NEWS RELEASE 
From the Edgewater Board of Education

For Immediate Release

Contact: Dr. Ted I. Blumstein, Superintendent of Schools (201) 945-4106 Ext. 5 

 Student Enrollment Surges in Edgewater
Over 100 new students this year; school board faces tough choices 

Surprisingly and unexpectedly, enrollment at Edgewater’s EVG School surged by 108 
new students in the new school year. This represents an increase of over 22%. 
Historically, enrollment had been increasing annually by 4.5% and was forecasted by 
official demographic studies to increase by 7.5% annually. 

School Superintendent, Dr. Ted Blumstein, viewing the current situation expressed his 
concern. “The situation is critical. The need to construct a new school is no longer a 
plan to meet future enrollment needs. It is immediate, compelling, and essential. All 
other measures, such as the use of trailers to house classrooms, even if approved by 
the state, are at best temporary. In the short run, we can only deal with the current 
enrollment explosion by emergency measures, such as increasing classroom size and 
eliminating programs. As a permanent solution, we have to build a new school.” 

The district has been closely monitoring student enrollment and evaluating long-term 
facilities options since the last expansion was completed in 2005. To accommodate the 
increasing enrollment, a March 2009 referendum proposed building a new school. The 
plan encompassed what the Board of Education determined to be the best and most 
fiscally sound option. It was narrowly rejected by voters. 

District officials are speculating regarding the sudden surge in student enrollment. “I 
think the economy has a lot to do with it,” said Dr. Blumstein. “We offer an excellent 
education here in Edgewater. When faced with the ongoing expense of private 
education, especially in a period of economic distress, parents have opted instead to 
enroll in our district,” he added. 

A modestly altered and updated plan to construct a new two-and-one-half-story 
elementary school at the George Washington School site on River Road has been 
submitted to the state for review. The Board of Education is poised once again to 
conduct a bond referendum vote on Tuesday, December 8, 2009, to fund this project. It 
is the Board’s concerted view that a new school on the George Washington site is not 
only the most cost efficient and effective solution to meet the district’s enrollment needs, 
but at this point may be the only solution. 

To insure that the community is updated in a timely manner with regard to the 
referendum, the district will implement a comprehensive public information program that 
uses a variety of communication tools including public meetings, newsletters, press 
releases, and updated postings on the district’s Web site. A special referendum section 
will be added to the website shortly, creating a central information hub for all news 
relating to the referendum. In addition, the board is hosting two special referendum 
meetings, the first will be held at the Eleanor Van Gelder School (EVG) on October 15 
at 7:30 p.m. and the second at the Edgewater Borough Community Center on 
November 17 also at 7:30 p.m. District officials, the architect, and the bond attorney will 
be available to answer resident questions following a brief presentation. 

For additional information regarding the proposed plan, please contact the school’s 
superintendent’s office by calling (201) 945-4106 ext. 5 or visit the district web site at 
http://www.evgschool.org/edgewater_school_district_refererendum.htm