As New School Year Begins, Christie Administration Tours School Upgrades In Brick Township

Schools Development Authority (SDA) Chief Executive Officer Marc Larkins joined Brick Township School District, local officials and students on a tour of renovations made possible in part by nearly $1.1 million in state funding through the SDA’s Regular Operating District (ROD) grant program.

This state funding leverages local taxpayer dollars to enable the district to provide much-needed improvements while creating jobs for New Jersey contractors.

“The renovations at Brick Township High School are representative of the type of work statewide that is supported through the ROD Grant Program,” said SDA CEO Marc Larkins in a prepared statement. “The Governor’s recent announcement of a new round of funding for additional ROD Grants will offer resources that will help support school facility improvements to benefit thousands of students and create additional jobs in the construction industry.”  

As this new school year begins, Brick Township High School students will now have access to 11 recently-renovated science rooms. This work included renovations to two physics labs, two life science classrooms, three chemistry labs and four biology labs.

At Brick Township High School alone, and in just three years, SDA executed five grants for projects that include the one toured today as well as window replacement, replacement of gym lighting, installation of 2 new ADA chair lifts with electrical hookup, hardware and necessary components and improvements to the HVAC server room. During the Christie Administration, SDA has executed 29 grants to Brick Township School District representing a state investment of nearly $3.6 million at 12 schools.

“Brick Township Public Schools is thankful for the State’s continued support of school improvement projects,” said Superintendent Dr. Walter Uszenski. “The renovations to our schools are helping us to provide facilities that will promote excellence in our students and staff.”

Since the Christie Administration announced the resumption of the ROD grant program in May 2010, the SDA has executed 913 grants across the state. The state-grant program funds at least 40 percent of eligible costs for projects in the RODs, addressing health and safety issues, student overcrowding and other critical needs. Since the program’s inception in 2001, the Brick Township School District has received more than $12.5 million in grants through the SDA’s ROD grant program.

The Department of Education approves school projects to receive grant funding from the SDA. The State has provided more than $287.5 million in grants to local districts since the May 2010 announcement, leveraging projects estimated at a total of nearly $675.3 million.