MIDDLETOWN, NJ—Tensions are boiling over in Middletown as parents, teachers, and community members protest the Board of Education’s decision to close three local schools.
Last night, the board held a meeting at which the district announced it would be closing three schools. Hundreds of parents were locked out of the meeting, and the school district called cops to provide security.
The district’s controversial plan to shut down Bayshore Middle School, Navesink Elementary, and Leonardo Grade School has sparked accusations of secrecy and mismanagement.
Residents claim the board attempted to conceal critical details and rushed the vote without proper transparency.
A petition to oppose the district’s plan has been signed by nearly 1,000 people overnight.
Sign it here: Stop the closing of Bayshore Middle School, Navesink Elementry, and Leonardo Grade School
Many, including school board president Frank Capone and vice president Jacqueline Tobacco, hinted at fiscal mismanagement by the school board itself.
“The Middletown Board of Education has decided to GET RID of three schools. They’ve come to this decision while hiding information and trying to keep it away from us. This decision will turn Bayshore into a elementary school and removing Navesink and Leonardo elementary schools,” one resident claimed.
The petition claims:
This is unjust and frankly DUMB, with the help of Middletown parents, alumni, students, and even people who are unfamiliar with the schools we can make a change. We can stop this drastic and unnessicary change. Help us make sure students keep there social and mental lives well. Help us make sure teachers don’t lose their jobs. And most of all Help us make sure they don’t ruin the tightly woven communities families have grown to love.
“The deliberate attempt to conceal this crucial meeting and the school closures from the community is disgraceful,” wrote resident Stephan Alber, criticizing the board’s last-minute scheduling of Tuesday night’s meeting.
Other parents are voicing frustration over school funding, questioning how district leadership—including the superintendent, who reportedly makes $234,000 annually—allocates resources.
Calls for an independent audit are gaining traction, with residents speculating about potential financial mismanagement. “How can we get an independent audit of the board of education?” John Urbine asked online.
The board has defended the decision, citing financial challenges and potential state intervention if action wasn’t taken. However, critics argue that the closures will disrupt students’ education, displace teachers, and fracture longstanding school communities.
With emotions running high, parents and activists are organizing petitions and mobilizing for upcoming elections, vowing to vote out board members they hold responsible.
As Middletown residents fight to save their schools, the battle over transparency and accountability in local education rages on.
Key Points
- Middletown BOE voted to close three schools, sparking backlash from parents.
- Residents accuse the board of secrecy and poor financial management.
- Calls for an independent audit and a push to replace board members are growing.
Posted initially on Shore News Network:
Middletown, NJ – Things got a bit heated in Middletown Tuesday night as parents were locked out as others shouted in frustration over the announcement that multiple schools are now facing closure.
The Middletown Township Public School District has unveiled a dramatic proposal to close three schools—Leonardo Elementary, Navesink Elementary, and Bayshore Middle School—as part of a broader effort to address a looming financial crisis. Superintendent Jessica Alfone announced the plan, dubbed “Middletown Reimagined,” on Tuesday, citing a $10-million budget deficit and a significant drop in state aid as the driving forces behind the decision.
According to Jersey Coast Emergency News, parents also protested actions by the board against one school teacher, Toms River Mayor Dan Rodrick. The school board has been exposed for targeting Mr. Rodrick, a science teacher in the district for political retribution.
Lines of parents waited outside as police blocked parents and residents from entering the meeting according to the source.
“Middletown Police Department is removing parents who tried to attend tonight’s BOE meeting. The meeting is being held in the library when it could have been moved to the auditorium. The BOE forced security to lock the doors,” JCEN said. “Parents are furious and banging on windows demanding they be allowed to attend the meeting. Police are threatening arrests, as parents are upset about the closing of schools proposed in the budget. Some spectators are shouting in support of Mr. Dan Rodrick a science teacher, who is also the mayor of Toms River. He is on administrative leave due to a potential political attack from this board.”
Some residents are now saying the board intentionally moved tonight’s meeting to a smaller facility to keep the public out.
The district did not respond to the criticism.
The district intends to eventually sell or lease the Leonardo and Navesink properties to generate additional revenue, following a similar model to the recent $2.5-million sale of Port Monmouth Elementary to Monmouth County for conversion into an indoor swim center.
Alfone emphasized the situation’s urgency during a contentious school board meeting Tuesday night, where parents voiced strong opposition.
“We are underwater financially,” she said. “The district spends approximately $21,000 per student, but the state only provides $15,000, leaving us with a substantial gap.”
She noted that while costs have risen, enrollment has steadily declined—from 10,000 students in 2009 to 8,500 today—with projections indicating little growth over the next decade.
“The idea that our schools are overcrowded is a myth,” Alfone added. “We must shrink our physical footprint to achieve greater financial stability.”
The proposal follows a $7-million reduction in state aid over recent years, a trend affecting suburban districts across New Jersey. Without these closures, Alfone warned, the district could face drastic measures, including laying off 120 staff members by June, increasing class sizes to 28-30 students, or even risking a state takeover similar to those seen in Hoboken and Atlantic City.
“We’re at a fork in the road,” she said. “If we can’t rectify the budget, the state will step in and force closures on their terms.”
Public reaction was swift and heated. Parents packed the school board meeting, decrying the plan as disruptive to their children’s education and community ties. “These schools are the heart of our neighborhoods,” said one parent, who asked not to be named. “Moving kids around like this feels like a betrayal.” Others questioned why the district couldn’t find alternative solutions, such as cutting administrative costs or seeking additional funding.
The “Middletown Reimagined” plan is part of the district’s 2025-26 budget, which must be finalized by April 30. Tuesday’s meeting marked the first reading of the budget, with a vote taken but no final decisions made. The school board has scheduled additional public meetings throughout March and April to gather input, though a final vote on the closures is expected at the April 30 meeting.
Alfone acknowledged the proposal’s emotional toll.
“This is a very challenging time in public education,” she said. I have to think about all 8,500 students in this district and make decisions for the greater good.”
She urged residents to participate in the upcoming discussions, promising transparency as the process unfolds.
The fate of Leonardo Elementary, Navesink Elementary, and Bayshore Middle School hangs in the balance, as Middletown grapples with balancing its books and preserving its educational legacy. Further details will be released in a forthcoming press statement from the superintendent’s office, with the district bracing for what promises to be a contentious spring.