Bond Referendum Informational Meetings Are Set In Shrewsbury

SHREWSBURY, NJ — The Shrewsbury Borough School District invites the community to several in-person and virtual events in September to learn about the Oct. 6 bond referendum.

These events will lead up to the vote on Thursday, Oct. 6. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The district is asking the community to consider one ballot question that would provide funding for safety and security upgrades, critical maintenance, and a 21,300-square-foot addition to help keep class sizes small and expand the pre-Kindergarten program, the district said in a news release.

“This special vote is important to the future of our school and gives the community a voice and a vote,” said Superintendent Brent MacConnell.

“While our school building is well maintained and a source of pride for this community, it needs to have updated security and safety features and be enlarged to meet the needs of our current and future students,” he said.

The informational sessions will take place:

• Thursday, Sept. 15, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.: In-Person Info Session at Shrewsbury Borough School Media Center.
• Thursday, Sept. 15, 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.: In-Person Info Session and Building Tours at the Shrewsbury Borough School Media Center.
• Tuesday, Sept. 20, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.: Virtual Info Session on Zoom (visit the website for the Zoom link).
• Visit sbs-nj.org/vote to find other opportunities to engage.

Residents who attend the two in-person info sessions can interact and ask questions one-on-one of the district’s architect, financial adviser, bond counsel, teachers, board members, and superintendent. The evening session will also allow for building tours to see locations in the school that would be upgraded if the referendum passes, the superintendent said in the news release.

The virtual session on Sept. 20 provides another opportunity for residents if they cannot attend an in-person event. Residents can ask questions during the virtual session or in advance by emailing here.

“We hope to see all Shrewsbury Borough residents at these events,” said Board of Education President Jessica Groom. “A bond referendum provides a smart financial path for our community to make critical upgrades to the school at a significant cost advantage.”

If approved by voters, the projects will cost $22.5 million, and state aid would cover $4.7 million, or 21 percent. This is money that Shrewsbury residents have already paid through state taxes that they can now bring home to invest in Shrewsbury Borough School, the news release said.

The net tax impact is estimated to be around $44 per month for a home assessed at Shrewsbury's average of $580,785. This is the "net tax impact" because the district will finish paying off debt in 2023 from the last bond referendum and will simultaneously take on new debt if the bond referendum passes. Visit this site for a tax impact calculator and more information.

The district website described some details of the planned improvements. If approved, the district would replace and repair infrastructure, address space needs, and provide dedicated space for students to eat, learn, and grow:

Safety and Security

• Upgraded windows with ballistic film glass, new doors with instant locking mechanisms, updated Main Office entrances, and new ceilings would improve safety and security throughout our entire building.

HVAC and Air Quality

• Upgrades to heating, air conditioning, controls, boilers and electrical systems would bring fresh air into our school building and control temperatures on the hottest and coldest days of the year. Currently the majority of classrooms do not have air conditioning. Having air conditioning in all rooms would provide comfort on warm days and help students and staff with asthma and/or seasonal allergies.

Dedicated Lunchroom

• Our current "gymatorium" room is crowded and serves too many purposes. A dedicated lunchroom would be added to the building, reducing crowding and freeing up space in the existing room for other activities.

Three classrooms for Pre-K

• The addition of three classrooms would expand the district’s pre-Kindergarten program and eliminate the waitlist of young students currently unable to enroll due to spacing constraints. This will help us stand out among communities in our area and generate revenue from tuition. Having more classrooms will also help us maintain small class sizes in our other grade levels.

Multipurpose Room

• A multipurpose room with a partition would meet the flexible and fluid needs of the district with potential uses ranging from STEAM lessons to aftercare.