Triton and Highland High Schools to See Renovations

The Black Horse Pike Regional School Board on Thursday discussed capital improvements to Triton and Highland high schools during a work session at Triton Regional High School in Runnemede.

The improvements include new roofing on sections of Triton, as well as improvements in the gym.

"The gym still has the original floor from when the school opened in 1957," said Brian Repici, the district's director of curriculum, who led the brief public meeting Tuesday. Repici will become the district superintendent in July when John Golden retires at the end of the school year.

Repici said the district also plans on replacing up to 10 doors at Highland. The improvements are estimated to cost at least $355,000, but will still keep the district under its state-mandated 2-percent cap on tax increases.

After the meeting, Repici also spoke about the ongoing debate about the proximity of the Iron Horse Rifle and Pistol range to Timber Creek Regional High School.

"We're always concerned about the safety and security of our kids," he said. "There's not much real leverage the school can do about enforcing the closing of a gun range, other than the fact about working with the council."

Repici said there have been no evidence of shells or casings or bullets hitting anywhere near Timber Creek, which is located on Jarvis Road in the Sicklerville section of the township.

Neighbors in the area are pressing the township council to shut down the range, which is located on a nearby farm. Township officials say the farm was grandfathered into zoning changes over the years that still allowed the activity there. Officials have hired outside legal counsel to come up with options to ensure public safety and the rights of the range owner, they said.