence to Princeton to better the education. The BOE would never allow a situation like this to occur.

3) Housing is cyclical. There are limited opportunities and locations for new growth. As children age they will enter and leave the school system, but most parents will stay in the town. Even with trunover from people who leave the rise in children will not equal the equivalent rise from new developments. Therefore, the town is at it's likely highest peak now and over the next few years in terms of children entering the school. I've seen from family members in other states and towns how schools are built for a current population only to be decommissioned at a later stage.



However, just answering the point at hand. I would stay in town. The town is more than the HS where our kids go. It is a community and center for most people's social life. Therefore, the downside of the HS changing is not greater than the downside of uprooting my family.

Now, if they had put in the landfill like NJ wanted to do 15-20 years ago I would not be here today. I'm also not sure I'd stay if the COAH obligations are passed as they stand today because that would destroy our town.

[Guest]

The key one to watch is how the town responds to the proposed new COAH rules. If the TC plays it wrong, then the future of this town is over.