BY KATHY CHANG
Staff Writer
METUCHEN — The Board of Education has rejected all six bids of the second phase of the borough high school’s referendum project because the bids exceeded the estimated cost, school officials said.
“We are going to reach out to determine what happened,” said board President Ronald Grayzel. “There will be some delay to get the project going.”
The bids for the work ranged from $21.8 million to $25.3 million and the base bids plus the alternates ranged from $24.1 million to $28 million,” said board secretary Michael Havier.
The project architect’s estimated cost was $20 million, said Havier.
In other business, Schools Superintendent Theresa Sinatra made the first State of the Schools Address in six years.
“The foundation for the Metuchen public schools has been laid,” said Sinatra.
She highlighted the district’s accomplishments and plans for the next three years titled “Roadmap to Greatness.”
•The district will continue a scheduled plan for purchase of computers and peripheral equipment, while also preparing an obsolescence plan for old technology.
•Technological components will be embedded in units of study at all grade levels.
•All teachers will use e-communications to inform parents and community members of activities within the classroom.
•Inclusion of assistive technology to provide special education students with an optimum learning environment.
•The district database, Genesis, will be used to electronically collect and maintain data. Testing data will be analyzed to determine the strengths and needs of individual students.
•The district will continue to provide professional development in all curricular areas to upgrade teacher skills. Summer and after-school workshops will be provided to target specific areas.
•Expand Internet-based review programs for access at home.
•Investigate advanced placement programs in the core content areas to ensure students are prepared competitively.
•Expand offerings at the high school, particularly in the practical arts program to ensure state graduation requirements are met.
•Provide academic alternatives for the profoundly gifted, the academically talented and those with special needs.
•Investigate skills classes at the middle school and the high school.
•Provide challenging enrichment activities for all children.
•Construct a state-of-the-art fitness facility at the high school.
•Track the cardiovascular fitness of each MHS student.
•Redesign the K-12 curriculum to reflect new fitness for life goals, centering on nutrition, cardiovascular fitness and and overall wellness.
•Work with parents to provide appropriate programs and activities that will counterbalance the impact of outside negative influences and provide students with examples of behavior that are clearly positive and supportive of everyone’s rights. State-approved character education programs will be embedded in the curriculum for grades K-12.