On Tuesday, the district will hold an important vote on a new bond referendum along with the annual BOE elections and district budget approval. This ballot is especially noteworthy because of the referendum, which holds widespread implications for the district with two bond questions: substantial infrastructure updates to every school and a complete transition to full-day kindergarten.
The first bond question would affect all schools, with upgrades to each building’s HVAC system along with renovations for all restrooms. Every school would also reconfigure additional space for small-group learning.
School-specific improvements would include the modernization of the media centers at WHS, RIS and EIS and the relocation of the main office at Jefferson and McKinley Elementary Schools.
Planned changes for WHS include a renovation of the auditorium, locker room improvements and the relocation of the woodshop to an added building at the front of the school. Additionally, the front lawn of WHS would have a driveway loop to reduce traffic during drop-off and pick-up along with more handicap parking.
The renovations stem from a concern that Westfield’s buildings are growing old as most buildings have gone without updates for multiple decades. These updates are estimated to cost over $188 million in total.
In an interview with Hi’s Eye, Superintendent Dr. Raymond González explained how the school district will obtain this money. He said, “It is an opportunity for us as a school district to issue bonds, which are like a loan. We get that bond to be able to pay off the renovations.”
However, Dr. González emphasized that Westfield wouldn’t bear the full cost alone. As taxpayers repay the bond, the district will receive debt service aid — state funding meant to help offset local expenses. “That’s the pool of money that every taxpayer in New Jersey pays into that will then come back and offset the cost,” he said.
According to Dr. González, the total cost of the proposed projects comes to about $225 million, but the state has agreed to cover a significant portion of that. “They are going to pay back up to $57 million,” he noted.
The second bond question will determine if the district will move to a full-day kindergarten system. Westfield is currently one of seven school districts in the state to have half-day kindergarten. The full-day programs would be added to each of Westfield’s elementary schools, and a new wing would be built in every building except Wilson Elementary School. The bond referendum is needed for this to cover the over $37 million cost of renovating and constructing classrooms.
Westfield’s current public kindergarten, Lincoln School, would be converted into a building exclusively for pre-K. Dr. González said, “There are only about five classrooms at Lincoln that serve kindergarten. What you don’t have at Lincoln is a library, music room or art room. At a minimum, we would be able to finally give those spaces to pre-K kids.”
Dr. González also outlined a three-year time frame for the renovations. “The first step is taking it from the conceptual into the practical. The first year is going to be spent designing, bidding and awarding contracts. The second year, we’re putting shovels in the ground, and we’re starting to build,” he said.
On March 26, the district held an exclusive presentation tailored to the Senior class and led by Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Dr. Matthew Bolton and Social Studies Supervisor Andrea Brennan.
In the presentation, Brennan stated that “we need to get [Seniors] off the bench,” emphasizing the need for high voter turnout among Seniors.
Although some seemed optimistic about the changes during the presentation, there are concerns about whether or not the cost is worth it. Senior Judah Kim said, “The BOE wants $225 million for structural improvements, but 2 years ago they were willing to slash funding and teachers from the science and music departments.”
Band Director Christopher Vitale is supportive of these referendums. “Whenever I go back to my high school, I like to see that things have upgraded since I went there,” he said.
With the potential impact on the future of Westfield Public Schools, this is a decisive vote for our community. For more details, visit the district website at westfieldnjk12.org and click the bond referendum link at the top of the home page.