Voters to decide on High Point Regional H.S. bond issue

On Sept. 27, voters of Branchville, Frankford, Lafayette, Sussex and Wantage will judge the merits of a $10.2-million plan to fund renovations and improvements at High Point Regional High School. The local share of the expenses for the project amounts to $7 million (68.3 percent), with the remaining $3.2 million (31.7 percent) to be funded through state aid. According to school officials, the state would either award a $3,247,302 up-front grant, or make annual contributions toward the debt service on bonds the district will issue to pay for the improvements. The property tax effect on residents of the High Point Regional School District community will be approximately $30 per $100,000 of assessed property value for the life of the debt, school officials said. High Point Regional High School was built in the late 1960s to serve a maximum of 1,227 students. Enrollment this school year is at 1,400 and school administrators expect it to climb by at least 200 more students in the next several years. With student enrollment rising and the building aging, administrators say it's time to improve the physical plant. "We've reached out and are continuing to meet with the township councils of the affected municipalities," said Superintendent John W. Hannum. "We've also met with the Sussex-Wantage Taxpayers' Association, and they have agreed to endorse our budget." We have a highly motivated student body," he continued. "Over 85 percent of our students go on to some kind of post-secondary education. All our students deserve the best education we can give them." If the voters pass the referendum, the school will use some of the funds to transform the five existing science labs into nine general classrooms. New science laboratories will be built in a second-storey annex. "The old science labs were designed for a different style of teaching," said veteran science department head, Thomas Costello. "I've changed my teaching methods dramatically in the 24 years I've been teaching at this school. Now, we all do far more hands-on teaching." What's more, Costello said, equipment is outdated, and there is little space for the computers that are integral to today's teaching techniques. Additional funds will go to install color-balanced lighting in the auditorium and add new seating. The auditorium gets heavy use, Costello explained. Close to half the students are involved in theater, band, jazz band, and chorus, and their performances are a vital part of school life, he said. Other plans include upgrading the woodshop by adding new equipment and installing a sawdust-free partition where the students can safely use computers to design their shop projects. "We've found out we can save at least $130,000 by doing some of this work in-house," said Hannum. The administration also plans to upgrade key parts of the school's infrastructure, including electrical, telecommunications and sewerage. "Between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., flow to the sewerage treatment system peaks. We want to install an equalization tank that will disperse the flow more evenly to the tank," said Costello. If the referendum passes, construction would begin next summer, with renovations scheduled to be completed by December 2007. The school has scheduled two open house sessions at which the financial adviser, the administrators, the architects, and others will meet with citizens. The open-house sessions will be held in the cafeteria annex on Sept. 14, from 7 p.m. n 9 p.m. and Sept. 19, from 6:30 p.m. n 8 p.m.