Our School
What's Included in the Plan?
Shrewsbury Borough School is the center of our community, and like any building, we need to invest in our facilities to keep it up to date. The district is asking the community to vote on one question that would provide funding for critical maintenance, safety and security upgrades, and a 21,300-square-foot addition that would keep class sizes small and meet the current and future needs of our children.
Our community is proud of its top-performing public school and this bond referendum provides a path to continue that level of excellence!
Critical Infrastructure to Meet Modern Standards
Safety and Security Enhancements
The bond referendum reflects how Shrewsbury Borough School is prioritizing safety and security. Keeping people out of our building during school hours is essential to safety, and these upgrades to do so are the new standard in schools across the country. The proposal calls for:
New classroom doors equipped with instant locking mechanisms that teachers can easily operate to prevent intruders
Two upgraded entrances for Main Office staff to control entry and exit from the building
New ceilings in the 1954 wing to replace ones that are deteriorating
New windows equipped with ballistic film glass throughout the whole school to provide an added layer of protection
Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC)
Controlling temperature and bringing fresh air into our school building has never been more important. Currently the majority of SBS classrooms do not have air conditioning. The proposed HVAC upgrades would ensure that the entire building is heated and cooled to provide a positive learning environment that is comfortable on cold and warm days and gives relief to our students and staff with asthma and seasonal allergies.
The proposal calls for replacing outdated boilers, unit ventilators, air conditioning units, and electrical systems. Our current systems are well-maintained, but it’s time for new ones that run more efficiently and save money over time, both in energy costs and by avoiding costly repairs. This also would help secure our school by allowing us to keep windows closed year-round.
Current Unit Ventilator
Current Boiler
The Addition: Space to Grow
Pre-Kindergarten Classrooms
Based on the NJ Department of Education’s District Practices Capacity Analysis, SBS lacks adequate capacity for its student body. Enrollment exceeds capacity by over 47 students in grades pre-K through 5 and by over 37 students district-wide. In addition, we have a waitlist for our pre-K program.
The addition of three pre-K classrooms with flexible furniture and technology integration would not only allow for more modernized learning; they would also create more space for use by students in other grade levels.
Small class sizes are an important reason people choose Shrewsbury, and more space is needed to maintain that cherished standard. More space also means we can eliminate the current waitlist for the pre-K program and generate tuition revenue for our school.
Aspirational Lunchroom
A Dedicated Lunchroom
Our current "gymatorium" serves too many purposes: lunch, physical education, indoor recess, assemblies, athletics, theater, and more. Especially on rainy days, it is often overcrowded and not ideal for eating and playing. The addition of a dedicated lunchroom would address crowding, especially around mealtimes, while opening the current multipurpose room for other uses. As the district grows, capacity upgrades are not a need that will go away without action.
A Multipurpose Room
A multipurpose room with a partition is part of the bond proposal. This modernized space would live up to its name, allowing for different learning activities throughout the day and enhancing flexibility. It could be used for everything from aftercare to STEM lessons.
Potential Use for Multipurpose Room
