1. West Morris Regional High School District
Restructuring Feasibility Study
prepared by
Ross Haber and Associates
Chester Borough Mendham Township
Janet Hoven, Mayor Maribeth Thomas, Mayor
Chester Township Mendham Borough
William Cogger, Mayor Neil Henry,Mayor
Ross Haber, Ed.D
Project Manager
R. Gregory Quirk, Ed.D, CPA Jeffrey R. Scott, MA, RSBA
Project Consultant Project Consultant

2. Feasibility Study Options

3. Feasibility Study Options
West Morris Mendham High School Becomes a Limited Purpose Regional 9-12 High School
The Mendhams and the Chesters remain K-8 Districts sending students to West Morris Mendham High School
Washington Township becomes a K-12 District with all students attending West Morris Central High School

4. Feasibility Study Options
West Morris Mendham becomes an All-Purpose K-12 Regional District which absorb the Mendhams and the Chesters with all students attending
West Morris Mendham High School.
Washington Township becomes a K-12 District with all students attending West Morris Central High School

5. Current and Proposed Organization

6. Current Organizational Structure

7. Organizational Structure under Option 1 (Mendhams and Chesters)
Washington Township Becomes a K-12 School District

8. Organizational Structure under Option 2

9. How are the Schools Doing?

10. 10 New Jersey Monthly, August 2014

11. The Current Situation
Economies of Scale
Shared supervisory staff between the two high schools
A sophisticated and fully integrated technology program including
equipment, technical support, internet services, educational and administrative software, supervision and training
Shared special education programs—ability to consolidate in-District special education programs where needed
Joint purchasing power
Programs for teacher training and professional growth provided for the entire District
Shared transportation costs (single contract)

12. Reality Check
Students and Staff
Virtually all of the students who reside in Washington Township attend West Morris Central High School and the same is true for the students from the Mendhams and the Chesters who attend West Morris Mendham High School.
During the current school year only two subject teachers were shared between the two high schools (this has varied from year to year).
The IB and AP courses are virtually the same in both schools. Only 2 IB courses are located in one school: dance (1 section) located at Central and Latin (5 sections) located at Mendham.
The two high schools currently can be considered average sized high schools when compared with the State of New Jersey and each is commensurate in size with all of the high performing high schools in the State.
There are District-wide special needs programs serving all of the 9-12 special needs students, however, given future projections from a facility point of view there is no reason why these can’t be given in each high school under either Option 1 or Option 2.
There will be a need to duplicate supervisory staff at each high school in order to maintain the current (required) number of observations needed to meet DOE requirements (which means that there will be a 50% increase in cost under both Option 1 and Option 2).

13. Reality Check (continued)
Under Option 1 the new Limited Purpose Regional will require an increase by approximately 50% of the costs of the Regional Board of Education and the Regional Central Administration—costs to be borne by the Mendhams and the Chesters.
Under Option1 and 2 the new Limited Purpose Regional will have to find office space for the new Board of Education and Central Administration.
Under Option 2 professional and certified staff contracts will be subject to negotiations which would substantially increase expenses.
In order to maintain the current level of technology the location of the servers, the provision of internet service and all things technical would have to be divided between the new Limited Purpose Regional and the Washington Township K-12 (this would be under both Option1 and Option 2).
Option 2 eliminates three boards of education and three central offices.
7/29/2019

14. Enrollment Projections
7/29/2019

15. The Bottom Line
Option 1: The Mendhams and the Chesters
There would be a loss of equalization aid (which could fund four to five teaching positions based upon the average salary and benefits.)
There would be a need for a new Board of Education/Administration office
The new limited purpose regional would have to absorb approximately 50% of the operating costs (no longer split between the two high schools).
There will need to be an increase in staffing—subject supervisors, special education supervisor, technical supervision and support staff
A means of replicating the current technology programs (both hardware and software for education and administration)
It is estimated that under this structure there would be a reduction of approximately $7,000,000 in tax requirements for the four municipalities. However it is estimated that there would be a budgetary increase of approximately $1,800,000 for a net annual savings of $ 5,200,000.
These savings would then be split between the constituent districts based upon the percentage of equalized value for each district.

16. The Tax Levy Impact—Option 1

17. The Tax Levy Impact – Option 2

18. The Bottom Line
Option 2: The Mendhams and the Chesters
There would be a loss of equalization aid (which could fund four to five teaching positions based upon the average salary and benefits.)
There would be a reduction of three boards of education and three central offices
All bargaining unit agreements would have to be renegotiated due to the change in organizational structure from a Limited Purpose 9-12 Regional to an All Purpose K-12 Regional which will result in increased payroll.
A new central office would have to be found (this report does not include the potential cost of a new office).
The technology structure (hardware and software) would have to be replicated
The reduction in administrative and board of education personnel would be partially offset by replacement personnel (i.e.-subject supervisors, etc.)
The total savings, based upon the findings of this study would be $ 102,994, in expenditures and $ 7,000,000 in taxes (annually). However, it is estimated that the new teachers contract alone (not counting contracts from other units) could increase payroll by $ 4,000,000 which would then provide a net savings to the Mendhams and the Chesters of approximately $ 3,000,000.