1st Day Of School, Full-Day Kindergarten Preparations Underway In Bridgewater-Raritan

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District is preparing to welcome students back on Sept. 8, with full-day kindergarten for all families set to begin as part of this year’s opening.

In one week, "we're going to be opening our doors to our students," Superintendent Robert Beers told the Board of Education on Aug. 25.

He said the district will "welcome everyone back into the halls of Bridgewater Raritan Regional School District" and called this school year "one of profound change" for faculty, staff, students and families because the district has been planning for many years to open up full-day kindergarten for all.

Beers said administrators met for their yearly retreat over two days to discuss goals, objectives and compliance matters.

The week of Aug. 31 will bring new teacher orientation and professional development, followed by teachers and faculty returning Sept. 2 and 3 for in-service work and classroom preparation ahead of the student start date.

The superintendent also updated the board on summer facilities and referendum work.

"First and foremost, the middle school auditorium is finished," Beers said.

He said the district expects to receive its certificate of occupancy within the next week, and board members toured the facility the night before the meeting.

Progress on HVAC work, particularly at the primary schools, is advancing.

JFK School was the last school to have its power shut off, and the building was expected to be powered back up last week so the HVAC system could be energized.

Beers said he was "pretty close to 100 percent certain" the district would be able to tell parents within the next week that students returning to the primary schools will have "climate control classrooms in every single building across the district."

The next projects in line are Hillside and Eisenhower intermediate schools, followed by the middle school, with those projects expected to be completed next summer.

He also said classroom renovations took place this summer at Hillside, Eisenhower, the middle school and, on a smaller scale, the high school.

"Lastly, I've got to say it again. We're ready to open up kindergarten for full-time kindergarten for all families within our district," Beers said.

He said full-day kindergarten had been discussed for years and is now "really becoming a reality."

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