Memorial Students May Start School Elsewhere Friday

So much for that week of extended summer vacation.

Memorial School students could be back in their seats as early as Friday morning, if borough council approves a motion coming its way tonight.

The catch: It won't be at Memorial School.

Superintendent Bruce Watson said that when contractors readying the flood-damaged school for class told him it might be two to three weeks before it was ready, he was forced to adopt an alternative plan.

That alternative plan, which will be voted on at tonight's council meeting, would put Memorial students back to work starting Friday, at three separate locations across town.

Sixth graders would head to the Community Center, seventh graders to Thomas Jefferson Middle School; and eighth grade students would set up in an isolated wing of Fair Lawn High School.

The specifics are still being firmed up, but Watson said the displaced students would still receive 90 to 95 percent of what they would be getting at Memorial.

The final plan will be discussed at length during Wednesday night’s Board of Education meeting, he said.

If approved, the Community Center will be closed to the public for as long as students are attending class there.