Frequently Asked Questions

A bond referendum is a public vote that asks the community whether a school district can sell bonds to finance large-scale projects that do not fit into the annual operating budget. 

School districts in New Jersey pursue this financial strategy because it helps spread the cost of maintenance projects over time, making it more affordable for taxpayers and allows the district to tap into a type of state aid that is only available with a voter-approved bond proposal.

After many school visits, staff meetings and collaboration with district administration, architects and the facilities department, the HVRSD Board of Education identified a list of projects that reflects needs across the district. These include the kinds of repairs and renovations necessary to restore aging buildings and protect with improved safety features – those are leading factors in this plan. A bond referendum is an opportunity to maximize state aid for the kinds of improvements our buildings need so the district can move away from emergency repairs and temporary fixes.

The HVRSD Board of Education is committed to sharing accurate information about the bond referendum with the community leading up to the targeted vote date of Sept. 17. We encourage members of the community to bookmark this website and visit frequently for updates. The district also will share information through a video, printed materials, local media, and social media. Any questions that are not answered on this website can be emailed to vote@hvrsd.org.

Additionally, HVRSD held a Q&A webinar about the referendum on Thursday, May 16. A recording is on the home page of this website. A second community forum is being planned for early September.

Click to see complete listings of the proposed projects to Restore, Protect and Expand.

Improvements are proposed at the six schools that make up Hopewell Valley Regional School District.

• Restore building integrity: roof repairs and exterior door enhancements

• Improve HVAC: heating, ventilation and cooling system replacements

• Protect with security: interior door and fire alarm replacements

• Enhance outdoor areas: paving repairs, front entrance refurbishments and a turf field addition

A unit ventilator is the heating and cooling system that is inside each classroom. It works by bringing fresh air directly from outside into classrooms and then heating or cooling the air as necessary. The proposal calls for replacing these traditional-style units with a more efficient unit that uses energy recovery. Energy recovery units use a carbon dioxide sensor to monitor when a room is empty and adjust itself to use the air more efficiently.

Watch as Mr. Quinn, HVRSD Facilities Director, explains how these uni-vents work.

The need for expanded instructional space is driven by rising enrollment and evolutions in education. Both have been happening for a while and HVRSD has adjusted to use every space available – including older modular classrooms that are not ideal learning environments.

• HVRSD needs more instructional space for the current and project enrollment of elementary-level grades. Overall district enrollment is stable and our Middle School and High School are not as pressed for space as the elementaries.

• In addition to welcoming more students, our elementary schools face different demands for space. Today’s teaching methods require more individualized attention to meet students’ needs. Staff members provide support services in smaller settings like one-on-one or small-group instruction. Those approaches can be required by law; they also can improve student success rates by addressing learning differences early. In both cases, more space is needed.

Modular classrooms are built in pieces, shipped to a school and assembled on concrete pads. Typically, they are used as temporary solutions. The modulars at Bear Tavern and Toll Gate have been there for years and they no longer meet HVRSD’s needs for quality instructional space.

Today’s teaching methods require more space for hands-on learning. State requirements dictate regulations for kindergarten classrooms, and the federal Americans with Disabilities dictates size, accessibility and fixtures for compliance. The modulars have small, cramped classrooms with restrooms that do not meet size requirements. The rooms are too small for the type of individualized attention and collaborative learning that today’s students need.

A building expansion with classrooms for general education as well as spaces for services like occupational and physical therapy, support and small-group instruction would give staff members the spaces they need to best meet students’ needs.

Additional classrooms would make room for HVRSD to bring special education students who have been sent to programs outside the district due to lack of space. 

We know that inclusive education translates to acceptance in the wider community. Having more classroom space means that HVRSD students can stay together in our community’s schools, if that is an objective of the student’s Individualized Education Program. When students with special needs are sent to surrounding districts for services, HVRSD is responsible for paying their tuition and transportation costs. Keeping students in the district would save those costs.

HVRSD can continue using the modular units outside Bear Tavern as office or storage space, but wants to eliminate their use for the small-group teaching that is a cornerstone of our special education program. Expanding the main school building would improve security and bring all students inside of it. Four of those modulars have two classrooms each, as well as updated heating and cooling systems. A relatively new canopy runs alongside them. HVRSD wants to make use of that investment, but not maintain those modulars at the level needed for student instruction. With new siding and minor repairs, they could be used for offices or storage. 

• Two of the smaller units at Bear Tavern are used for storage only; those would remain. One is used for a security/technology office; that would be removed if a building expansion enabled those functions to move inside the main school.

• Trailers at Toll Gate would also be removed.

The Bear Tavern addition would be at the building’s rear where asphalt serves as a play area. That would be re-established alongside the new section. Two smaller trailers in this area would be removed from the site.

The Toll Gate addition would extend from the back of the building, where asphalt and basketball courts are now. Those would be re-established farther toward the rear of the property that borders township-owned land dedicated to open space.

The referendum includes costs of restoring sections of roofing that are at, near, or past the expected lifespans. In some cases, our schools already set out buckets to collect drips when a roof is leaking. For others, warranties that cover repair costs expire this year. Replacing those sections, or extending their usefulness with new coatings or shingles, would protect equipment and furnishings inside. Voter approval in 2024 sets up HVRSD for this work in 2025 or 2026. Importantly, it would bring state aid for some of the cost.

Proposed roofing restorations total about 126,600 square feet -- more than two football fields. With voter approval, these improvements would feature the potential to install solar panels in the future.

A multi-sport field made of synthetic turf would benefit student-athletes by improving access, safety, schedule consistency and competition experience. Currently they play on fields near Timberlane Middle School; the proposal calls for turf to create two multi-sport fields.

• Athletic field space is in such high demand that players are bused daily throughout their seasons to sites away from HVRSD property. Replacing the current grass field would not solve that problem the way an expansion to two multi-sport fields would.

• Grass fields are at the mercy of weather conditions. When the current field is unusable, players are bused to the municipal complex across town. This project would keep all student-athletes on campus for improved access and safety.

• Grass fields are susceptible to developing divots and dips that can lead to falls and twisted ankles. Mud and slippery grass from a poorly drained grass field can increase the likelihood of falls. Turf provides an even, drained surface. 

• Strong and/or steady rain doesn’t delay play for just a few hours; it can require rescheduling practices and games for days. Synthetic turf fields are built with drainage systems, so rain doesn’t render them useless and schedules resume much more quickly.

• The availability of turf would better prepare athletes for the playing conditions they will face on opponents’ fields. Alternating between two types of surfaces requires athletes to adjust continually.

Much of Bear Tavern Elementary School's infrastructure is original to its early-1960s construction, and newer HVAC systems including uni-vents would be more effective and cost-efficient. The cafeteria would be modernized by the removal of tables set into walls and expanded to better serve the school’s population.

Old doors have allowed water to seep in and that has damaged hallway flooring. Restoring those areas means replacing the doors and flooring. The work would also replace glass-block walls with solid walls and better windows.

A second well would be created to back up the existing one to seamlessly take over in the case of a failure like Timberline Middle School’s well experienced in 2023.  Interior doors would also be replaced where necessary to meet safety standards such as fire resistance.

With voter approval, Bear Tavern would gain a 10-classroom addition to bring students and services from the collection of modular classrooms to the main building. That addition would be built with the future capability for a second level, should that become necessary.

Areas of Hopewell Elementary School’s exterior are aging and in need of restoration so they can continue protecting the building and everyone inside. Roofing would be repaired and exterior doors that are showing wear would be replaced. Completing these types of projects proactively reduces the need for costly, unexpected repairs down the road. 

Inside, improvements such as replacing classroom doors in the primary wing for stronger fire resistance and security are planned. Kindergarten restrooms in this building would be enlarged to provide better accessibility.

Obsolete heating and cooling systems in various areas would be upgraded to improve the air quality in these rooms and boost energy efficiency.

As the "youngest" school in the HVRSD system, Stony Brook needs the least amount of repair work. The low-laying ground around the outside of Stony Brook is prone to poor drainage after heavy rain. Drainage would be improved to allow water to flow more effectively off the property and away from the school, which would reduce flood risk.

Updated roofing would restore the exterior and reduce the risk for leaks and need for emergency repairs. New outer doors would better protect the school by aligning with current safety standards.

An obsolete heating and cooling system in the cafeteria would be replaced to improve the air quality. A new chiller would be installed to supplement the existing, less efficient geothermal system. Both updates would use energy more efficiently in the school.

At Toll Gate Grammar School, restoring exterior features like the roofing would reduce the risk of leaks and improve energy efficiency, and replacing doors would better align with current safety standards. A wider driveway on the school's right side would improve traffic flow and access for emergency vehicles. That would also result in more parking spaces. The asphalt loop in front of the school would be resurfaced.

Inside the building, antiquated HVAC systems and equipment on the third floor would be replaced to provide improved air quality and energy efficiency. The electrical equipment would be upgraded to better control and protect the school’s power system.

A six-classroom addition at Toll Gate would improve safety by bringing all students inside one building and give flexibility to meet the district’s evolving instructional needs. The trailers on this property would no longer be used for instruction, offices, or storage.

Timberlane Middle School would receive improvements to the roofing and outside doors. The front entrance would be restored to replace the uneven walkway and the ornamental brick wall would be removed. The canopy would be replaced. It has lost several translucent panels and the use of that material no longer meets school construction standards. Lighting fixtures are so old that rust prevents access to the bulbs; they cannot be replaced.

A back-up well would be created to prevent the disruption that happened in fall of 2023, when an old pump at Timberlane’s only well failed. Finding a replacement part took more than two days. 

A new field space would replace the current grass field that is unusable in bad weather. Two multipurpose fields would take its place and provide an even, safer playing surface with better drainage. Having these fields would keep all student-athletes on campus and reduce the need to delay, cancel, or relocate athletic events.

Inside the school, the auxiliary gym would receive air conditioning and new flooring. The obsolete HVAC systems in B & C Wings would be replaced to improve air quality and energy efficiency.

Every space in every HVRSD building has air conditioning except the Auxiliary Gym at Timberlane Middle School. Air conditioning for this gym is included in the referendum. Having air conditioning in this space would benefit the high school wrestlers and volleyball players who use it for practice and community members who hold activities in the auxiliary gym.

The district plans to preserve the memorial bricks and carefully relocate them to an area of Timberlane’s exterior that sees less foot traffic. The bricks don’t provide an even walking surface for students, staff members and visitors. In addition, the district would like to move them to prevent them from sustaining further wear.

With voter approval, a six-classroom addition would be built at the back of Toll Gate. To ensure the school's existing green spaces are preserved, a variety of measures would be taken.

The current asphalt play area would be re-created further toward the back of the property, which meets the border of township-owned land dedicated to open space.

The existing courtyard would be enclosed by the new addition and an added fence, resulting in a more secure setting for outdoor activity.

Other green spaces that are in the path of the proposed addition would be re-created by the HVRSD Facilities Department.

Central High School’s roofing would be restored to protect what’s inside the school and the Solar Canopy parking lot would be repaved. At the Stadium, restrooms would receive updates to make them more accessible and secure for students, staff, and visitors. A concession stand would also be added because the current one is outside the stadium’s safety perimeter, which protects against fans leaving the site and returning throughout an event. 

In the building, the 400 Wing would get new HVAC systems to improve air quality and energy efficiency.

The 2016 referendum included funds to build the Auxiliary Gym at Timberlane Middle School and Stadium restrooms that athletes and spectators could use. Fans attending Stadium events could walk to those restrooms. Since that time, new security rules prevent anyone from leaving the Stadium and re-entering – so players and fans now use portable toilets positioned inside the Stadium fence.

The 2024 proposal calls for a new concession stand to be built at the Stadium, and it would include restrooms that are within the secure perimeter and are in line with accessibility guidelines.

The newest building in the district, the Performing Arts Center, was constructed in 2000 and received updated security features as part of the last referendum in 2016. Now that the roofing is nearly 25 years old, it is beyond its expected lifespan and needs to be replaced. It is important to replace and maintain roofing proactively because older roofing puts the building at risk for leaks, damage and costly emergency repairs.

The Board of Education has submitted the necessary documentation for the projects to the New Jersey Department of Education for review and approval. State approval will be key to this process. The state’s review will help determine the project costs, available state aid, and the resulting impact on property taxes.

Upon completion of the state’s review, the Board of Education will finalize the details for the ballot and submit the documents to the district’s financial advisor to determine the tax impact. Details about the referendum projects and costs will be shared with the community so they have time to review it ahead of the vote.

The regular operating budget comes mostly from local taxes. HVRSD uses that budget to stretch the lifespan of something, like patching a leaky roof or spending a little more on HVAC inefficiencies, until we can replace roofing or boilers with bond funding that comes from local taxes plus state aid.

The referendum is an example of planning ahead, rather than not planning and falling behind. We get by year to year while we look ahead to an opportunity to get funding from outside the local tax base. This financial strategy lessens the burden for taxpayers in our communities. State aid is a compelling reason to put maintenance items on a bond referendum ballot. 

The district’s operating budget does the important job of funding day-to-day expenses such as salaries, benefits, maintenance and supplies. Bond funding, however, brings an advantage that the operating budget does not have. That advantage is state aid to cover as much as one third of the costs of important projects. Without that, the operating budget would cover 100% of the costs. A bond referendum is one way the Board of Education looks for funding outside the local tax base.

Tax revenue collected across New Jersey is earmarked to help public school districts pay for large-scale projects tied to educational needs. But the funds are only available to districts where voters approve a bond referendum. If voters approve HVRSD’s Sept. 17 bond referendum, this special type of state funding would contribute about 25% of the project costs. Without a voter-approved bond referendum, this funding is left for other districts that pursue bond borrowing. HVRSD either “uses it or loses it.”

Grass fields require more maintenance than synthetic turf, and our weather-challenged fields are leading to transportation costs.

• Turf fields require periodic maintenance, but that costs less than regularly mowing and re-striping grass fields. Two proposed multi-sport fields would be striped for football, baseball, softball, soccer, field hockey and lacrosse. 

• Busing students 10 minutes each way cuts into practice time and causes games to end later. It also uses district funds daily during the soccer, field hockey and baseball seasons, and any time bad weather or field conditions force a relocation. Turf fields that can drain off rain are planned to reduce or eliminate travel to municipal fields.

The district has employed a budget-driven approach over the years by focusing on facility improvements that save money. For instance: An investment two years ago at Bear Tavern Elementary School installed boilers that heat the building with lower gas costs.

While the Board is always exploring funding sources outside the local tax base, the proposed projects in the bond referendum would be nearly impossible to fund within the annual operating budget. In addition:

• HVRSD successfully applied for a state grant to offset costs of replacing the boiler at the High School; that work is planned for summer 2025. 

• Federal funding related to pandemic recovery paid for a ventilation project at Stony Brook.

According to law, the Board is not permitted to spend one cent more on the projects (no matter the source of funds) without obtaining additional voter approval. With the help of financial consultants and architects who specialize in school projects, HVRSD has thoroughly researched the proposed projects, estimated their associated costs, and included a contingency amount in the estimated total. If actual costs exceed what voters approved, the projects will have to be adjusted to fit within the budget.

The Board is only permitted to spend money on projects that are approved by voters. If the projects are completed and there are remaining bond proceeds, that money must be used to pay back the principal as soon as possible.  Additionally, this funding is paid back with property taxes earmarked just for this purpose – it cannot be used for everyday operating expenses like salaries or supplies.   

The State of New Jersey has a current program for property tax relief and a new version in development.

• Known as the "Senior Freeze," the current program offers property tax reimbursements for senior citizens and people with disabilities who qualify. After applicants are approved, their property tax payments are “frozen” at the current amount, and they will receive a rebate if taxes increase because of the school bond referendum or any other reason. A 2024 law increased the income eligibility limit for the program to $150,000. More information is available on the Senior Freeze webpage or by calling (800) 882-6597. 

• A second plan in development is called the Stay NJ Property Tax Credit Program. Its task force is charged with reviewing existing property tax relief programs and recommending a single, streamlined program for all senior citizen homeowners and renters who make less than $500,000 per year. The plan is due to the Legislature by May 30, 2024, with a program start date of Jan. 1, 2026. A senior making as much as $500,000 would benefit from a 50% reduction on the property tax bill of his or her primary residence.

• Other current programs are the NJ $250 Senior Citizen Property Tax Deduction and the Affordable New Jersey Communities for Homeowners and Renters (ANCHOR).

Anyone registered to vote with a Hopewell Township, Hopewell Borough, or Pennington address can participate in the September bond referendum. If your name or address recently changed, please check whether your registration is still valid. Check your registration here.

If it is not valid, you have until August 27 to register. Online voter registration forms are available here, and printed forms for mailing are available in English and Spanish.

Polls will be open Tuesday, September 17 for residents across Hopewell Borough, Hopewell Township and Pennington Borough. 

• Poll times will be added to this website after the Board of Education finalizes them.

• Poll locations will be added to this website after Mercer County Clerk’s Office finalizes them.

Vote By Mail is an option in this referendum. If you have already requested a ballot to be mailed to you and your address is unchanged, Mercer County election officials will send you a Vote By Mail ballot automatically several weeks before the September 17 vote date. To confirm your status for Vote By Mail, contact the County Clerk’s Office at 609-989-6495 or 609-989-6494.

If you want to Vote By Mail but are not yet signed up, you can submit an application here by September 10 (if you mail it in) or by 3 p.m. September 16 (if you deliver it in person). Mercer County offers additional information, including the locations of drop boxes for Vote By Mail ballots.

When you receive your Vote By Mail ballot, fill it out and bring it to one of the drop box locations no later than 8 p.m. on referendum day. You can also mail it with a postmark date of September 17. It cannot be brought to a polling place. Or you can deliver it in person to the County Clerk’s Office in Trenton by 8 p.m. on that day.

If you show up to your polling station on voting day and are told your ballot was mailed to you, or that you are not able to vote, ask for a provisional ballot. This ensures your ballot will be counted once all mailed ballots are double-checked and processed.