BOE announces plans for construction
Spotswood school board will apply for state aid in December
Principal Jim Quinn of Appleby School, Spotswood, stands in front of a newly constructed deck leading to two trailers. The temporary setup will house fifth-graders and is necessary, officials say, in order to alleviate overcrowding in the main building. JERRY WOLKOWITZ
Based on the findings of a feasibility study and community ad hoc committee, Spotswood Board of Education members have announced tentative plans for expansion of the district’s four schools.
A discussion was held during the Oct. 11 Board of Education meeting, in which school officials attempted to explain the need for architectural changes in Schoenly, Appleby and Memorial schools as well as in Spotswood High School.
"As it is, we have trailers set up outside Appleby School to alleviate the space problem there," said Superintendent Tony Vaz. "Total enrollment [in all schools] is already at more than 1,600 students, which is 68 more pupils than last year."
Furthermore, the state-mandated prekindergarten program will become a reality within the next few years, adding to the increasing enrollment numbers.
While Vaz would like to assure parents that nothing has been finalized, he has said that the board will use architect Larry Medefindt to devise conceptual drawings for a formal public presentation.
This will occur sometime before Dec. 15, which is the deadline for applications under the New Jersey Five-Year Facility Maintenance Plan.
If the borough’s architectural drawings coordinate with the plan specifications, the state would then decide how much of the 40 percent maximum contribution Spotswood would be eligible to receive under the School Construction Bill.
Thus far, renovation plans would include the addition of 10 classrooms to Schoenly School, which currently houses kindergarten and first-grade pupils. It will also most likely be the home of future pre-kindergarten classes.
Memorial School would be expanded to house sixth-grade students from Appleby School, transforming the facility into a "true middle school, serving grades six-eight," officials said.
At the same time, this would alleviate cramping at the Appleby School, which would be reorganized to accommodate students in grades two-five.
Additionally, students in Memorial would get their own music and lunch rooms, rather than having to share the high school’s. Appleby students would benefit from a new gymnasium, cafeteria and language-arts rooms.
Spotswood High School would see renovations to its media center and industrial-arts facilities, which are overcrowded.
"There will also be minor improvements made throughout all of the buildings," added Vaz.
To date, there has been no mention of price with regard to the construction plans, according to Vaz. "It is too early to speculate costs, but that does not mean we can’t still discuss our intentions with the public," Vaz said.
Vaz also said he has already notified the residents and governing bodies in Helmetta, Milltown, and Spotswood of the proposal.
He also made sure that residents from Helmetta and Spotswood were incorporated into the committees.
"We want them to be involved," said Vaz.
The borough of Helmetta sends all of its children to Spotswood Schools, while Milltown uses Spotswood High School.
"So far, public reaction has been favorable," he said. "These are well-thought-out suggestions that would truly benefit all of our students. I’m confident residents will see that."
If all goes well in December, school board members plan to conduct a public hearing to discuss cost and state aid. Their hopes are that a bond referendum will go to a vote sometime next year.

