Montague weighing school options

From the New Jersey Herald
by Eric Obernauer

The Montague school district is exploring a proposal that, if approved, would entail sending students in grades 9 through 12 to High Point Regional High School rather than Port Jervis High School, in Port Jervis, N.Y., where the township's students in grades 7 through 12 currently receive their education.
"No decisions have been made at this time," said Board President Beverly Borrego.

A criticism voiced by some residents concerns the tuition charged by Port Jervis to Montague, which some complain has gone up as much as 3.75 percent annually some years. Critics say that because the Montague school district is required to stay within the state's 2 percent cap, the difference comes out of local school programs and facilities maintenance.

Tasha DeGeorge, a 22-year Montague resident... sees the issue from a different perspective. As the parent of two children, ages 9 and 10, she feels "it's smart to look into every option."

When the discussions began, DeGeorge said, she had no particular opinion. But as she looked further into it, she said, she became alarmed upon learning that Port Jervis's graduation rate was about 73 percent. By contrast, she said, High Point's graduation rate is 95 percent. While she feels Montague students can do well at either school, she said about 80 percent of High Point's students ultimately go on to college.

"That's a higher percent than even finish high school in Port Jervis," she said. "It's not that we have a bad opinion of Port Jervis; we don't. But we just see a better opportunity at High Point."

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