Will District Expand East Brunswick High School Or Build New Campus?

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — There has been much discussion about whether East Brunswick High School should be expanded or a new one built in its place. During the last Board of Education meeting, Vicki Becker and Superintendent Victor Valeski made a presentation of the ad hoc committee report regarding the high school.

The committee included residents who have children in the school system, those who don’t, members of different ethnic groups and municipal members.

The group looked into the feasibility of replacing the high school with a completely new facility as compared to moving grade 9 to the high school and renovating the current building in multiple stages.

The fourth and final meeting of the ad hoc committee was held in June. They recommended that the idea of building a new high school continue to be explored along with “associated financing grants and schedule for a future referendum vote,” Becker said.

“The committee also emphasized again the crucial aspect, the importance of appropriate marketing, public relations to be utilized to support a successful campaign,” Becker told the community and Board.

During Valeski’s part of the presentation, he showed the community a map of the proposed high school site. The ad hoc committee gave their input and the architects kept revising the design to come up with the final “footprint.”

The proposed design is a three-story complex and includes the use of regenerative power for the building and the possibility of another performing arts center.

Valeski noted that the new facility will have a "symbiotic relationship" with the township as more people who come in to watch athletic meets or attend performances, will want to stay overnight and that could benefit local businesses.

The cost of upgrading and renovating the EBHS building would be around $270 million, whereas the cost of a new high school campus could be anywhere between $430 to $470 million.

The time it would take to construct a new building would be 30 months, whereas renovating the existing building would take approximately six years, Valeski said.

If choosing to renovate the structure, demolition and building would take place in phases, causing disruption to students.

"Based on the ad hoc committee’s report, I would recommend to the Board to think about going out to the public and hosting community forums and soliciting input from people with this information we have now,” Valeski said.

To see the whole presentation, click here.

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