PLUMSTED — Funding for nearly half of a planned capital project at New Egypt High School will come from state coffers after a $404,000 grant was recently awarded to the Plumsted Township School District.
According to the New Jersey Schools Development Authority (SDA), the grant was awarded through its Regular Operating District (ROD) grant program, which funds projects that primarily deal with health and safety issues.
The capital project, which would completely replace the high school roof, is estimated to cost about $811,000. The district will pay the amount that is not covered by the grant.
Business Administrator Sean Gately said the project was included in the 2014-15 budget and is in the close-out phase.
“The high school roof was at the end of its useful life, and the grant will save the district approximately 50 percent of the total cost,” Gately said.
Gately said the decision to finish the roof project opened up an opportunity to install solar panels at the high school to “reduce the use of non-renewable energy at the school.”
The solar project at the high school will also allow for the installation of panels at the New Egypt Middle School.
Officials said the state Department of Education chooses which projects get approved for ROD grant funding. This year, more than 1,600 projects in 335 school districts were approved, according to a press release.
SDA officials said the Plumsted school district has received $8.9 million in ROD grants since the program’s creation.
Last year, the district received $112,000 in ROD grant funding for heating, ventilation and air conditioning upgrades at New Egypt High School, the New Egypt Middle School and the New Egypt Primary School. The school district paid $113,542 as its share of the HVAC work.
— Andrew Martins