The Cranbury Township School District has launched a district web page to keep the school community and township residents updated on the progress of referendum projects.
The dedicated web page is on the district website and provides information on each of the projects approved in the referendum and an anticipated timeline for the start of each project’s construction and the expected month of completion.
“We are excited to share this journey with the Cranbury community,” Board of Education President Pramod Chivate said in a statement. “These projects represent an important investment in the future of the Cranbury School, and we are committed to respecting the community’s support by committing to timely and transparent updates.”
Township voters approved the school referendum – 557 “yes” votes and 328 “no votes – on Dec. 14, 2021.
Construction on the first referendum project is expected to begin on March 1, 2023, which includes renovations of the main office and nurse suite. The projects are anticipated to be completed by Sept. 4, 2023.
The new office will create more space for meetings and provide for more security. The current main office is a multi-purpose space. Teachers receive mail, deliveries, and hold confidential meetings all in this area, school officials said.
A security vestibule will be constructed as part of the project. The nurse’s suite is receiving a renovation to increase space and allow for a separate space for students’ school health records.
The Academic Commons is another project set to begin construction on March 1, 2023. The project is also expected to be completed by Sept. 4, 2023.
The area space used to be the home of the Cranbury Public Library. The academic commons will have a makerspace area and media center, school officials said.
Following the initial projects are the construction of the greenhouse classroom that will contain the Cranbury Schools aquaponics system in an outdoor courtyard.
The project is expected to begin on June 20, 2023 and anticipated to complete on Sept. 4, 2023. The replacement of middle school lockers will also occur during the project time period.
A new Center For Arts Education is expected to start construction on June 20, 2023 and completion is expected to be Sept. 2, 2024.
The Center addresses current issues for the school in terms of seating and performance stage space, which is limited in the current combination gym and auditorium, school officials said.
The space, which can accommodate 600 people, is not only for the school community, but also for Cranbury community residents.
The Center will allow students to work with a virtual screen for productions and performances, have audio and visual, graphic arts, broadcasting, dance, costuming, set design and construction, according to the school district.
The referendum projects for a new parking lot and black top that is behind the school are expected to begin on June 20, 2024 and estimated to be completed by Sept. 5, 2024.
Renovation and construction of science classrooms for the middle school starts June 21, 2024 and estimated completion is Sept. 5, 2024.
The project includes two middle school science classrooms. One science classroom will see upgrades to its lab stations and a second classroom will have separate lab stations installed.
“We welcome an open and honest dialogue during the entire process,” Chivate said. “These spaces are meant to benefit our students and our community, and we believe the community should be well informed about the progress of their investments.”
In other school construction news
The construction of a new auxiliary gymnasium is underway and continues to experience progress, according to the school district’s mid-August message.
“The storefronts in the corridor have been removed and filled in with block. The sub floor is completed and cured. The exterior door frames are in place. CMU (concrete masonry unit) block is being installed to begin building the exterior walls and the contractors had begun electrical work,” according to the message.
The gym is located near the existing school gymnasium and is funded through the school district’s capital reserve fund. The auxiliary gym will be used for physical education classes, inclement weather, and student arrivals, according to the district.
For information on additional projects and referendum project timelines, visit www.cranburyschool.org.