Restore & Protect
The list of projects reflects needs identified across the district.
The HVRSD Board of Education conducted many school visits and staff meeting to determine which projects should be included in the referendum. These include repairs and restorations necessary for aging buildings, such as replacing inefficient boilers and leaky roofs.
Older interior doors require replacement for stronger fire resistance.
Heating, cooling, and ventilation (HVAC) systems are inefficient and at risk of failure. A failure will result in costly emergency repairs or replacement. It could also require the district to close a school while repairs are made.
Roofing at, near, or past its expected lifespan is leaking. Replacing those sections would protect equipment and furnishings inside, and state aid is available if that work is done through a bond referendum.
The referendum also proposes remodeling certain areas and expanding instructional space so our schools can meet our students’ needs.
STATE AID IS KEY
A bond referendum allows a school district to plan and take advantage of state funding that is not available through any other means. If voters approve, this aid can:
Fund a significant percentage of costs versus paying 100% within the regular operating budget.
Avoid the difficulties and extra costs of emergency repairs, temporary fixes, and possible school closures resulting from catastrophic failures.
While HVRSD has always committed to finding avenues outside the local tax base, significant projects of this size cannot be done within the operating budget.
EXAMPLES OF NEEDS
HVAC components called "unit ventilators” heat, ventilate and air-condition classrooms by sucking air from the outside and changing its temperature. At Bear Tavern Elementary, newer models are much more efficient than the older ones at Timberlane.
A pump for Timberlane’s water well broke in the fall of 2023, creating a scramble to find a replacement for this 70-year-old equipment. Establishing a “sister” well there and at Bear Tavern would create back-up systems to protect against building shutdowns.
Soccer, field hockey and baseball players travel daily throughout those sports’ seasons to get to playing fields. That costs time and money. The demand for field space gets worse when rain soaks the auxiliary athletic complex near Timberlane Middle School; athletes are bused to a field with better drainage.
Older interior doors (circa mid-1960s) need replacement to meet safety guidelines in three ways: They do not have shatter-proof glass panels, they don’t swing closed automatically, and fire would burn through them much faster than the 90-minute delay required by current standards. Improved doors would better protect people in case of fire.
In a short video, HVRSD Director of Facilities Thomas Quinn explains the need to replace some interior doors inside Bear Tavern and Hopewell Elementary schools. New doors would improve fire resistance ratings and provide better security features like automatic closers and shatterproof glass panels.
In a short video, HVRSD Director of Facilities Thomas Quinn explains the need to replace some exterior doors at Timberlane Middle School and all four elementary schools. These old, fiber-reinforced plastic doors swell in hot weather, while cold weather makes them constrict. They would be replaced with new doors built to avoid warping due to weather.
In a short video, HVRSD Director of Facilities Thomas Quinn explains the need to replace traditional uni-vents at some schools. These uni-vents typically require a lot of energy while taking in fresh air from outside. Replacing them with modern units that utilize energy recovery would monitor air using a C-O-2 sensor and use the air more efficiently.
SCHOOL-BY-SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS
Central High School
Exterior Renovations
Repair roofing to reduce risks of leaks and emergency repairs, protecting what’s inside the school.
Restore the pavement of the Solar Canopy parking lot.
Improve the Stadium’s restrooms to be 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.
HVAC Improvements
Replace obsolete HVAC system in the 400 Wing to improve air quality and energy efficiency.
Timberlane Middle School
Exterior Renovations
Repair roofing to reduce risks of leaks and emergency repairs.
Replace exterior doors to align with current safety standards.
Refurbish the front entrance to replace its uneven walkway and failing canopy, and remove the ornamental brick wall.
Expand and improve field space for student-athletes with a multipurpose field to keep them on campus. This would nearly end the daily practice of busing soccer and field hockey players to the Twin Pines Complex across town and baseball players to Hopewell Township Municipal Complex. It would meet the district’s safety goal of keeping all student-athletes on campus most of the time. Aside from expanding access to field space, a turf field would overcome the weather challenges of current grass fields. The proposal calls for the creation of two multipurpose fields striped for use by football, baseball, softball, soccer, field hockey and boys and girls lacrosse.
HVAC Improvements
Provide air conditioning in the auxiliary gym and improve efficiency in other gym areas.
Replace obsolete HVAC systems in B & C Wings to improve air quality and energy efficiency.
Interior Improvements
Replace flooring in the auxiliary gym to provide students and community members with a safer surface.
Bear Tavern Elementary School
Exterior Renovations
Renovate the sewer pumping station to improve service to the building.
Add a backup well in case the main system fails, as with an old pump at Timberlane in 2023.
Restore the entrance walkway cover to provide protection from inclement weather.
Repair roofing to reduce the risk of leaks and emergency repairs.
Replace exterior doors to align with current safety standards.
HVAC Improvements
Replace obsolete HVAC systems in the main office, cafeteria, media center, and music rooms to improve air quality and energy efficiency.
Interior Improvements
Replace classroom doors in the original building to align with current safety standards.
Build a 10-classroom addition to accommodate a projected enrollment increase and maintain class sizes.
Modernize areas such as the cafeteria and hallway.
Hopewell Elementary School
Exterior Renovations
Repair roofing to reduce the risk of leaks and emergency repairs.
Replace exterior doors to align with current safety standards.
HVAC Improvements
Replace obsolete HVAC systems in various areas to improve air quality and energy efficiency.
Interior Improvements
Replace classroom doors in the primary wing to align with current safety standards.
Expand kindergarten restrooms to meet state-size requirements for accessibility.
Stony Brook Elementary School
Exterior Renovations
Repair roofing to reduce the risk of leaks and emergency repairs.
Replace exterior doors to align with current safety standards.
Improve drainage to keep water away from the school and reduce flood risk.
HVAC Improvements
Replace obsolete HVAC systems in the cafeteria to improve air quality and energy efficiency.
Install a new chiller to supplement the existing geothermal system, which has lost efficiency over the years.
Toll Gate Grammar School
Exterior Renovations
Repair roofing to reduce the risk of leaks and emergency repairs.
Replace exterior doors to align with current safety standards.
Restore exterior pavement, widen parking lot driveway for two-way traffic flow and better emergency vehicle access, and add more parking.
HVAC Improvements
Replace obsolete HVAC systems and equipment on the third floor to improve air quality and energy efficiency.
Interior Improvements
Replace electrical equipment to better control and protect the school’s power system.
Build a six-classroom addition to improve safety and learning environments for our students.