By JACQUELINE DURETT
Correspondent
The new James Monroe Elementary School in Edison was ready for its closeup earlier this month when officials held an open house in preparation for its opening at the start of the new year.
At the Dec. 19 Board of Education meeting, board member Theresa Ward said that the Dec. 17 open house was an exciting event to attend.
She praised Superintendent Dr. Richard O’Malley, Business Administrator Daniel Michaud and Board Attorney Jonathan Busch, who “deserve the lion’s share of the credit,” she said. “You should be very proud of yourselves.”
She added that James Monroe’s completion represents the teamwork of too many people to name at the meeting.
“The people of Edison Township should know how hard everyone worked to put that school up with record cost and speed,” she said.
The original school was destroyed by a fire allegedly started by a custodian’s discarded cigarette on March 22, 2014. The new school was built at the same location at 7 Sharp Road, and was originally slated for opening for the start of this school year. Students have spent the interim at St. Cecelia’s School building in Iselin. That school closed in 2012.
Following the meeting, Michaud shared some statistics about the new school. The new James Monroe is 67,775 square feet—more than 20,000 square feet
bigger than the original school. As such, it can accommodate a few more students— about 600 versus 460 in the old school.
The new school also has some amenities the original James Monroe did not have. “The new school has a gymnasium and a cafeteria with a full kitchen that the original school did not have,” he said. “In addition, there is a full media center and the building is fully air conditioned.”
“The cost of the school was $19,645,000, most of which was paid for by our insurance company,” he said. The district had settled last fall with New Jersey School Insurance Group for $23.6 million.
“The district had expenses for the outfitting of the rooms provided by Middlesex County College from March 2014 through June 2014 and the district incurred expenses fixing up St. Cecelia’s for use by September, 2014. We also had to replace all of the school’s furniture and equipment. All of these other expenses were calculated in the final insurance settlement.”
However, he said, the insurance company did not cover upgrades such as air conditioning and the kitchen equipment.
Also at the meeting, Ward also praised Joann La Perla-Morales, president of Middlesex County College, for offering substitute facilities at the college within 12 hours of the fire, as well as Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac, who helped arrange for students to use the St. Cecelia’s School for a school year and a half.
“We are all indebted to both of them for their help,” she said.
Michaud said the school will be fully occupied on Jan. 3.