Proposed Mandarin-Immersion Charter School in Jeopardy

The September opening of the Princeton International Academy Charter School may be in jeopardy if South Brunswick officials fail to grant zoning variance approvals and an occupancy permit by June 30.

PIACS, approved by the state Department of Education in January 2010 as a dual-language Mandarin-English immersion school for students in grades K-2, will draw students from Princeton, South Brunswick and West Windsor-Plainsboro school districts.

But if the opening is delayed, it would be the second time in two years that dozens of second grade students would miss the opportunity to study the school’s cirriculum, PIACS spokesman Parker Block said on Monday.

“That shows the (school) administration doesn’t really care that much about children, it’s about the money,” Block said.

South Brunswick school officials were unavailable for comment on Monday.

Charter schools are public schools that operate under a charter by the Commissioner of Education.

The schools can’t charge tuition and enrollment is done on a space-available basis. Funding comes from local tax dollars; roughly 90 percent of the per student instructional cost follows a child from the district they live in to the charter school.

“The feeling about any charter school is if they allow one and that school is successful, there will be others,” Block said.

Still Block is cautiously optimistic that the 12 Perrine Road site will be approved for PIACS. He said the centralized location offers room for growth.

Developer 12 P & Associates, who would become the landlord at Perrine Road, has a pending application before the South Brunswick Zoning Board of Adjustment.

A hearing on Thursday to discuss the application lasted more than 5 hours and was continued to June 2.

The state’s Department of Education could extend PIACS’ deadline for an occupancy permit until July 15, time that could give school officials time to work with South Brunswick officials or find another location if necessary, Block said.

“If (the DOE) did that, it would give us six weeks between the June 2 and the deadline to get the occupancy certificate,” Block said. “But I’m sure that the school district will try to throw up other hurdles along the way.”

The 41,000 square foot building on Perrine Road is now a liquor distribution center.

If approved for school use, it would house both the charter school and YingHua International School, a private school started by PIACS lead founder Dr. Bonnie Liao, officials said.

The charter school would operate weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and seven busses would transport students to and from the three sending school districts.

Inside the building, PIACS would occupy three classrooms, subdivided by furniture into five classrooms, and the private school would have four classrooms.  

On Thursday, South Brunswick zoning board members said the floor plan presented by 12 P was confusing and didn't adequately delineate which part of the property would belong to PIACS and which would belong to YingHua.

Residents expressed concerns about co-mingling students from both the private and charter school.

PIACS officials said the schools would share a main entrance and hallways, but gym and playground times would be separate.   

South Brunswick Patch Editor Davy James contributed to this article.