1	PHILLIPSBURG SCHOOL DISTRICT Presentation to the Joint Committee on the Public Schools October 3, 2005 Dr. H. Gordon Pethick, Superintendent Mr. Roderick Pianelli, Board of Education President Dr. Jacqueline R. Attinello, Assistant Superintendent
2	Phillipsburg Community Dynamics Located in Warren County Northwest part of state Population of 16,000 within 3.2 square miles Previous major employers Ingersoll Rand Baker Chemical Bell and Howell Bethlehem Steel Economic Status: 64% of households earn less than $50,000 per year 38% of students are on free or reduced lunch 135 year sending/receiving relationship with five communities Positive academic growth/redevelopment efforts
3	Phillipsburg Community
4	Phillipsburg School District (Pre-K – 12) Presently - 3,500 students are located at ten sites (including armory & spaces in neighboring district). Forty-one (41) TCUs/trailers (Pre-K -12) Elementary – 7 trailers Middle School – 3 trailers High School – 31 trailers (1,675 students/1,243 “unhoused”) 1998 Long Range Facilities Plan (LRFP) proposed a new high school and other recommendations (additions, renovations) impacted by grade reconfiguration. LRFP was approved by NJDOE on January 31, 2001.
5	Phillipsburg High School History Built in 1927 Addition in 1959 2005 enrollment is 1,675 students 40% of students are housed in trailers September 2008 projected enrollment is 1,964 students New school to house 2,000 students
6	Phillipsburg High School Current and Projected Growth
7	High School Enrollment Growth Program/Student Implications Thirty-one (31) TCUs/trailers 40% outside Health Safety Security Larger class sizes in core subjects Difficulty in meeting Core Curriculum Content Standards Inadequate core facilities Labs Science Family & Consumer Science Industrial Tech Technology Art Rooms Music – vocal and instrumental Library/Media Center Physical Education Cafeteria – five (5) lunch periods Auditorium (capacity 600) Gym (capacity 1,150)
8	Crowded Conditions
9
10	Media Center
11	Art “Studio”
12	Trailers in the Parking Lot (7)
13	Trailers Behind the School (14)
14	Trailers in the Street (10)
15	New High School Project History September 1996 – Four (4) used trailers purchased and installed September 1998 – Two (2) new trailers purchased and installed February 2000 – PSD lease-purchased property for the high school site ($2,100,000) January 2001 – NJDOE approved the district’s LRFP and designated money to fund all district construction including $48.5M for the new high school
16	New High School Project History – cont. May 2001- October 2003 –PSD pursued status as Demonstration Project September 2002 – Six (6) new trailers purchased and installed December 20, 2002 - EDA/SCC purchased the property for the high school site for $2.2M September 2003 – Nine (9) new trailers lease/purchased and installed
17	New High School Project History –cont. March 2004 – architect (NJK12) received Notice to Proceed on high school project April 2004 – PSD began meeting with SCC every 2 weeks in West Paterson September 2004 – Ten (10) new trailers lease/purchased and installed (Clark St. closed) October 2004 – NJDOE transmitted their approval of high school project to NJEDA/NJSCC*
18	New High School Project History –cont. March 2005 – Construction documents (100%) were submitted to NJDCA by the architect May 2005 – Notice to Proceed with site work (Phase #1) was issued by the SCC June 2005 – Site work (Phase #1) began on the high school project June/July 2005 – PSD assured by SCC that the high school building was in the “queue” and would continue as scheduled, bids would be accepted in September 2005, with the opening for September 2008
19	New High School Project History –cont. July 2005 – SCC letter to PSD Failed to approve high school building (Phase #2) in the list of projects for remaining funds, * Noted recommendation - “access roads for high school should not be built.”* (construction on the road and other site work had been underway for two months $35,000 per day)
20	Special Committee of SCC Recommendation for 59 Projects High School Project met necessary criteria Overcrowding Health and Safety Well along in design process Acquired property Phase #1 (Site work one of original 59) DOE representative recommended removing Phase #1 because there was no money to fund the high school building Nineteen (19) of the 59 projects approved do NOT have property
21	Expenditures for New High School Project $2,200,000 - land acquisition $180,000 - environmental studies $10,000 - engineering fees $4,275,000 - architectural fees $1,875,000 - trailers (“swing space”) $7,600,000 - site work (December 2005) $16,140,000 - 2005 TOTAL
22	Road to Nowhere
23	Future of Phillipsburg High School? 2009 - by NJDOE definition = 1800 unhoused students Inability to meet NJCCS Health and safety issues Deteriorating trailers Exposure to the elements Safety and security Increased construction costs for school 2001 estimate - $48,500,000 2005 estimate - $95,000,000 2009 estimate - $?
24	Final Remarks ALL students in NJ deserve adequate facilities in which to attend school. Abbott initiatives have helped non-Abbott districts, too. Abbott students should not be held hostage for the mistakes of the various state agencies responsible for implementing the Educational Facilities Construction and Financing Act. State needs to keep its promise to its children.