There’s some good news concerning the West Windsor-Plainsboro School District’s plan for possible $25 million referendum to raise money for a long list of capital improvements.##M:[more]## If the measure is approved by voters, taxes probably won’t increase.
“We have some bonds that are maturing from some earlier referendums in 1992 and 1996,” says board President Hemant Marathe. “If we decide to go ahead with the referendum, we will not see an increase in debt. We will extend the maturity of the bond rather than borrow more money and we don’t expect to see extra taxes.”
By the end of the month, the board is expected to officially announce that it will put a referendum to the voters in Plainsboro and West Windsor to finally take care of at least part of a long list of capital improvement projects. The special election would likely be held in either mid-December or late-January.
The price tag, as high as $25 million, will be in addition to the $1.5 million already budgeted for capital improvements in the district’s current $136 million budget.
The board was under a time constraint because the information must be submitted to the state by the end of June in order to have a referendum by December, and slightly longer for the end of January.
For months, board members have scoured the district’s school buildings, interviewing principals, researching data, looking for such “fix or replace” projects as cracks, broken sidewalks, and broken boilers.
“Some of these projects are quite large,” says Richard Kaye, a newly-elected West Windsor board member, adding that the district’s priority has been the construction of new buildings.
Many of the projects have been on the back burner for a long time. Faced with a 4 percent annual student population growth in the late 1980s and throughout much of the 1990s, WW-P built the Village School (1995), High School North (1997), Grover Middle School (1999), and Town Center School in 2002.
Now the district is faced with coming up with funds to take care of such long-neglected needs as the remodeling of six classrooms for science use at Community Middle School (estimated cost of $500,”000), a new media center at Dutch Neck Elementary School ($1.5 million), and $100,”000 for the renovation of the shop area at High School South for music instruction. While money is needed for projects in all 10 schools, the district’s oldest schools — High School South, Dutch Neck, Wicoff, and Maurice Hawk — will receive the lion’s share of the money.
Another factor in the decision to go ahead with the referendum is the state’s controversial mandatory cap on budget surplus funds, passed hurriedly by state legislators in June of 2004. The law forces school districts to retain only 2 percent in surplus and put all the rest in reducing the school budget. This has forced districts like WW-P to search for more creative ways to pay for needed upgrades and replacements.
But more money will eventually be needed for large renovations to High School South for such projects as improving music and art facilities and adding a new theater and gymnasium.
During the summer of 2004, the board’s administration and facilities committee, along with building principals, performed walk-throughs of district school buildings in order to determine major issues of concern. After reviewing data, the committee met with all the principals and district administrators to develop a timeline for repairs.
At the school board’s retreat last winter, the committee determined a priority list for dealing with the necessary repairs and renovations. But questions remained, including the need to distinguish major items of concern from more typical items, what process could be used to repair facilities and renovate aging buildings, and possible ways of resolving issues discovered in the facility reviews.
Ultimately, the administration and facilities committee recommended that the district conduct a thorough inspection and assessment of the each of its facilities on a regular basis and prior to assembling a five year facilities plan. The five-year plan would serve as the basis for a formal planning process.
Aside from repairs and maintenance, the plan also addresses school building security that includes district-wide access control. Included are drop-down gates at Grover, a gym call button at Town Center, as well as other upgrades in security.
The capital improvements report highlights the major building and facility deficiencies found by the committee. Not counting capital projects already underway that are not covered by the report, here is a summary of the report’s findings:
Dutch Neck:
Constructed in 1917, along with additions built in 1929, 1952, 1976, and 1986. Currently there are 32 classrooms with additional spaces for small-group instruction, special education students, and ESL/Bilingual programs.
• The committee determined that the condition and useful lifespan of the modular unit should be evaluated.
• Classroom space needed for special area subjects, basic skills, ESL/Bilingual and Special Education classes (and for classes currently meeting in the trailer).
• Evaluate trailers.
• Additional HVAC concerns.
• Possible need to upgrade/modernize kitchen.
• Evaluation of roof due to leaks.
• Media Center in need of possible renovation.
• Carpet replacement is required in several rooms and in various spaces throughout the school.
• The size of the current cafeteria needs evaluation.
Maurice Hawk:
A one-story building located on a 22-acre site, constructed in 1963, with an addition built in 1967. It includes two gymnasiums, a kitchen, teachers’ lounge and workroom, child study team office, health room, and additional small instructional areas.
• The committee determined that the condition and useful lifespan of modular unit should be evaluated.
• Additional classroom space needed for special area subjects, basic skills, ESL/Bilingual classes, and special education classes, including the classes now meeting in the trailer.
• Need to modernize and renovate the kitchen area, including the grease trap and other areas.
• HVAC concerns need evaluation.
• Need to replace carpeted classrooms with linoleum-type flooring.
Wicoff School
A two-story building located on eight and one-half acres, the original wing was constructed in 1919, followed by a major addition in 1960. In 1986 and 1991 modular classrooms were added.
• The committee determined that Wicoff Elementary School is in need of a repair to the gymnasium floor as well as an evaluation of the bleachers.
• Renovate the kitchen and cafeteria, as well as replacement of some lunchroom tables.
• Paving is necessary in the rear of building as well as parking lot paving.
• Possible renovation for the front of building to re-establish old entrance.
• Electrical upgrades are needed.
High School South
Built in 1973, High School South was the first true flexible open space high school in the state. It is situated on five acres with athletic fields. A new wing was opened to house an expanded science department and to provide additional classroom space in 1982 and in 1996 a small modular unit was added.
Designed in the early 1970s, The school was created with a smaller student body in mind. With the addition of the science wing, the library, and the 500 classroom area, the building’s capacity was enlarged but the music suite — designed for a choir and band program of such smaller proportion than exists today — and auditorium did not grow for the increased student population.
The report focuses on specific areas in the building, particularly the Music Department, Health and Physical Education, and Art.
• Music Department: Currently, there are 125 students in the string program which mushrooms to 160 with the addition of winds and percussion to the Symphony Orchestra. There is not enough room to hold all these students, and instruments.
• Auditorium: The size of the stage is smaller than the rehearsal room space and students also are saddled with bad acoustics. There is no pit area in front of the stage for the choir, nor is there room for the choir to stand on risers behind the orchestra. This limits the musical literature that the groups can perform.
• Large Rehearsal Room: There is not enough room in the large rehearsal room for the orchestra and the number of rehearsal rooms do not meet program’s needs. In addition, practice rooms are needed as there currently is no area for the students to practice during the school day. There is also a limited amount of storage space.
• Physical Education: THere is not enough gym space to accommodate all students without overcrowding classes (exceeding 30 students per gym period). In addition, there is little room for coaches, team rooms, and athletic trainer facility as well as a lack of shower and bathroom facilities.
• Boys and Girls Soccer: Two additional fields are needed as the teams currently use Maurice Hawk Elementary School and Community Park fields for practice.
• Field Hockey: There is one field used on-site and the team uses Maurice Hawk Elementary School fields as well.
• Tennis Courts: At this time, resurfacing is needed as the tennis courts cannot be used.
• Volleyball: There are two teams now with no room for any freshman teams to be formed or added.
• Boys and Girls Basketball: There are six teams with one gymnasium. Team practices and games are carefully scheduled and the basketball teams must curtail practice when wrestling competitions are underway.
• Wrestling: Three teams use the auxiliary gym for practice; however, with increasing student population, there will be a problem with gym use.
• Softball: There are three teams with 2.5 fields and available batting cage.
• Baseball: There are three teams with 1.5 fields and batting cage on-site. The teams use fields at Maurice Hawk Elementary School and Community Park for practice; these students walk to the elementary school but use buses to get to Community Park. If student population increases, the increase cannot be sufficiently met.
• Track: There are two teams with one track and field and the track needs resurfacing.
• Girls’ Lacrosse: There are three teams with one field. There are some additional fields to use at Community Park, but the school has only one field. Students are bused to Community Park.
• Boys’ Lacrosse: There are three teams with only one field on-site. Students are bused to Community Park.
• Weight Room: The esthetics and room have been upgraded but this room is at capacity for use.
• Athletic Trainer Room: This room is inadequate.
• Locker Rooms: Currently at or above capacity limits.
• Staff Locker Rooms: There is inadequate space and the locker rooms are in need of remodeling to permit adequate shower and bathroom facilities.
• Coaches Office Space: Currently, there is no office space for coaches.
• Pool. In need of renovation.
• Art Department Darkroom: This room is 8’x12” and has five enlargers. There is limited space with no room for expansion. Class size is restricted to 16 to 18 students.
• General Art Classes: A kiln exists but needs replacement. There is a storage problem for art tools, artwork, and supplies.
General Facilities
For all of the schools in the district, there are three areas of concern that are not included as part of the maintenance and repair categories.
• Security: While some buildings are easier to secure than others, and there is no perfect system to ensure building security. The committee recommends that security be improved in all schools using “swipe key devices” to secure building entrances. Other measures, such as drop-down gates, should also be evaluated.
• Technology: Three technology projects may be appropriate for consideration to improve facilities. The projects include installing the infrastructure for wireless access in the school buildings; installing generators in four buildings; and providing air conditioning to various switch closets.
• Paving and Curbing: Much paving and curbing work and repair is needed for many of district sites. This includes the front sidewalks at Community Middle School and the parking lot at High School South, as well as other areas in need of repair.
Delay Turns Up the Heat at HS South
When temperatures hovered near the 90-degree mark on June 6, 7, and 8, High School South students got early reprieves from the school day with three straight noontime dismissals.
“It was due to a planned replacement of the chiller on the air conditioning system,” says Gerri Hutner, the district’s public information officer. “It is just taking a bit longer than we anticipated.”
According to Hutner, the work was originally expected to be completed by mid May — when the temperatures were in the 60s — but delays kept things on the back burner into June when temperatures started to soar. The air conditioning was back in service around 4 p.m. on Wednesday, June 8, just in time to cool off the auditorium for that evening’s senior awards presentation. Faridy Veisz Fraytak of Trenton, the district’s architect, is managing the project.
In spite of the heat, teachers and administrators continued to work their regular workdays, gathering in the media center and science offices as well as parts of the modular units where the air conditioning was working. The lost time won’t impact the school year because the early-dismissal days still count as full school days and students will not being required to make up missed time at the end of the year.
WW Looks For Beacon Funding
West Windsor Council on June 6 approved $55,”000 for a warning beacon at Dutch Neck School, but wants the school district to pick up part of the tab.
The total cost of the beacon, to be located in front of the school, is estimated at $55,”000: $10,”000 for engineering, $25,”000 for equipment, $15,”000 for installation and $5,”000 for inspection.
Once the funds are available, it is expected to take as long as four months to get authorizations, and funding assistance is likely to be sought through the school board. Council, having already agreed not to pay for the entire project, acted quickly in order to improve traffic safety at the school.
The Dutch Neck Parent Teacher Association initially made the request for the beacon, which is similar to the one in front of Maurice Hawk School.
Schools Nix Junk Food Junkies
Junk food junkies will be a thing of the past in West Windsor-Plainsboro — at least during school hours — due to a comprehensive statewide policy announced by acting governor Richard Codey on June 6. But according to district officials, the district is already close to compliance when it comes to nutrition.
Beginning in September 2007 public school districts across the state (as well as private schools that supply students with federally funded meals) will no longer be allowed to serve soda and junk food. Any food item that has its first listing of ingredients as sugar will be banned.
“Schools are where children spend most of their time,” said Codey. “Instead of encouraging bad eating habits and bad health with the easy accessibility of candy and soda, schools must be a place where we teach good nutrition and lay the foundation of good eating habits.”
The policy goes beyond the school cafeteria. It also takes aim at snack bars, school stores, on-campus fund raisers, and federally subsidized snacks provided during after-school academic programs. (There is one caveat, however. Soda and candy will be allowed to be sold after school. Also, the regulations will not affect children who bring their own food.)
The policy will be phased in, allowing districts time to adjust to the new standards. By September, 2006, districts are required to adopt a written nutrition policy for each school. By September, 2007, districts are required to be in complete compliance.
Doreen Pierson, the district’s food services manager, says that school nutrition is already in near compliance with the governor’s policy. “It is really not going to be a big deal for us,” she says. “We are already working on a nutrition policy and have made changes in what we serve during the day.”
According to Pierson, the district has already replaced fat-filled salad dressings with light dressings, limited the availability of deep fried foods (such as french fries), replaced soda with juice and bottled water, and made such health-nurturing foods as beans and breads more available to students. “Kids basically eat what you serve them,” says Pierson. “If you offer them good food, that is what they will take. I don’t think our vendors will have a problem either.”
The standards are intended to target the widely perceived epidemic of childhood obesity and teach children better eating habits. The new rules, which are among the most thorough in the country, will ban all drinks except low-fat milk, water, and 100 percent fruit or vegetable juices from elementary schools. For middle school and high schools, however, the policy is less stringent allowing for some iced tea and sports drinks.
Vending machines, which also falls under the rules of the policy, are under the control of student council, not food service. “It’s not going to be a problem,” she says. “We already sell more water than we sell sports drinks.” The regulations also require that whole milk portion sizes will be limited to a half pint. Foods containing trans fats (such as high fat ice cream) will be curtailed as well and replaced with foods like frozen yogurt.
Nationwide, health officials estimate there are 9 million children ages 6 to 16 who are overweight. Overweight children usually carry their poor eating habits into adulthood, with an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, asthma and other disorders.
Pierson says that the district’s new nutrition policy will be presented to the school board sometime this August.
District Lawyer’s Wife is ‘Super’
Perhaps now is the time for Russell Schumacher, an attorney who is a special assistant for labor relations in WW-P, to call his wife, Judith, “chief.” Already working as the Hopewell Valley regional school district’s interim superintendent since March, Judith was named the district’s permanent superintendent on June 1.
She has a four-year contract, with a starting annual salary of $166,”000. The district had been without a permanent superintendent since January. Russell has been with the WW-P school district since 2000
