In a matter of weeks, Moorestown voters will decide on more than $100M in school upgrades. Here's one way to get informed.
MOORESTOWN, NJ — The Moorestown School District will hold a forum on the upcoming bond referendum as the pivotal vote approaches.
The forum will be held virtually at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 19. School administrators will be joined by the district's architect and financial advisors to help answer questions.
A link to join the meeting will be posted on the district's referendum website.
On Sept. 16, Moorestown residents will vote on whether to fund more than $100 million in school upgrades by allowing the district to issue bonds.
Two questions with various projects will be on the ballot.
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Both questions passing would bring an estimated tax hike of $648 per year — $54 per month — to the average assessed Moorestown home, worth $465,125.
But supporters of the referendum, including district leadership, say the upgrades are necessary to address the growing student population, replace outdated infrastructure and create space for free, full-day kindergarten.
A successful referendum also means the projects will be partially state-funded. Typically, school district must fully fund capital projects through local taxes.
Here's a breakdown of what's on the ballot:
QUESTION 1
Question 1 includes the bulk of the district's referendum vision and about three-quarters of the project costs.
Approval would adjust the grade configuration at most Moorestown schools. William Allen Middle School would add 12 new classrooms (24,500 square feet overall) to create space for sixth-graders. WAMS currently only supports Grades 7-8.
Moorestown Upper Elementary School would then support third-graders, giving it a more conventional age setup of Grades 3-5 instead of 4-6.
This would then free up space in the three "lower" elementary schools, which have the greatest overcrowding issues, according to district officials.
The district would add more kindergarten-compliant classrooms to the lower-elementary buildings. Under state regulations, kindergarten classes must each have their own toilet facility and more overall space.
Moorestown is one of New Jersey's only school districts without full-day, tuition-free kindergarten.
The state recently passed a law requiring all school districts to offer free kindergarten by the 2029-30 school year. Moorestown will be able to offer it by 2028 if the referendum passes, according to district officials.
QUESTION 2
The district's current operations center for maintenance infrastructure is part of an instructional wing at Moorestown High School. If Question 2 passes, the facility will get a new building on what is currently part of the school field, freeing up instructional space.
The operations center would also have an enclosed bus depot — an adjustment made earlier this year after residents spoke out against original plans to move the bus depot to the field behind the Upper Elementary School.
The facility would go over a playing field. But that space would be regained with the construction of three new turf fields.
Question 2 can only pass if Question 1 is also approved.