VOTERS APPROVE! Details below.

Proposed Projects

Improved Student Spaces

Learning Environment Upgrades

The proposal includes updates for every building across the district.

Here are the projects being proposed for each building:

Oxycocus Elementary School

Add a two-story structure, to replace the existing modular, that would accommodate current and growing preschool enrollment; the existing modular building is past its useful life and is due for replacement

Alterations and upgrades to existing classrooms within the building to bring spaces in line with state regulations for preschool classrooms

Add a new, accessible preschool playground to provide an additional play area for the current and growing preschool population

Increase Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility in every restroom for students, staff members, and visitors

Update heating and cooling systems to improve efficiency, reliability, and air quality

Replace exterior doors and classroom doors to increase school safety and security

Upgrade the electrical system and information technology infrastructure to ensure that students and staff have reliable connectivity to handle the growing demands of digital learning and support the new two-story addition

Update technology in each classroom to increase capacity and give students the opportunity to work with modern equipment

Install new ceilings and new, more efficient lighting in the hallways and classrooms to replace these outdated features

Replace roofing to reduce the risks of damage and unpredictable repairs that could disrupt school operations

Add parking spaces to accommodate the staff relocating into the proposed addition

Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center

Upgrade the existing HVAC system to improve efficiency and air quality

Ocean Acres Elementary School

Install a new fire alarm system that allows emergency personnel to respond to an exact location, to replace the current system

Replace classroom heating/cooling units, that are nearing the end of their useful life, to improve efficiency and air quality

Upgrade to centralized HVAC controls to improve energy efficiency

McKinley Avenue Elementary School

Upgrade damaged, unusable cabinets with sinks and storage and add storage in classrooms so staff members can properly maintain and store materials

Replace folding partitions in classrooms with permanent walls that support electrical outlets, creating defined instructional areas and reducing distractions

Update the existing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system that is nearing the end of its useful life expectancy to improve efficiency, reliability, and air quality

Stafford Intermediate School

Install new flooring in the main entrance, gym, cafeteria, and stage to modernize these spaces

Replace the broken folding partition in the gym and cafeteria to create more functional, versatile space for school and community use

Stafford Township Arts Center

Replace stage and house lighting and audio-visual equipment that is nearing the end of its useful life so this facility can continue to be used for both educational and community purposes

"Preschool is the foundation of the children's school years. And we want to provide them with everything that we can." - Jocelyn Brown, Preschool Teacher, Oxycocus Elementary School

Why is a preschool addition important to maintaining the program?

Stafford Township School District understands the critical role preschool plays in the overall development of a child.

There is a strong connection between the way classroom space is used and effective learning, according to the Council for Exceptional Children’s Division for Early Childhood. Research emphasizes the role that learning environment plays in building a child’s motivation and sense of well-being and security.

This underscores the need for additional and appropriate space to accommodate all the district’s youngest learners.

The Oxycocus addition proposed in the referendum would give the district the space it needs to maintain the tuition-free, full-day preschool program that is an asset to our community. Without meeting the enrollment requirement, the district risks losing the state funding that covers staffing and all other operational costs.

This kind of uniform, early education by certified teachers can also pay off in later years by reducing the number of students who need additional services or the extent to which they need them.

What’s the Tax Impact?

PROJECT TIMELINE

Voter approval of the bond referendum on Tuesday, Sept. 17 means work on the Oxycocus addition could begin as soon as the summer of 2025 and be completed by 2027. Doing work during the summer months means less disruption for school and community events held in the schools. This timeline means residents would start to see the benefits of having additional space during the 2027 school year.

Health and safety projects that would benefit members of the school and local community would be completed in phases, according to need, in a manner that would be the least disruptive to those who use these spaces.

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