Renovate & Renew
Large-scale Improvements to Maintain Tenafly Pride
Our Newest School is 50 Years Old
The high-achieving academics and well-rounded student experience are among the factors that make Tenafly Public Schools (TPS) top-notch. They are often cited as the reason people move here.
Our facilities do not match the community’s high standards.
Newest is Tenafly High School and it is already more than 50 years old.
Oldest is Maugham Elementary School at nearly 100 years old.
The bond referendum is a financial strategy to to repair, renovate and renew our buildings. TPS already seeks out state and federal grant programs for this kind of work. Using bond funding would continue that approach by capturing state aid for large-scale, impactful improvements at every school.
The proposal includes something for everyone – including residents beyond the school community.
Voter approval would share this investment between local taxes and state aid – and Tenafly residents already contribute to that state aid.
In other words, the state will only "chip in" when voters approve a referendum.
This option is only available when funds are borrowed for long-term capital improvements, not everyday operating costs.
For residents who don't have students in Tenafly schools, this proposal reflects the value of advance planning, the benefits of state aid, and the great pride our schools bring to the community.
The Board of Education's decision-making process prioritized the student experience, improvements for every school, the advantages of state aid and future cost efficiencies.
The comprehensive, well-researched plan can be considered in categories of Building Updates, HVAC, Improved Instructional Spaces, Restrooms & Accessibility, Safety & Security and School Grounds. If the referendum passes, completion of all improvements is anticipated to take three to five years.
Building Updates at Every School
BUILDING UPDATES
Maintaining six schools and the small administration building is a year-round effort guided by the Board’s Long-Range Facilities Plan. TPS always seeks funding options outside the local tax base and has completed several projects that way. Voter-approved bond funding would take care of some routine building updates with state aid to cover a share of the cost.
Examples in this referendum include:
roofing replacements to keep our buildings water-tight
new windows to replace some that no longer function properly, cost money in lost energy, and are risks for water leaks; most windows targeted for replacement were installed when the schools were built
masonry repairs to prevent leaks and maintain the community’s investment
replacement of ceilings, vinyl asbestos floor tiles (with necessary precautions) and interior/exterior lighting to update the look, functionality and energy efficiency of our schools
reconfiguring technology equipment for more functional, less disruptive setups and, in some locations, faster data connections
expansion of the Middle School cafeteria, where lunch currently requires six sections to cycle through the entire student body
replacement of old hallway lockers at the Middle School
HVAC Upgrades for Double Financial Benefit
HEATING, VENTILATION, A/C
Behind the walls and in rooms that house mechanical equipment are the systems that provide heating, ventilation and cooling to our schools. Improvements proposed in this category cover every single building and make up about one quarter of estimated costs.
Accomplishing these upgrades with state aid would be a double financial bonus: First, state aid for this kind of work is committed at about 34% of costs. Second, the projects were included with an eye on breaking the cycle of continual repairs and improving energy efficiency to contain future costs of daily operations.
These projects include:
replacement "unit ventilators," the all-in-one components that provide heating, ventilation and sometimes cooling to smaller spaces like individual classrooms; most were installed when the schools were built
replaced components that provide ventilation and cooled air for larger spaces such as media centers and the High School’s small gym
new boilers that generate heat on a building-wide basis
smaller-scale equipment replacements to support efficient HVAC, such as electrical panels/wiring; steam pipes that distribute heat throughout the Middle School; exhaust to push out stale air; and switchgears
Improved Instructional Spaces to Meet Today’s Needs
IMPROVED INSTRUCTIONAL SPACES
Times have changed since our schools were built. Today’s instruction uses:
programs that provide individualized instruction to students who are struggling or advanced,
specialized services for students who have unique learning needs, and
support functions such as physical and/or speech therapy to keep learning on track.
The district provides special-needs services for approximately 20% of elementary school students. Those services include Basic Skills, Resource Room, English Language Learners instruction and occupational and physical therapy.
At our aging elementary schools, those kinds of one-on-one services and small-group instruction often take place at the end of a hallway, on a stage, or in a windowless storage room that was converted to serve as a teaching environment.
To meet varied student needs, the proposal calls for additions at each elementary school. Additional space would allow rethinking school layouts to create instructional spaces that are flexible and appropriately sized.
At the Middle School and High School, improvements are proposed for the areas used every day for required Physical Education classes.
High School: Renovations to gymnasium locker rooms where lockers are rusted and broken. Addition of a dividing wall that can be used as needed to double the versatility of the gym. Replacement of the wooden gym floor, which has been sanded down so often that life-extending measures cannot be repeated. Replacement of gym bleachers and wall pads.
Middle School: Renovations to the gymnasium’s original locker rooms. Replacement of gym bleachers that have not been functional for years.
Auditoriums would gain improvements, too. These rooms are used for more than the impressive music concerts and theater productions our students present. They are gathering points for assemblies and other large-group events.
High School: Renovation of the auditorium to include updated lighting (trading out hot lights for cooler, longer-lasting LEDs) and sound systems (coordinating the technology that integrates soundboards and microphones); replacing the wooden seating in the rear of the room
Middle School: updated stage and house lighting in the Middle School auditorium to replace older hot lights with cooler, longer-lasting LED models.
Restrooms & Accessibility Go Hand in Hand
Restroom updates such as tilework, stall doors and fixtures are needed in the restrooms across the district. Some have not changed since schools were built in the 1920s and ‘30s. More than cosmetic, the proposed updates would improve functionality by enlarging some restrooms and reconfiguring others.
With these updates, every multi-stall restroom in the district would have improved accessibility as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). And restrooms aren’t the only improvements proposed to expand accessibility. The Board wants to reduce barriers for students, staff and visitors who use crutches, wheelchairs or walkers.
a new elevator as part of the second-story addition proposed for Maugham; the current elevator does not extend to the second floor
a new elevator at Stillman within a small addition just for this purpose; currently stairs are the only way to get to the second floor
replacement of the elevator cab at the High School due to age and frequent repairs; this update would improve accessibility
reconfigured space and restrooms within locker rooms at the Middle School and High School; they currently fall short of ADA accessibility goals
renovations to the existing Geissinger Athletic Complex fieldhouse would create accessible restrooms; construction of a new fieldhouse would meet today’s standards for accessibility
new seating in the rear section of the High School auditorium would include accommodations for visitors who have mobility challenges
Safety & Security in a Layered Approach
SAFETY AND SECURITY
Safety of our students and staff is a top concern of the Board. That’s why the referendum includes establishing two-stage security vestibules at every school. Already our schools require a visitor to present identification and have a verified reason for being there. A vestibule would provide a physical barrier to the main building while that security step is completed.
Other proposed layers of security include:
Bollards (formidable poles or other barriers) to block vehicles from straying onto sidewalks or into building walls
Door and window signage to guide first responders
Protective, shatter-resistant film on lower-level windows to slow and contain breakage
Emergency generators to maintain alarm systems and other basic building functions during power outages; no elementary schools have this equipment
Exterior door replacements with improved safety features
School Grounds to Support the Student Experience
SCHOOL GROUNDS
Learning, character development and self-discovery take place inside and outside our classrooms. For many Tenafly Tigers, the athletic facilities are an important element of their student experience. In fact, TPS fields and courts are used by about 63% of High School students and about 22% percent of Middle School students. Sports teams and marching band events draw visitors to our schools. Community members also use the track, and gyms and courts are used by recreational leagues.
Improvements proposed for athletic fields and the Geissinger complex are explained on a separate webpage.
Flood mitigation at Smith Elementary School is another important project to improve school grounds. The school’s location at the bottom of a hill means rainwater gushes down both sides of the building – so often that sandbags are always positioned at the ready to block doors and vents. A long-term solution requires an investment in drainage methods.
Another project to improve school grounds is the proposed repaving of the courtyard at Mackay Elementary School to replace broken asphalt.