With Referendum Nearing, Princeton Schools Is Offering Building Tours

PRINCETON, NJ – Princeton residents will vote on a bond referendum on Jan. 28, 2025. The funds will pay for space needs and aging infrastructure.

The $89.1 million bond referendum would expand school capacity as new housing is expected to bring around 1,000 units to Princeton in the next five to seven years, with additional population growth expected from existing housing and the next round of state-mandated development.

The school district has scheduled two forums – on Dec. 9 and Jan. 11 – to provide information and answer questions.

The Dec. 9 forum will be held virtually at 7 p.m. and a link will be shared by the district before the event. The Jan. 11 forum will be held in person at 9 a.m. at the Princeton Middle School auditorium.

Additionally, the school district has scheduled in-person tours of the school buildings.

Here’s the schedule:

Community Park

• Dec. 10 3:30 p.m.
• Jan. 8, 3:30 p.m.

Littlebrook Elementary

• Jan. 7, 4 p.m.
• Jan. 14, 4 p.m.

Princeton Middle School

• Dec. 5, 3:30 p.m.
• Dec. 12, 3:30 p.m.

Princeton High School

• Dec. 8, 10 a.m.
• Dec. 13, 6:30 p.m.
• Jan. 15, 6:15 p.m.
• Jan. 24, 5:30 p.m.
• Jan. 26, 10 a.m.

To sign up for a building tour, click here.

The plan has three ballot questions. And if voters say no to question 1, then questions 2 and 3 can't pass either.

If all questions are approved, the state will pay 14.17 percent of debt service, keeping the estimated tax impact at $543 annually for an average Princeton home assessed at $853,136.

Here are the questions:

Question 1

Community Park Elementary School expansion/renovations and Princeton High School HVAC upgrades

Estimated cost: $37.9 million

Annual tax impact (based on the average assessed home): $227

Community Park:

• Six classrooms, four small-group instruction rooms, and two flexible learning spaces that could adjust with programming needs

• Expanded cafeteria; new, larger gym/multipurpose room; larger music room and library, all to accommodate more students

Princeton High School:

• Upgraded “end-of-life” HVAC throughout the building, including around 250 classroom units that control heating, cooling and air quality. The energy-efficient improvements are estimated to provide $150,000 to $200,000 in annual cost savings. State funding will cover one-third of the debt service for these projects.

Question 2

Princeton Middle School expansion/renovations and Princeton High School renovations

Estimated cost: $38.3 million

Total annual tax impact of Q1 and Q2 together (based on the average assessed home): $458

Princeton Middle School is already at capacity, with an undersized cafeteria, STEM, physical education, and music spaces. An expansion would better serve the current population and accommodate anticipated growth.

• Two new classrooms; three new flex spaces that can be used for larger or smaller classes according to needs; two new science labs

• Expanded vocal music and band rooms

• Expanded and appropriately sized cafeteria and kitchen

• New multipurpose room with space for assemblies, physical education, and indoor recess, with off-hours access for community use

• Expanded main office with small meeting and conference spaces

• Renovations to accommodate the move of the district technology department from the high school

Princeton High School renovations:

• Convert current district technology offices into additional student instructional spaces

• Update Numina Art Gallery, which serves as instructional and presentation space

Question 3

Littlebrook Elementary School expansion/renovations

Estimated cost: $12.9 million

Total annual tax impact of Q1, Q2 and Q3 together (based on the average assessed home): $543

Littlebrook upgrades to add space would better support current programming and manage growth while maintaining small class sizes.

• Six new classrooms

• Two small-group instruction rooms

• Renovation of existing student support services area

• New vocal music room

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