West Windsor-Plainsboro school administrators, now working from offices carved out of an old library on Village Road, built in 1882, are moving ahead with their plans to relocate the district office in the addition planned for the Village School.
Although not required to do so, as a courtesy the WW-P district presented its plans for the Village School expansion to the Planning Board on November 6. George Duthie, principal architect from the firm of Fraytak, Veisz, Hopkins, and Duthie, explained that the expansion, which will cost approximately $13 million, is designed to add six additional classrooms, conference, and multi-purpose rooms to the school, as well as second-floor office space for the central office, and space for the community education and special services departments.
The addition will be built at the back of the current school building and will have separate entrances, parking, and car and bus access (see plan, page 14). Because Village Road East is a county road, the district will also be making a courtesy presentation to the county planning board. The plan also provides for the addition of a geothermal field, similar to the one located at Grover Middle School; reconstruction of the storm drainage basin; and reconfiguring of some of the landscaping and berms currently found at the school.
Township engineer Francis Guzik was concerned about placement of fire hydrants, as well as emergency vehicle access. The district agreed to review the plans based on Guzik’s concern.
Township landscape architect Dan Dobromilsky noted that the current placement of the driveway in the proposed plan would necessitate the removal of a grove of oak trees donated and planted by volunteers. “While the removal of trees is sometimes necessary, in this case I think it can be avoided by moving the location of the driveway about 80 feet. I think it is bad policy to remove them — there isn’t enough landscaping at the school anyway, and to remove trees that have been donated by volunteers can discourage people from volunteering their time.”
Duthie responded: “We are limited in where we can place the driveways because of all of the utility lines, sewers, and cables which run along the back of the property. Plus, we really wanted to keep the addition as compact as possible. It will primarily be used by young students and their parents, those involved in the extended day kindergarten, pre-school, early intervention, and special services programs, and we wanted to keep it as contained and separate as possible. We will consider your recommendations, and will do our best to add additional trees and landscaping. But we really have thought through this plan very carefully.”
Planning Board Chairman Marvin Gardner noted that while the board and township employees could make recommendations; those are not binding. Dobromilsky, Guzik, and members of the board commended the district on its decision to utilize a geothermal field, noting that it was a forward-thinking environmental decision.
Board News
At its November 26 meeting, the Board of Education voted to approve the district’s annual subscription with Custom Computer Specialists for the Infinite Campus student information data system software license and support, for the period from December 1 to November 30, 2014. The cost of this subscription, $125,351, is based upon student enrollment. There has been no change in the per-student subscription cost over this year’s subscription.
The board also voted to accept $607,330 under the state’s “No Child Left Behind Act” for fiscal year 2014. Regarding the ongoing Village School expansion, the board authorized the administration to execute a contract of agreement with Kelter & Gilligo Consulting Engineers for the commission of the mechanical and electrical systems as part of the Village Elementary School addition, in conjunction with district architects Fraytak Veisz Hopkins Duthie, P.C., at a cost not to exceed $53,500. In addition, it authorized the firm to provide architectural and construction management services for renovations to Village School, at a cost not to exceed $208,600 plus expenses.
The last meeting of 2013 will be Tuesday, December 17, at 7:30 p.m. at Grover Middle School. This meeting will be the last one presided over by Hemant Marathe, who did not seek reelection, and Alapakkam “Mani” Manikandan, who was defeated by Yu Taylor Zhong in the recent elections.
The deadline for submitting applications to fill the board vacancy caused by the death of Yibao Xu is Thursday, December 12, at 4 p.m. Applicants must be residents of Plainsboro, and the successful candidate will serve from January through December, 2014. Applicant interviews will be held at either the December 17 or January 7 meeting, or at a special meeting.
