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Shrewsbury Boro School District Moves Forward with Referendum Work
With 2025 under way, we are seeing more progress at SBS. Ben Harvey Construction has made great progress on the interior block chase walls for our new addition, which will house three classrooms and a lunchroom. Installation of the curtainwall frames is under way as well as glazing in the breezeway. Work is also progressing on the roof.
Work has been completed on our new boiler room, and we are currently using our new boiler, which means that we will be able to keep our school warm much more efficiently this winter. Our new landscaping work has been completed, giving our exterior a more pleasing look for our students, families, staff and our neighbors on Obre Place.
Our teachers and students in the classrooms which received new windows with roller blinds are enjoying the shade on sunny days. These new energy efficient blinds are also keeping our classrooms warmer in the winter and will keep it cooler in the summer.
We are excited to share this update with you and plan to provide regular updates as work progresses.
At a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday, Feb. 26, Shrewsbury Borough School (SBS) administrators and Board of Education members celebrated a moment that will benefit children in the borough for decades to come. They honored the start of construction on an addition approved by voters in a 2022 bond referendum.
“This groundbreaking is the result of many years of planning for how to meet the needs of SBS’s current and future students and maintain the level of excellence that the borough community expects from its school,” said Superintendent Brent MacConnell. “We are excited to begin construction and to make progress on this community vision for the future.”
In October 2022, Shrewsbury voters approved a $22.5 million referendum for critical infrastructure and safety improvements and construction of a 21,300-square-foot addition to the pre-K-8 school.
We’re a small, tight-knit community that takes great pride in our top-performing public school. It’s why many of us choose to live and raise our families here.
With an astounding 31% turnout for the vote, the community gave the Board of Education approval to borrow funds to pay for safety and security upgrades, such as windows with ballistic proof glass, new instant-locking classroom doors, and securer front entrances. The school will also use the funds to upgrade heating, air conditioning, controls, boilers, and electrical systems to provide year-round temperature controls.
The addition will include three pre-K classrooms to allow the school to expand its early education program and eliminate the current waitlist for Shrewsbury families. It will also house a dedicated lunchroom and multipurpose room
"This is a wonderful day for Shrewsbury, and we are so pleased that so many people could share this special day with us," said Board of Education President Jessica Groom. “Our children and future children will benefit from the school addition and other upgrades. This is part of a special vision we have for our school and borough.”
As construction proceeds, the school and borough communities will see regular updates on SBS’s website and social media. Please follow Shrewsbury Boro School on Facebook.
Questions? Email referendum@sbs-nj.org
What is a Bond Referendum?
What is a Bond Referendum?
A bond referendum is simply a community vote to authorize the school district to borrow funds through the sale of bonds. This funding method is similar to the way a homeowner uses a home equity loan to pay for a new roof. A school district sells bonds to generate upfront funding for projects that would significantly strain the day-to-day operating budget.
School districts use this financial tool for another important reason: state aid. This exclusive state aid is only available to school districts with voter-approved bonds and comes from taxes collected across New Jersey. Voter approval of the bond referendum means Shrewsbury Borough residents bring back to our community some of the money we have already paid to the state through taxes.
What projects are planned?
What projects are planned?
The proposal calls for major improvements in our schools. If approved, we 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 SBS 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.
Potential location for addition
How much will projects cost?
How much will projects cost?
The proposed projects are estimated to cost $22.5 million. If approved by voters, the state will give the district $4.7 million, which is 21% of the project costs. This is money that Shrewsbury residents paid through state taxes that can only be brought back to Shrewsbury to invest in the school through a voter-approved bond referendum.
The owner of an average assessed home in Shrewsbury ($580,785) can expect to pay $44 a month if the bond referendum passes. This is the "net tax impact" for Shrewsbury residents after the district finishes paying off debt from the last bond referendum in 2023.
This strategy — timing the expiration of old debt and acquisition of new debt — allows the district to keep the tax rate steady over time, while continually investing in needed repairs and renovation.
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