With School Bond OK, Shrewsbury Looks Ahead To Bidding Process

SHREWSBURY, NJ — With the approval of a $22.5 million bond referendum, Shrewsbury Borough School will now "proceed with critical infrastructure and safety improvements," as well as construction of a 21,300-square-foot addition, the school district said Friday.

“My most heartfelt ‘thank you’ to the community for learning about this plan, and ultimately supporting it,” said Board of Education President Jessica Groom.

Residents Thursday voted 817 to 445 in favor of the referendum, according to unofficial figures from the Monmouth County Elections Office. The results are unofficial because of mail-in voting that continues the ballot count after Election Day.

“As a community, we are proud of Shrewsbury Borough School and want the best for our children; I'm grateful to see that reflected in the poll numbers,” Groom said.

School Superintendent Brent MacConnell agreed, expressing his thanks to the community.

“With the bond referendum approved by Shrewsbury, we can make the changes necessary to make sure our children have a comfortable school with space to eat, grow, and play,” he said.

“We especially want to thank all the members of our community that attended our forums, tours, and more. All your questions, research, and support helped us throughout this process, as we formed a plan that was fiscally responsible and provided a future vision for our school.”

The improvements will start soon, as the bidding process for the construction begins, the school said.

The funds will be used to pay for safety and security upgrades, such as windows with ballistic proof glass, new instant-locking classroom doors, and securer front entrances. It will also fund upgrades to heating, air conditioning, controls, boilers, and electrical systems to provide year-round temperature controls.

The addition will include three pre-Kindergarten classrooms to allow the district to expand the program and eliminate the current waitlist for Shrewsbury families, as well as a dedicated lunchroom and multipurpose room.

Learn more about the upgrades to Shrewsbury Borough School at sbs-nj.org/vote.

State aid will cover 21 percent of the costs for these projects, bringing tax money Shrewsbury residents already paid back to the community.