Scotch Plains-Fanwood $163 million school project going before voters
Residents of Scotch Plains and Fanwood will go to the polls in September to vote on a bond referendum to pay for upgrades at all eight district schools and the purchase and renovation of the former La Grande School to ease overcrowding.
A virtual public forum on the referendum, that has a tentative price tag of $163 million, will be held via Zoom at 7:30 p.m. May 16. A Zoom link will be posted on spfk12.org/future, the website created for the referendum.. Members of the public will be able to ask questions in the question-and-answer portion of the forum.
The Sept. 17 referendum will be divided into three questions:
The purchase and renovation of the former La Grande Elementary School on South Avenue in Fanwood to serve students in grades pre-K through 5. That would ease overcrowding in the district's two middle schools and five other elementary schools. Estimated cost: $81 million.
Installation of air conditioning in all eight district schools plus other upgrades to HVAC, electrical systems, and fire alarms. Estimated cost: $34 million.
Roof replacements at all eight schools to fix leaks and prevent future damage. Estimated cost: $48 million.
The second question can only pass if the first question is approved. The third question can only pass if the first two questions are approved.
Though the final costs have not been calculated, the school district estimates that if the La Grande School question passes, the average property tax bill in Scotch Plains would rise by $33 to $36 per month and in Fanwood by$28 to $30 per month.
The school district estimates that if the air conditioning question passes, the average property tax bill in Scotch Plains would rise by $11 to $12 per month and in Fanwood by$9 to $10 per month.
The school district estimates that if the roof replacement question passes, the average property tax bill in Scotch Plains would rise by $15 to $16 per month and in Fanwood by$13 to $14 per month.
The costs are based on the average Scotch Plains home assessed at $126,191 and in Fanwood at $496,385.
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“Scotch Plains-Fanwood Public School is a district built on academic excellence and community pride,” said Superintendent of Schools Joan Mast “The referendum continues that tradition by helping us build a future in which students have space to grow and learn and our community can be proud of their investment in the school facilities. Please learn about the referendum over the next five months and make an informed decision on Sept. 17.”
The district’s schools are designed to accommodate 4,680 students, but enrollment has over that total for at least a decade. A demographic study from November 2022 projected enrollment could rise to approximately 5,700 by the 2025-26 school year because of new families moving into the two municipalities as well as housing developments under construction.
According to the school district, the eight school buildings are designed for only 4,680 students, but enrollment this year has reached 5,663 students.
If voters approve the purchase and renovation of La Grande School, the building would open at the start of the 2027-28 school year.
Fifth graders would then move back to the elementary schools, creating a neighborhood schools' model in which students attend one of the six elementary schools based on the population density around each school and how close the student lives to the school.
Moving the fifth graders would also eliminate the need for trailers at the middle schools and allow each elementary school to have space for dedicated music rooms, art rooms, and innovation spaces.
La Grande School has most recently been home to First Children School and before that it was owned by Children's Specialized Hospital.
The second and third questions on the ballot address infrastructure needs, especially ones that were identified as priorities by the community through a survey conducted last fall.
The passage of those questions would mean the school district would be eligible for state aid to fund the work.
If the questions do not pass, the money for the projects would come out of local funds, with money possibly diverted from academic programs to infrastructure improvements.
Email: mdeak@mycentraljersey.com
Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Scotch Plains-Fanwood NJ $163M school project going before voters
