In a rare situation, the Washington School Board held two meetings at separate locations Thursday evening. The first meeting was held at the school system’s Central Office. Because the annual budget was on the agenda, the Board had previously posted the location as the Central Office. In the meantime, reports on the proposed renovation to Washington Primary were presented, and the Board wanted to hold a public meeting to get public comment on the proposed design. And that meeting was held in the primary school’s cafeteria immediately following the business meeting.
During the first meeting, the Board approved the budget for next year, approved the annual cash flow resolution, and updated school policies to mirror changes by the State Legislature. The Board accepted a recommendation to raise the price for adult meals at the school cafeteria to $5.25 and amended the school calendar to make Good Friday a day off instead of a make-up day. The Board approved out-of-state or overnight trips by the FFA, NJROTC, WHS Advanced Choirs, Beta Club, and the Robotics Team. In personnel matters, the Board approved a leave for elementary teacher Paytan Williams-Garcia. The Board accepted resignations from bus driver LaRie Adams and elementary aide Sarah Swartzentruber. The Board also approved appointments for David Duperval as student translation intern, Mary Padgett and Janet Stuckey as WIDA prescreen testers, Rachel Wildman to fill a leave at Veale, and Alandas Lyford as an elementary instructional assistant. The Board also approved several ECA appointments. In business leading to the building project, the Board approved resolutions regarding the purchase of a sliver of property on the radio tower property next to the Primary School to provide better drop-off and pick-up space for primary students.
After the business meeting, the School Board opened a public work session at Washington Primary and heard reports from the design team and from representatives of Hagerman, the lead contractor of the Progressive Design-Build team. Superintendent Kevin Frank reviewed the process leading to the current design proposal. Frank said the process began two years ago with a Facilities Review Committee consisting of 60 community members. Frank said this led to several public work sessions last year where the public had the opportunity to comment. Frank and Board President Scott Arthur emphasized that the current proposed project isn’t a final solution but is a step in the right direction to address the school system’s future needs.
Washington Primary Principal Kristin Murphy then talked about the design focus. Murphy said the desire was to have a space created especially for primary students. She said the proposed design would allow for the grouping of grade level classes. After the renovation there will be ten classrooms for each of the three grade levels pods. There will also be a new parent-friendly and secure entrance where all students can enter and leave the building from the same place. Plans are for the entrance to be on the east side of the building, which will provide for a more efficient traffic flow for buses and personal vehicles.
Hagerman representatives then discussed considerations that led to the proposed design. Since the construction will be taking place during the school year, Hagerman’s representatives talked about their “mini-hard hat” program, where students can get a first hand view and understanding of the construction going on around them. The proposed design will be on the agenda at the October Board meeting.
