How We Got Here
Saving Our Schools: How We Got Here
On Tuesday, March 18, Middletown Schools Superintendent Jessica Alfone unveiled a surprise closure plan that would impact several schools and thousands of students and teachers.
The announcement came just a few hours before the Board of Education was set to vote that evening on a tentative budget for the 2025-2026 school year and after rumors of school closures had spread on social media.
The Closures
The plan calls for closing Navesink Elementary School (209 students) and Leonardo Elementary School (284 students) and turning Bayshore Middle School into a combined elementary facility, even though it’s not designed for younger students.
The displaced Bayshore middle school students (current enrollment is 534) would be redistricted to either Thorne Middle School or Thompson Middle School, where parents have already complained of overcrowding.
The schools set for closure are precious parts of two historic communities in Middletown. They have provided close-knit learning environments that foster familiarity between parents and faculty but have also served as traditional gathering places for the neighborhoods they serve.
In addition to those massive changes, hundreds of students who would have gone to Middletown High School South would be redistricted to Middletown High School North, further upending what several generations of families in the district expected for their children.
A Surprise Deficit
During the March 18 school board meeting, Alfone said her “Middletown Reimagined” plan was necessary because of a nearly $10 million gap between the district’s revenue and operating expenses.
The district has been criticized for deprioritizing its strategic planning efforts. There had been no previous announcement concerning the deficit or community engagement around possible solutions.
“Middletown Reimagined” would seemingly mean dozens of layoffs with no guarantee of true savings for the district over time. Importantly, Alfone offered no logistical or financial details on how the district would accomplish this massive consolidation in a way that protected student education and safety.
Other Schools Threatened
Alfone’s plan also made clear that the district doesn’t want to stop at Navesink, Leonardo and Bayshore.
Middletown currently has 11 elementary schools, and Alfone’s presentation said the district will “examine the remaining elementary school footprint to further consolidate to an 8-school elementary model” during the 2025-2026 school year.
While their schools might not be part of this year’s plan, families in other parts of Middletown should be concerned.
It’s Not Over
Hundreds of parents packed the March 18 meeting to protest the plan, with hundreds more forced to stand outside the building. However, the board voted 6-3 to pass a tentative budget for the upcoming school year. In essence, the board approved the budget’s overarching numbers but not how the district gets there.
The board is set to vote on a final budget during its April 30 meeting. This vote would lock “Middletown Reimagined” into place, and impacted families are racing against time to convince the district to adopt a different plan.
Amid public pressure, round the clock media coverage and outreach from other government officials, Alfone on Friday, March 21 announced the district would take additional steps to gather feedback on budget solutions, including a series of community forums. It’s unclear how district leadership may use this process ahead of April 30’s vote. The closure plan very much remains on the table.
Affected families are doing everything they can to make sure Middletown isn’t “reimagined.” Explore this site to see how you can help.
