Ringwood Public Schools Facilities Blog

Hello Everyone,

The Ringwood Board of Education is moving ahead with projects for maintaining our school facilities.  We are waiting with baited breath for the Hewitt Referendum work to begin in the spring of 2012.  Our selected architectural firm, Di Cara & Rubino, is currently busy working on the engineering drawings for the Hewitt work and we should be going out for bids on construction for Hewitt in late winter. The $11,195,000 in bonds for the Hewitt Referendum are being sold next month in September so that we can start paying our architect and other bills.

We are also looking to bring a Construction Manager on board beginning in October, 2011.  The construction manager will work for the Ringwood board and will oversee all construction and refurbishments for the referendum.  He will ensure that all work is done according to specification and state and local code.  He will also intervene on the board’s part when there is a discrepancy or disagreement between the architect and the contractor or a sub-contractor.  The construction manager is always looking out for the district and reports to the board and the business administrator.

At the last board meeting on August 15^th, 2011, the board of education approved the installation of solar panels by the Passaic County Improvement Authority (PCIA).  The solar panels are being installed at no cost to the district and the PCIA’s contractor will perform the installation in the fall of 2011 or in 2012.  The Ringwood Board of Education will receive approximately $20,000 to $25,000 per year in savings for 15 years by having the solar panels installed.  At the end of the 15 year contract, the board may be able to keep the panels generating electricity for little or no additional cost for an additional 10 to 15 years.  The initial installation will be at the Ryerson School and the board is looking to have solar panels on the Hewitt roof once the Hewitt construction is completed in the fall of 2012.

The board is also considering an Energy Savings Improvement Plan (ESIP) for all 4 schools in Ringwood. An ESIP allows a board of education to bond for energy improvements without voter approval.  The calculations for the ESIP must prove that the energy savings will cover the cost of the upgrades before an ESIP is approved.  Lighting and boilers are popular items for ESIPs since lighting can typically pay for itself in 3 years and boilers can pay for themselves in 6 or 7 years.  An ESIP is a much needed means of getting necessary repairs done without any cost to taxpayers.

More information on the Hewitt Referendum, PCIA, and the ESIP will follow in the coming months.

We are quietly waiting for our Architect, Jerry Rubino, and his company to complete the drawings for the Hewitt Improvement Project.  It will take approximately 7 months for DiCara – Rubino to complete the engineering drawings.  The drawings should be completed sometime around January of 2012.  There will be no work done on Hewitt during the summer of 2011 or, at most, the amount of work will be quite minor.  The majority of the construction will be completed during the summer of 2012.  That’s when the “platform” for the new media center and classrooms will be constructed over the Annex of the Hewitt School.  The windows and new boilers should be completed during that period of time also.

The platform will be completed, but construction on the walls and roof and other aspects of the building will continue afterward when school is open.  Everything possible will be done to keep noise down to a minimum level and much work will be performed after school hours.  Once the platform is completed over the Annex, we will really see noticeable advances in construction on a daily basis.

I look forward to the day that all of the referendum committee members, and supportive parents and residents will be able to see the completed school with its new media center and classrooms.  Thank you all so much for your support.

We are getting to that time on the calendar when the school election is right around the corner.  With the election quickly approaching we have two planned activities for educating residents on the referendum and sharing information with them.  This Saturday is the Hewitt School Open House.  It is scheduled for Saturday, April 16th, 2:00 to 4:00 PM at the Hewitt School.  This is a great opportunity for you and your friends and neighbors to get more information on the upcoming referendum vote on Wednesday, April 27th.  Tours of the school will be provided by Referendum Committee members and board members.  Plenty of documents will be available including the Hewitt Fact Sheet flyer, the Hewitt PowerPoint presentation, and the Hewitt Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document.  The superintendent, Hugh Beattie, and our architect, Jerry Rubino, will be present.  There will be plenty of people to answer questions.

 The second activity is the Hewitt Forum scheduled for Wednesday, April 20th, starting at 7:30 PM in the Hewitt School gym.  Katy McKeever and Melissa Griegel will present the Hewitt School PowerPoint presentation and many board and committee members will be present to answer questions.  Our Superintendent, Hugh Beattie, will of course be present.  Our Architect, Jerry Rubino will answer all questions on the refurbishments and the construction project.  Our Bond Attorney, Lisa Gorab will be present to answer financial questions.  We are not planning tours of the facility, but special arrangements can be made if someone wants a tour.  Please inform your friends and neighbors about this great opportunity to get information on their school system and what the Ringwood Board of Education and the Referendum Committee are trying to do for the students.  Documents and flyers explaining the fundamentals of the referendum will be available for anyone wanting them.

 I hope to see everyone at the events and please don’t forget to vote on April 27th.  Every last vote is critical.

On April 27^th, Ringwood voters will be asked to approve the issuance of $11.2 million in bonds to renovate, restore, and reconstruct E.G. Hewitt School.  Last summer, the portable classroom units housing the library, computer lab, and three special education classrooms were closed. Since then, the school has been functioning without the use of a library, technology center, or instrumental music room.  In addition, these and other classrooms were assimilated into the regular school building causing overcrowding and the splitting of existing classrooms to accommodate small group instruction, instrumental music, and the gifted and talented program.

 As a result, the board of education decided the only way to save Hewitt School was to propose a referendum, which would provide for the construction of a state-of-the-art media center (library/computer center), much-needed classroom space, and a new music room.  If the referendum is approved, the building will also be brought into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.  An elevator would be installed, and the entire building would be equipped with the legal amenities to provide for students with special needs.

 The cost for the taxpayers based on the borough average assessed home value of $355,382 is $167.00 per year for 20 years.  The Ringwood Board of Education has planned a forum to present the facts and answer questions on the Hewitt Improvement Plan.  Experts, such as the architect, bond attorney, and facilities committee, will be there to answer any questions.  The forum will be held in the E.G. Hewitt School gym at 7:30 P.M. on Wednesday, April 20th.  Please try to attend and bring your questions.

The Ringwood Board of Education is planning 2 open houses this spring at the Eleanor G. Hewitt Intermediate School.  The first open house is scheduled for 9:00 to 11:00 AM on Saturday, March 19th.  The second will be 2:00 to 4:00 PM on April 16th.  Fourth and fifth grade Ringwood students attend the Hewitt School.  In September, the board of education closed the 51 year old portable section of the school leaving students without a media center/library and a computer room.  Three classrooms were lost due to the closing.  The closing was due to wear and water damage to the building as well as the presence of mold.

There will be an $11.2 million bond issue on the April 27th school election ballot to refurbish the school.  There are two major projects in the 11.2 million dollar referendum.  The first, the renovation of the Hewitt School, is estimated to cost $5,339,276 and it includes new roofing for sections of Hewitt, new windows, technology and electrical upgrades, fire safety upgrades, heating and air handling upgrades, new boilers, new doors, ADA (American’s with Disabilities Act of 1990) upgrades, and numerous other improvements.  The second project is the replacement of the portables with new construction including a new media center, computer lab, and 4 classrooms.  It is estimated to cost $5,856,674 and it includes adding an elevator as required by state law.

Hewitt School Principal Tim Johnson and the Ringwood Board of Education extend an invitation to all interested Ringwood residents to tour the school and gather information on the upcoming referendum from 9:00 to 11:00 AM on March 19^th.

Our next Referendum Committee meeting will be at 7:30 PM at the Ryerson School Media Center on March 24^th.  I hope everyone can make it.  Please sign up for your open houses if you have not already done so.  You can contact Melissa Griegel at thegriegels@optonline.net.

 We had a small group for the last Referendum Committee meeting on February 17^th.  The meeting lasted only a little over an hour which was nice for a change.  We did not sit for 2 or 2 ½ hours going over details.  We went over recent open houses and current feedback concerning the referendum.

It appears that we will not get state aid for this project.  Since Governor Christie has put a halt on all approvals for state aid, there will be no approvals until Governor Christie decides to reverse his decision (if he decides to do so).  This is terrible for Ringwood, since the state has a legal responsibility to help the localities support education.  It means that the average home valued at $355,382 will have to pay $167 in increased taxes rather than $137 should the referendum pass.

 During the upcoming meeting, I am going to ask Katy McKeever to show us the presentation that she developed for the open houses.  I have arranged to provide an LCD projector and screen for presentations in homes and at organizations should they be necessary.  In addition, we hope to get other residents set up with confirmed dates for their open houses.  We will also review how effective our efforts have been to date.  A new flyer will be available that shows the current financial status for the referendum.

 I hope to see everyone at the meeting on March 24^th.  If you want to sign up for an open house, please contact Melissa Griegel and if you want to sign up for our emails, please contact me by signing up for emails from this site.

We had a very good meeting last Thursday, January 20th.  Attendees were anxious to get our communications campaign on the move.  The campaign is to get our resources out and active in communicating with the district in as many ways as we can.  However, we have to be careful that we don’t get ahead of ourselves.  We still have more than 3 months before the referendum date and we don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves.  Our communications campaign will be more effective if we educate our parents, residents, and taxpayers closer to the actual election date.  For example, it will be much more effective to have members outside of the Stop N Shop in April than if we spread our resources thin and try to start getting them out there for February and March also.  We have limited resources and we need to use them as effectively as we can. 

We are planning 2 open house tours at the Hewitt School.  One will be in March and the other will be in April.  These tours will be promoted on Channel 77, our blog site (www.ringwoodboe.edublogs.org), our Facebook page, and through press releases in the Suburban Trends.  I will release more information as it becomes available. 

Melissa Griegel and Katy McKeever will be coordinators for the home open houses.  They will contact everyone that volunteered to hold an open house and make arrangements for support for each home. 

We are still waiting for confirmation from the state on how applications for state aid will be handled.  Information may be provided by the governor during the first week of February.  If no state aid is provided by the state, the cost to the average residence in Ringwood will increases by $30 more than if we do get aid.  The difference is summarized in this table.  Scenario 1 is no state aid and scenario 2 is with state aid: 

Our next meeting will probably be during the week of February 14th.  I will provide the date as soon as we have it firmed up.  Thanks for your continueing support.

On Thursday, December 16th, we had a very productive meeting.  Mr. Beattie had the opportunity to present his PowerPoint presentation on the referendum for the first time and we received a lot of constructive feedback.  It was Mr. Beattie’s first opportunity to publicly offer the presentation so the small group was welcome.  We received suggestions for additional slides and improvements to the existing slides. 

We also went over the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document and I received some good feedback on that also.  I removed Quite a few items completely and improved on a number of additional items.  Diagrams of all 3 floors for the new construction are now included in the FAQ and the document is more effectively focused on important issues of concern.  More changes will be made as additional information becomes available.  The FAQ is designed to answer specific questions for individuals and not necessarily meant for everyone to read every word.  I’m sure though, that many individuals with a high level of interest will read the entire document. 

My highest priority is to come up with a dollar figure for the tax impact on the average priced home in Ringwood.  I am working with our Bond Attorney to come up with a figure as soon as possible.  It is important that we emphasis the fact that we will be getting approximately $2.7 million in state debt service.  That will reduce the tax burden of the Hewitt Project from $11.2 million to about $8.5 million.  New Jersey state debt service is when the government provides aid dollars “plus interest” on a yearly basis over the duration of the bond.  A lot of information on finance is currently available in the recently published Version 2.0 of the Hewitt FAQ which can be found here on the ringwoodboe.edublogs.org blog site.

I know that this is a very busy time of the year for everyone and that many people have other engagements for December 16^th, Thursday night at 7:30, but we do have a Referendum Committee meeting scheduled for that time and date.  This was the only date available before the holidays close in on us.  We will discuss version 1.0 of the Referendum Frequently Asked Questions document that has been on this blog site (ringwoodboe.edublogs.org) for the last 2 weeks.  We are hoping to get enough feedback to produce version 2.0 and to have the document in a final format.  We would also like to decide whether any issues are so important that they should be written up in Fact Sheets which will be single page documents focusing on a single important issue. 

We will also be getting a preview of Mr. Beattie’s PowerPoint presentation on the referendum.  The presentation promises to be very informative and it is one of the visual aids that we will rely on for passing the referendum.  The presentation will also be placed on the blog site in a PDF file.  The presentation will cover the needs for the refurbishments and the financial figures involved. 

The committee is also considering a video production for the referendum.  At this time, the video will probably focus on middle school children who have made their way through Hewitt.  We will emphasize what the learning experience at Hewitt meant to these students.  Of course finances will be covered also in the video. 

Thank you and I hope to see you Thursday evening.

We’ve selected Thursday, December 16^th as the date for the next Referendum Committee meeting.  We will meet at 7:30 in the media center at Ryerson School.  I know this date is close to Christmas and New Year’s Day, but we need to get started on the materials we require to promote the Referendum.  The board of education members have been working on a FAQ (frequently asked questions) document for use with promoting the referendum.  We will put it on the internet at our web site, www.ringwoodschools.org, and also on our blog at ringwoodboe.edublogs.org when it is completed.  I hope to have a draft of the FAQ ready to distribute to the committee members at the meeting.  At that time we can discuss it and add or remove items.

 Our new superintendent, Hugh Beattie, is joining Ringwood on December 1^st.  He attended our last referendum committee meeting and should be completely up to date on the referendum by this meeting.  I am hoping that Mr. Beattie will help us out with a PowerPoint presentation to provide at meetings with residents before the April 27^th, 2011 election date.  We have a number of talented people to assist Mr. Beattie with this endeavor.  I want to thank our interim superintendent, Dr. Sellitti for his support for this project.  He will be leaving the district on December 1^st and will be missed.

 We also need to put together a couple of Fact Sheets for the more important issues facing us and the referendum.  Some issues require a fact sheet rather than mention in a FAQ where it will not get as much attention.  We would also like to have the referendum committee members have small parties of friends or neighbors to their homes for tea or coffee to discuss and promote the referendum.  The board will attempt to provide a knowledgeable member of the board to attend the get-togethers to provide additional support.  We can provide the PowerPoint presentation and the FAQ for support if necessary.

 If you have suggestions on successfully marketing the referendum, please send them to me via email or leave them on the blog where everyone can see them.  Thank you for your support.