Building will
start on new
high school
By Joyce Blay
Staff Writer
JACKSON — After months spent finalizing the details and years of anticipation, shovels were put into the earth as educators and dignitaries participated in the ground-breaking ceremonies for Jackson’s long-awaited second high school on June 17.
"It’s good to be on the sacred soil of Jackson," Gov. James E. McGreevey said.
The ground-breaking ceremony symbolizes the state’s $21 million investment in the $70 million state-of-the-art facility which is scheduled to open in 2005 and accommodate 1,900 students.
Located on a dirt road off Hope Chapel Road, the site is surrounded by a wooded area abuzz with insects and birds circling overhead. Amid a crush of media in the small clearing where the new school will rise, the Jackson Memorial High School Air Force Junior ROTC led attendees in the pledge of allegiance, followed by the Jackson Memorial High School chorus, led by Mary Fran Chase, singing "The Star-Spangled Banner."
Reading from a prepared statement, McGreevey said, "Our efforts in literacy and teacher preparation can only succeed if children are being educated in safe, modern classrooms. In these classrooms, Jackson’s teenagers will prepare for college and begin to shape their dreams for the future — whether learning technology in the new media center, discovering the magic of artistic expression in an outdoor art studio, or being cheered to victory in the new gymnasium.
"Investing in school construction provides our children with the tools they need to succeed, and the funds communities receive from the (New Jersey) school construction program ease the property tax burden for New Jersey homeowners, allowing more dollars to go directly to our children’s education," the governor said.
As an unexpectedly strong breeze wafted artist renderings of the new high school off their support easels, a relentless sun beat down on the assemblage in the glare of bright afternoon light.
"Even though the referendum passed by a small margin, I think everyone will rally around it," said Jackson Superintendent of Schools Thomas Gialanella, referring to the referendum that authorized construction of the new high school. "I think this is one decision everyone realized we needed (to make)."
Board of Education President Michael Hanlon agreed.
"It’s always nice following Tom because he always says what I want to say," Hanlon said to the bemused laughter of the audience. "This is a great day; 2005 can’t come too soon. It will be a spectacular building and our community will be better for it."
The new high school, designed by the firm of Faridy, Veisz and Fraytak of Trenton, will be a 288,500-square-foot facility with three wings, each designed with an open air courtyard. The school will have 50 classrooms on the ground floor with an additional 35 classrooms in the west wing. Also included will be a media center, athletic fields, an 1,800-seat gymnasium, weight room, wrestling room, and an auditorium, as well as an art studio with an outside working area.
The new high school is part of a state initiative to build or renovate hundreds of schools across the state over the next few years under the $8.6 billion Educational Facilities Construction and Financing Act.
After the chorus sang "God Bless America," a semi-circle of golden shovels were positioned nearby, with red, white and blue bows tied around each. Dignitaries put on white hard hats and symbolically shoveled piles of dirt from the site on which the new high school will be built.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, they shook hands and posed with chorus members behind the shovels they had left in the ground.
Also present at the groundbreaking ceremonies were Deputy Mayor Sean Giblin and Township Committeeman Michael Broderick; Jackson Board of Education Vice President Gus Acevedo, school board members Dan Gross, Marvin Krakower, Linda A. Lackay, John Morvay and Martin Spielman; Ocean County Superintendent of Schools Bruce Greenfield; Michael Foster, Ocean County Administrator; Linda Jewell, principal of Jackson Memorial High School; and Jeanne Pollock, principal of the Holman School.