RTSD Board of Education Provides Update on Referendum Plan

Please direct inquiries to:
Dr. Richard R. Corbett, 973-627-8200
rcorbett@rocktwp.net

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 20, 2024

RTSD Board of Education Provides Update on Referendum Plan to Address School Facility Needs

HIBERNIA, NJ — The Rockaway Township Board of Education has released the following statement today:
The Rockaway Township Board of Education has made significant strides toward addressing critical infrastructure needs in our schools. The Board remains steadfast in its commitment to improving our educational facilities for both current students and future generations.
In September 2024, the Board took a significant step by approving a resolution to seek New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) approval for capital improvements across all district schools. This week we received this educational approval from the NJDOE, moving this essential project forward.
These upgrades are critical to ensuring our students have safe, modern learning environments, and include plans to build a new Pre-Kindergarten/Kindergarten Center at the current Dennis B. O’Brien Elementary School (DBO) site. As part of the State of New Jersey’s call to expand early childhood education opportunities, the Rockaway Township School District is prioritizing these essential projects to improve and provide services for our youngest learners. We are also addressing a series of infrastructure needs district-wide, including more adequate classrooms, expanded arts and athletics spaces, and improvements to school facilities and safety.
However, despite our best efforts and adherence to all proper procedures, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has made new determinations about the DBO property that hinders our progress. The NJDEP has identified the DBO site as a habitat for the Indiana bat (which is true of huge swaths of the East and Midwest) and has classified a storm culvert that runs beneath Interstate 80 and through a storm pipe on the DBO property as a Category I stream. This complicates our ability to move forward with the planned improvements.
While we understand the importance of environmental protections, it is deeply concerning that the NJDEP’s actions are delaying critical upgrades that will directly benefit our students. This delay is particularly frustrating, as it appears to be a result of bureaucratic obstacles rather than any substantial environmental impact as a result of planned improvements to the already developed school site. Given the multiple developments surrounding DBO (including condominiums and the Rockaway Mall), its proximity to I-80, and the lack of environmental issues on the property on existing site maps available to planners and architects, the concerns raised by the NJDEP related to the Indiana bat seem highly illogical.
The Board of Education and district administration, in coordination with local elected officials, have followed the process to the letter and worked diligently to address all necessary requirements. However, the NJDEP’s lack of clarity, delay in decision-making, and unwillingness to provide alternative solutions have placed our community’s educational and safety needs at risk.
We remain committed to our current plan, which includes building a new Pre-Kindergarten/ Kindergarten Center at DBO and making key improvements across all six of our schools. We believe that this remains the most logical and efficient solution. Our district’s facilities urgently require enhancements to support the growing needs of our students. From crowded classrooms at Copeland Middle School and Birchwood Elementary to necessary upgrades at Dwyer and Katharine D. Malone Elementary, to security and accessibility improvements across the district, we are committed to ensuring our schools continue to provide the highest-quality education in safe, modern facilities.
“We have always believed that now is the time to invest in the future of our community and our children,” said Superintendent Dr. Richard R. Corbett. “While the district and Board have shown due diligence in pursuing this important project, the delays we are encountering are deeply concerning. We must work together to ensure our children’s needs are prioritized, and we remain committed to this mission.”
Given the current uncertainty, we are exploring the option of an alternative referendum date, later than March 2025. The roadblocks created by the NJDEP, coupled with the limited options for suitable in-district properties, make it increasingly difficult to meet the urgent needs of our students and families.
We will continue to keep the community informed of developments and any changes to the timeline of the bond referendum. We remain dedicated to securing the best possible solution for our schools and our community and will explore every avenue to ensure our students receive the facilities and resources they deserve.
While we are currently considering all contingencies, we are committed to pursuing a resolution that allows us to move forward with these much-needed improvements as soon as possible.
Thank you for your continued support of the Rockaway Township School District. Together, we can ensure a brighter, stronger future for our children and our schools.