Ramsey Residents Approve $42.9M School Renovation Plan

RAMSEY, NJ —Residents Tuesday approved a sweeping $42.9 million plan that will reshape the district.

The multifaceted plan will pave the way for full-day kindergarten to come to the last school district in Bergen County not to have it.

The unofficial totals were 1,985 "yes" votes and 1,230 "no" votes. The 3,215 votes cast is about 29 percent of the number of 11,300 registered voters in Ramsey.

Of the $42.9 million the district will bond for, taxpayers are responsible for about $32.5 million.

The estimated tax impact is about $288 annually for the average homeowner. The average home in Ramsey is worth about $523,000. The bond will be paid off in 2024.

The remaining $10.4 million is in debt service to the state.

The funding includes $5.8 million to renovate two elementary schools, Tisdale and Hubbard, in order to bring all-day kindergarten to the district.

A second referendum question is scheduled to go to voters in November 2019 to approve funding for the full-day kindergarten program.

The school district led an aggressive ad campaign to get people to vote in favor of the plan. Some residents expressed their displeasure with the plan.

"Our Ramsey home taxes already are among the highest in the state for schools," one Patch poster said. "It's about time the School Board trim expenses and more wisely use your taxes, rather than keep going to the well, and adding more burden to the already overtaxed Ramsey homeowner."

The plan funds upgrades and improvements to security, fine arts programs, and the high school fitness and media centers, among other projects.

Security

Visitor vestibules at Tisdale, Hubbard, Dater, and Smith schools will be installed. Video cameras linked to the local police will go in every school. Door locks will be upgraded and safety film applied to every first floor window and door.

Fine Arts

A performance arts wing, including new band, chorus, and practice rooms and instructional roomswill be built at the high school.

The high school does not have adequate space to properly instruct students. More than 60 students meet and rehearse in the Lecture Hall, which was not designed for music instruction.

The marching band has to cram into the auditorium for rehearsals and there are no small student practice rooms.

The high school locker rooms will be renovated and new whiteboards installed.

The Computer Assisted Drawing Room and Wood Shop will repaired and redesigned.

High School Fitness and Media Centers

A "state-of-the-art" fitness center will be built to help students compete "at high levels and provide a service to the local community.

"Body and fitness improvements have proven to contribute to a student's confidence and self-esteem," district officials said. "Competitors created fitness centers for their students more than 10 years ago. Ramsey drastically lags behind other schools, both public and nonpublic, in this area."

A multi-purpose media center and learning commons will be built at the high school, giving students more space to create radio-style morning announcements, the yearbook, and the school newspaper.

The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math rooms will also be renovated.

"Many of our science classrooms haven't been renovated since the 1970s," said Superintendent Matthew Murphy.

Smith School

The STEM room will be modernized and updated. STEM classes are held in a former wood shop. Updates include a new design lab and 3-D printing area.

New music classrooms will be built, including band and chorus rooms and spaces for technology-based classes, and practice rooms.

For more information about the bond referendum and projects, click here.

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com

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