Physical Therpy For Injuries and Pain in Holmdel Village, NJ

New Jersey school ratings are back after a pandemic interruption. Check this list for individual school rankings in the Holmdel district.

Patch Staff

HOLMDEL, NJ — The state has released school ratings for the first time since state testing was postponed during the COVID pandemic.

And Holmdel is among the 2,364 school districts that received their ratings this week from the state Department of Education.

Along with the school performance reports released the first week of April are the school-by-school summative scores and ratings. These numbers compare districts and also give a number score that measures how well each school is doing in academic achievement and progress.

The scores were established to comply with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which replaced the No Child Left Behind Act.

The total score has 99 possible points.

Find out what's happening in Holmdel-Hazletwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Elementary schools that only teach children under grade 3 are normally not included because there is no state testing at this level (see the **/NA designation).

Here is how Holmdel scored in the state’s annual school report card:

School: Summative Score/Summative Rating

What do these scores and ratings mean?

Scores: "Summative scores" provide a number from 1-100, and are based on factors such as graduation rates and progress in English and math. Higher scores are better, and certain schools with lower scores are put into categories for support and improvement.

Ratings: Schools are compared to one another based on grade level, as well, in the "summative ratings." For example, schools that serve high school students only are compared with one another. These are percentile ratings from 1-100, so a school with a rating closer to 100 is among the best of its peers.

It is possible for a school to have a higher summative rating than summative score, and vice-versa.

You can click here to view the full state table. There is a search bar to look for a particular school, otherwise it is sorted alphabetically by county.

Table note: Some schools did not get a score because the state did not have complete data for last school year. Schools serving only elementary students under grade 3 do not get a score because their students do not participate in state standardized tests. Charter schools are listed separately, not by county. All schools are included.

Michelle Rotuno-Johnson contributed state reporting to this story.

After months of fundraising, Village School in Holmdel was finally able to present Memorial School in Union Beach with school supplies and a monetary donation.

It's unbelievable how many supplies it takes to run a school.

What's even more unbelievable is that less than one year after Hurricane Sandy, and now in a brand new building, Memorial in Union Beach has boxes upon boxes classroom materials.

"We're back in action, we're fully able to occupy," Memorial Principal Brian Walsh said. "We're getting so many books I have to turn them away."

On Wednesday, members of the Village School Parent School Association along with administrators and staff visited Memorial School to donate dozens of boxes of student white boards, bulletin board paper and a check for $3,500.

In the middle of what will be the school's library and media room, Holmdel and Union Beach came together to unpack supplies, which were purchased after a major Village School fundraising effort which yielded almost $10,000.

"For Union Beach to get such recognition was unexpected but very touching," Walsh said. "At this point we're in pretty good shape, the support has been unbelievable."

Village School parents, teachers and students began fundraising in November, just after Sandy hit. Their biggest fundraiser was the Village Idol show which sold out two nights in a row, the first year the school charged for tickets.

"Who knew parents would spend money to watch teachers make fools of themselves?" said Kara Devaney, Village School teacher and a member of the Union Beach committee.

Village Idol was put together by music teacher Dr. Christie Riso, complete with a flash mob full of teachers.

"The connection with the parents was phenomenal. It really became a community event," said Village School Principal Brian Schillaci.

The $3,500 check will be put toward activities and programs for Memorial students, something their principal Walsh said is exactly what the students need.

"To give back is such a great thing," said Christine Barbara, Village School social worker.

Enrollment at the school is expected to decrease, as some families chose not return to Union Beach and some families actually can't return.

"About 300 homes have been demolished completely," Walsh said.

But as September nears, the outpouring of support both locally and nationally has helped ready the school and the community.

Devaney, Barbara and Schillaci were joined in Union Beach on Wednesday by Village Assistant Principal Jessica Vierschilling and PSA President Dina D’Ambrosi.

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HOLMDEL, NJ — The public can now enter an affordable housing lottery for a chance to live at Cornerstone at Holmdel, an income-restricted multifamily community approved by the township last year.

Construction is entering its final phase, with the 50-apartment development set to open in late spring 2024, Walters, the developers, said.

Applications to enter the housing lottery will be accepted through Wednesday, Dec. 13. The drawing will take place on Thursday, Dec. 21, they said. The building should be ready for occupancy by late spring, the developer said.

Call 732-495-1000 for a housing application or visit waltersgroupapartments.com. Walters is based in Barnegat.

Cornerstone at Holmdel is on nearly four acres on South Laurel Avenue, near the corner of Middle Road.

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The Holmdel Planning Board unanimously approved a 50-unit affordable housing project on Middle Road in north Holmdel in May 2022. The housing project will be entirely made up of affordable housing units.

The project includes three, three-story residential buildings, designed and constructed to meet the latest energy conservation requirements. The one-, two-, and three-bedroom layouts range from 667 to 1,150 square feet. Each residence features an enclosed entryway, an open floor plan, upgraded interior finishes and detailing.

There is a buffer of trees and plants between the apartment complex and the backyards of Hazlet residents and the elimination of a proposed driveway onto South Laurel Avenue.

“We’re proud to bring Cornerstone at Holmdel to families in Monmouth County,” said Joe Del Duca, partner and director of Affordable Housing for Walters. “Residents will enjoy the flexibility and convenience of apartment living with high-end amenities at an affordable price.”

Community spaces will include a fitness room, playground and outdoor areas with seating and gas grills.

In the larger community, the development is near Holmdel Towne Center and The Commons at Holmdel. Also nearby is Allocco Park, an 11-acre recreational area with a baseball field, basketball court, a walking trail, tot lot and more.

Cornerstone at Holmdel will be available to residents whose incomes are at or below 60 percent of the area median income. Rental rates vary depending on the size of the apartment and the renter’s gross annual income, according to the rent/income requirements chart on the company website.

The project was the subject of lawsuits by neighboring Hazlet, due to the development's proximity to the township borders, according to a previous Patch article.

During the public hearing for the affordable housing project, the applicant and the board agreed to move the complex 200 feet away from the municipal border, which was a key point in the settlement between Holmdel and Hazlet.

HOLMDEL — The planning board unanimously approved plans for a three-building apartment complex with 50 affordable units at 625 South Laurel Ave.

The development, dubbed the Holmdel Family Apartments, will be built and managed by the Walters Group, a Barnegat-based developer. The complex is part of the township’s 2019 affordable housing settlement agreement with the Fair Share Housing Center.

Because the complex is right along the municipal boundary with Hazlet, Hazlet sued Holmdel three separate times starting in August 2020 to stop the construction of the affordable housing complex. Last August, Holmdel reached a settlement agreement with Hazlet.

At Tuesday’s planning board meeting, the developer presented and agreed to plans that would move the complex 200 feet the municipal border and maintain a buffer of trees and plants between the apartment complex and the backyards of people’s houses in Hazlet.

“I don’t want to see dead trees and the loss of buffers for the Hazlet residents,” board member Joyce Ploussas said. “I want it maintained.”

Board member William Kastning asked about the contaminants found at the site during soil testing.

“There’s been contaminants associated with previous use that have been found that are being remediated and removed,” said Damien Del Duca, attorney for the developer.

The new plan would eliminate one of the driveways onto the site so there would be only one road leading into and out of the complex from Middle Road.

Development:Township could get 17 million-dollar homes on old farm across from Vonage

Upgrade:See the dramatic upgrades inside the township's new $4.2M firehouse

Board planner Jen Beahm expressed concern that having only one entry and exit could impede emergency services in the event that the road became blocked.

The developer agreed to add a bollard to the single entry and exit that would split the road in half, reducing the possibility of a completely blocked road. It also agreed to move two trees to allow emergency vehicles the ability to pull into the complex on the South Laurel Avenue side through the grass. It also agreed to plant trees with a minimum canopy of 12 feet around the parking lot to avoid branches impeding ambulances.

Edmond Speitel Jr., vice president of development for the developer, said in addition to apartments, the complex will house an indoor gym, a computer lab and an outdoor playground. Garbage will be picked up twice a week.

Holmdel:Crumbl Cookies bringing sweet treats to town

In response to a question by Kastning, Speitel said the developers will accept residents who don't have cars and said there is a bus stop within half a mile of the development. The nearest bus stop is a mile north at the intersection of Route 36 and South Laurel Avenue. Bus 817 from Perth Amboy to Middletown passes by stop 24642.

Del Duca said Walters Group applied to the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency “in order for this community to be a reality … to get tax credit financing.”

He said the developer applied in conjunction with the township and “was able to score well enough to get the tax credit award” in late 2020.

He said, a condition of receiving the tax credit, the developer has to complete construction and “get our first certificate of occupancy” by late 2023.

“This has been a long process,” Del Duca said. “We’re very anxious to start work so we can put this community into service, comply with our obligations and help Holmdel comply with its obligations.”

Olivia Liu is a reporter covering transportation, Red Bank and western Monmouth County. She can be reached at oliu@gannett.com.

HOLMDEL, NJ — At their meeting Wednesday night, the Holmdel Board of Education will be asked to approve a suggestion from superintendent Dr. Robert McGarry to move three out of the four principals to new schools.

If the Board approves his request, effective Aug. 1 of this year, these will be the new principals at each school:

Village Elementary School: Art HowardWilliam R. Satz School: William LoughranHolmdel High School: Brian Schillaci

The only school that would be unchanged is Indian Hill, which will keep principal Lisa Marino, just placed there last year.

It is a major change and one Dr. McGarry just announced he was proposing in a letter sent to Holmdel parents this past Monday, July 23. When asked by Patch, Dr. McGarry called it "an opportunity for all of them and our teachers and staff to see things in each school and in our classrooms through new lenses ... it can only make us a richer and stronger school district."

Find out what's happening in Holmdel-Hazletwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In his letter to parents, Dr. McGarry said he is proposing the change because "growth comes when individuals step outside of their comfort zone and accept new challenges."

At least one Holmdel parent, who wanted to stay anonymous, voiced concerns about the move.

"This is a transfer not one of them requested," said the parent. "Is this move to hide the fact that one administrator is being punished? Is McGarry doing this to simply flex a metaphoric muscle?"

"Is a man with only elementary experience the best person to run a high school?" the parent asked. "This transfer, announced Monday July 23, is slated to be approved at the July 25 board meeting. A mere 48 hours is all the notice the community will receive in regards to the leadership of the respective school building ... Regardless of the reason behind the move, it is clear that Superintendent McGarry does not want the public to have time to react or respond."

Dr. McGarry declined to respond to that parent's comments.

The Board meets tonight, Wednesday July 25, at 8 p.m. at Satz school. The meeting is open to the public and public comment.

Photo by Carly Baldwin/Patch