Board of Education to discuss gym plan

The Board of Education will review a report Tuesday from the Ad Hoc Facilities Committee on the need to build a new gymnasium and classrooms at the Cranbury School.

By:Sarah Winkelman
   The Board of Education will review a report Tuesday from the Ad Hoc Facilities Committee on the need to build a new gymnasium and classrooms at the Cranbury School.
   The meeting will start at 7:30 p.m. in the cafeteria.
   In May the committee, which includes school board members, parents, township officials and community members, recommended construction of a new gymnasium and six classrooms that could cost upward of $6 million. At that time the committee and the school board wanted to make a presentation to the public to answer any questions and address concerns about the project.
   Chief School Administrator Robert Bartoletti said the school board has accepted the report and has authorized him to begin making plans and doing the necessary administrative work.
   Dr. Bartoletti said the plan is not final. The school board is still working with architects and planners to determine the size and type of rooms they want to build. The district hopes to hold a referendum on the project in February 2002.
   "We still have a lot of planning to do," he said.
   The current gym, constructed in 1957, was built to accommodate a school with 300 students. There are now 549 students at the school. The district expects 558 for the 2001-2002 school year.
   A preliminary design for the new facilities included adding the gym, storage, locker rooms and offices to the area behind the music room of the school with a courtyard between the two. The design also advocates putting six classrooms on each side of the 1997 Annex.