referendum could
overhaul schools, fields
Potential Dec. 2005
referendum could
overhaul schools, fields
BY MATT AUERBACH
Staff Writer
METUCHEN — With the possibility of future school renovations looming, the borough’s Board of Education chose architects to plan those renovations at last week’s school board meeting.
In a unanimous vote of 9-0, board members appointed EI Architects, Cedar Knolls, as the company that will work with them on any renovations and field projects.
EI Architects was one of 19 firms that applied for the position.
Under New Jersey state law, the board is required to have an architect of record in order to make any changes to district schools, school officials said.
After an introduction by Schools Superintendent Terri Sinatra, short speeches by architect Angelo Santoro and landscaper Carol Gordon followed.
School planner Michael Wozny then presented an in-depth overview of the referendum process.
"What we’re all aiming for is a referendum by December 2005," he said. "The referendum would cover the board’s goals. It would deal with what’s needed and what you’d like to see happen."
According to school officials, the potential scope of the work and its potential cost remains undetermined.
In the course of planning the referendum, the district and state education officials would determine how much money the district would get from the state, how much of the school’s own surplus would be dedicated to the project and how much of the burden tax payers would have to bear.
Sinatra also said that she would ask the firm to look at the recent demographic study performed on the district’s schools and compare it to other studies done in surrounding areas.
The findings of the study revealed an expected jump in kindergarten enrollment in 2004 and 2005.
This means that renovations may have to be done at Campbell School, school officials said.
According to school officials, some of the borough schools suffer from a space crunch.
At a meeting held earlier this month at Campbell School, Principal Robert Gugliara said the school was using spaces not intended to be classrooms for instructional purposes, including two windowless classrooms for the second grade.
In addition to renovating existing structures and adding new classrooms and facilities, the board may consider building new playing fields.
"I’m aware that organizations other than the schools themselves use these fields," said Santoro. "That’s a lot of wear and tear."
Four members of the Citizens for Quality Education, a parents group, were in attendance and pledged to work with the board and the architectural firm to do whatever it takes to make a future referendum a success.