If you were not able to make the first walk-through event, please consider making time for this one. The Board of Education and district administration sought the architects guidance on renovating George White to bring it up to financial efficiency, sound building envelope, and educational standards. Foreign language classes shift from room to room. According to a presentation by Board Business Administrator and OPTION 4 was: Only renovate the current school. The entire Hillsdale community and its residents benefit from having a strong public school district, whether or not they have children attending. Renovate and add to the current school, including a new gymnasium. At 2021s estimates, those temporary facilities would have cost more than $3.7 million in addition to building renovation/expansion. With just one middle school, we dont have that kind of flexibility. It also includes the demolition of the existing GW School, along with any necessary remediation of asbestos that can be expected with such an old structure. Before and After School Program The Hillsdale Board of Education is in the process of contracting again with the A.C.E. A survey by Realtor.com put hard facts behind the general assumption that schools matter to homebuyers -- 91% said district boundaries were important in their hunts. WebTHE BOARD OF EDUCATION WILL BE HOLDING A SPECIAL MEETING ON THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2023 AT THE GEORGE G. WHITE MIDDLE SCHOOL, 120 MAGNOLIA AVENUE While tending to it, workers discovered an unrelated boiler pump with a slow leak. It includes professional and permit fees. OPTION 1 is the basis for the bond referendum: Construct a new facility across the street. For a school district, selling bonds and paying them back over time is similar to the way a homeowner might take a loan to renovate a kitchen or make other upgrades. According to state law, a person must be a U.S. citizen to vote. Find your city or township clerk on Michigan.gov/Vote . compared to the $95 per month cost of building a new school. Only renovate the current school, with no changes in the size of classrooms or physical footprint. That was appropriate in the 1920s, especially for primary grades, when a class size of 12 to 14 students learned while seated in rows of desks. These kinds of flexible spaces are in high demand, and the school has been meeting that need for years. The company that was consulted for a solution suggested that the pump be removed and brought to the shop for a customized repair. To purchase tickets, please register here: Event Registration - Hillsdale 125th Gala. The school district also offered a Virtual Forum on Jan. 26 so members of the community could hear from experts and ask questions leading up to the important vote. If your homes assessment is higher or lower than the mathematical average in Hillsdale ($474,172 in 2022), a quick calculation can help you estimate your tax impact. Once students are permitted to occupy the new building, the current George G. White School would be converted to an athletic complex with a synthetic turf field marked for multiple sports. It would have disrupted the middle school experience for students. By the time the Hillsdale community votes on March 14, 2023, the road will have stretched beyond the 3-year mark. GW is not financially efficient and not large enough, and it cannot be reasonably renovated to meet those needs. We look forward to gathering feedback over the next few months. , Justin Saxon, speak about the daily challenges that comes with a 100-year-old middle school, and why it is the right time to move our Hillsdale students and community forward. The learning environment of the current GW building is small and outdated. GW is not financially efficient and not large enough, and it cannot be reasonably renovated to meet those needs. In this video, Ms. Gordon shares her unique historical perspective of past renovations and the continued march of time. August 28, 2023. The district also has discretion in when to borrow; it does not have to sell bonds immediately after an approved referendum and can wait if rates appear to be trending downward. The school would also have a media center, a multi-purpose room with stage, commons area, offices, conference rooms, and support spaces. State law requires that labor rates for all construction workers be paid at the prevailing wage, which is based on union rates. Pascack Press & Northern Valley Press After that, Hillsdale would be left with the many unknown factors that come from renovating a 100-year-old school, and some architectural constraints could not be overcome. What bigger-picture challenges exist at GW? OPTION 1 is the basis for the bond referendum: Construct a new facility across the street. That gap in heat and water pumping would put other system components at risk. to find your poll for Tuesday, March 14. In contrast, the annual budget funds day-to-day operations, such as salaries, supplies and regular maintenance. It was easier to patch and repair, to modify and make do without addressing the root cause of a school designed for and built in the 1920s. PVRHSDThe Pascack Valley Regional High School District board voted, 6-0, on April 25 to approve a $65.5 million annual budget for 2022-2023. He founded the St. Pauls Choir School, an award-winning, community-based youth choir educational program in September 2012. The poll to which you are assigned for this special referendum may not be the same one you use for a larger, general election. Even if that registered voter is away at college or another temporary location, he or she can apply for a mail-in ballot to participate. of concept development, new cost estimates and state approval, with a timeline of one to two years before a public referendum. WebJoin us at the Seasons for a formal Gala to celebrate the 125th Anniversary of Hillsdale with dinner, open bar and music by DJ Willie Wilson! That process led us to a referendum on March 14. While it is not combined with the General Election, the rules and procedures for voting are the same. The cafeteria was never built for servicing the 500+ students who wait, but frequently have sink, stall and urinal. Students would be displaced from the building and learning would occur in temporary trailers for about two years. The poll to which you are assigned for this special referendum may not be the same one you use for a larger, general election. at the mathematical average in Hillsdale ($474,172 in 2022). Rising enrollment brought Hillsdale to that point. Page Navigation. Why is this referendum being held March 14 instead of with the General Election? GW has 3 science labs (all outdated) and needs 4. Alternatively, a mail-in ballot can be hand-delivered by 8 p.m. to the County Clerks Office: 1 Bergen County Plaza in Hackensack. Bidding and bonding costs can be higher, but that protects taxpayers by locking in the lowest prices. The process of renovation would have required that students and staff relocate to modular trailers for a minimum of two years. Our financial advisers consistently seek cost-saving opportunities, including more favorable interest rates. A survey of people who learned about the options showed very strong support for the proposal to invest in a new middle school. OPTION 2 was: Renovate and add to the current school, including a new gymnasium. How can voters be assured that inflation wont drive up the cost of a new middle school? The building could not be occupied during this time, and so all of GWs 500 students would attend classes in trailers for a period expected to last as long as two years. Assessed value is the basis for the estimated tax impact of the proposal to build a new school. They can also be dropped into special boxes managed by Bergen County up to 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 14. What are important dates for voters to know? Will early voting or mail-in voting be available? Alternatively, a mail-in ballot can be hand-delivered by 8 p.m. to the County Clerks Office: 1 Bergen County Plaza in Hackensack. The outlier at the time was to build a new school, and that emerged as the leading option. As parents of current and future GW students, they came to the discussion with a particular perspective of current conditions and the impact they have on learning. Students would learn in temporary trailers during renovations for about two years. December 17, 2021 Michael Olohan. We anticipate setting a meeting date(s) for community engagement in the upcoming weeks. During the Board's process, the cost of building a new school was compared to a ball-parked cost of $72 per month to expand and renovate. What would happen to the original GW School if the referendum passes? The approval process is long and involves many steps. The goal is to cover all costs of a new middle school into one proposal so that residents are not asked to make an additional investment after construction. GW has no dedicated space for STEM, like this lab that features room to collaborate on, build and store projects. The goal is to cover all costs of a new middle school into one proposal so that residents are not asked to make an additional investment after construction. GW is cramped now, and that might ease just a little over the next 3 to 5 years. That sent water into a classroom on the second floor, causing part of the ceiling to collapse. There are just five allowable vote dates each year (in January, March, September, November and December). In contrast, the annual budget funds day-to-day operations, such as salaries, supplies and regular maintenance. ENGLEWOOD, N.J.Mark Trautman has served as Director of Music at St. Pauls Church in Englewood since September 2010. If you have a question that is not answered here or another page of this website, send it to [email protected]. This topic was addressed during the Virtual Forum at about time-marker 6:45. What is the timeline for this proposed solution? The recommendation at this time is to manage the leak while waiting for warmer weather. How does the plan protect against a rise in interest rates? That pump is so old that identifiable information, such as the manufacturer, could not be read. To gather meaningful community feedback and develop a new plan based on that, a realistic timeline projects the next referendum could take place no earlier than September 2024. the bond referendum for Hillsdale Public Schools. The exterior of GW has deteriorated beyond major repair. Vote in person at your assigned poll. How was the enrollment forecast considered? More than 89% of that audience said construction of a new middle school was the best solution.