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Caldwell-West Caldwell board updates field house plan, schedules May budget hearing; approves curriculum and personnel items
Summary
Board committee reported a revised James Caldwell High School field house design estimated at $8 million to be funded by bonding and placed on the November ballot; the board approved curriculum and personnel agenda items by unanimous roll call and set a budget hearing for May 5.
The Caldwell-West Caldwell Board of Education received updates on district capital planning and budget timing at its April 28, 2025 meeting and voted unanimously to approve agenda items under curriculum and personnel.
Danielle, the board’s finance and facilities representative, said the district is moving forward with a revised James Caldwell High School field house project. Danielle said the current estimate for the first-floor design is approximately $8,000,000 and that the project will be funded through bonding rather than the district’s capital reserve. She said the project will be Title IX compliant and that architect Greg Somjan will present the revised design at the board’s May 19 meeting. “This will be voted on during the November election, so we’re not going to hold a special election like we did last time,” Danielle said.
The board scheduled a budget hearing for Monday, May 5 at 6 p.m. at James Caldwell High School. Brian McCarthy was listed as the presenter for a roughly 10–15 minute overview of the proposed budget.
On technology and curriculum, the board was told the contract for Chromebooks used by sixth through 12th graders is ending and devices will be collected at the end of the school year; new devices are due to be distributed in September. Curriculum staff said teachers responded positively to this year’s EdCamp professional development model and that selected K–2 teachers will pilot a new writing curriculum next school year.
Votes at the meeting: the board approved curriculum and technology items (agenda items a–h) by a 5–0 roll call and approved personnel items by a 5–0 roll call. The board also approved meeting minutes by a 5–0 vote and later voted 5–0 to move into executive session at 8:35 p.m.
Why it matters: The field house project is the district’s next capital referendum and, if approved by voters in November, would add new indoor facilities and must meet Title IX requirements. The budget hearing on May 5 is the public opportunity for residents to review the proposed operating budget for 2025–26 before it is finalized.
Additional context from committee reports: District staff said the referendummer project will be fully funded through bonding, and no capital reserve funds are planned for the project; updated figures and bond counsel analysis will be shared at subsequent meetings and on the district referendum webpage. District curriculum leaders also described basic-skills and K–12 literacy programs and said they will explore how new elementary STEAM spaces launched by the referendum would change schedules and family engagement.
What the board decided: The board approved the curriculum and personnel agenda items and the minutes by roll call (5–0) and recessed into executive session; no final referendum vote or budget adoption occurred at the April 28 meeting.
