Newark moves ahead
with school project
By John Zornow
Click on small photo to view larger version
At a special Newark Board of Education meeting last Thursday evening, the board
unaminously voted in favor of going ahead with a multi-million dollar capital building
project.
Prior to the vote, Board President David Howard spoke about the amount of effort that
had been put into preparation for this day. Howard was candid about the fact that the
project was large, and while most of the proposed improvements are necessary now, some are
part of long-range planning.
All board members were present and excited about the project. Gloria Matias indicated
that she was comfortable and at ease with the entire plan, especially the high school
plan, which she referred to as "user-friendly." (Matias insisted that all school
buildings be handicap accessable to the entire community).
Board member Russ Harris said that the time is now, due to increased state aid
formulas, and the push to upgrade standards across the state. David Honness expressed his
satisfaction with Thomas Associates, and architect David Lines, who put the conceptual
plans together.
Highlights of the $47,693,720 building expansion include expanded instructional space
in all five schools, new library/media rooms, changing Kelley School to a middle school
and converting the 'Miller St. School' to an elementary building.
Board President Dave Howard said that the plan keeps the neighborhood school concept,
and fits what the community and teachers have been asking for. Howard stressed that no
space will be constructed that won't be used.
How is this to be paid for? What drove this project from the start, other than need for
more instructional space, is a revised state aid formula. The only part of the $47 million
dollar project that is not fully aidable is an auditorium at the Kelley building. The rest
is fully aidable at a rate of 90.8%
The high rate of state aid, coupled with $675,000 that the district has in a capital
reserve and lunch funds, would mean that the school tax rate would be affected by an
estimated 2.43%.
The public will vote on the project in February. |
