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East Windsor school renovation plan advances; residents press board on safety, grade configuration and timeline
Summary
At a public meeting, residents raised safety and program concerns about a proposed combined middle/high campus (grades 5–8 and 9–12). District staff and board members said designs would keep the schools physically separate, outlined security protocols and said the earliest construction could begin is contingent on referendum and funding, possibly starting summer 2026.
The East Windsor School Board fielded public comments and outlined next steps on a proposed renovation that would place the district’s middle and high schools on a combined campus while keeping the schools separate in function.
Resident Marissa Prior told the board she was "very concerned" about placing fifth graders in proximity to high-school students and asked, "How can a 4 foot 10‑year‑old little girl feel safe with a 6' 17‑year‑old boy towering over her?" She asked how students would be kept separate for arrival, bathroom use, after‑school sports and staffing.
Board members and staff responded that any design would provide distinct, lockable sides or separate buildings with separate bell schedules, entrances, cafeterias and nursing suites. Kate, head of the ad hoc renovation committee, said the board has insisted on a "solid division" between the middle and high school sides and that language requiring a separate building or secure division appears in the motion approving the grade configuration. Patrick, who identified himself as superintendent, said "we have the capabilities to do a secure building and even shut down half the building" and that, depending on the incident, the district could lock one side without automatically locking the other.
The district's consultants from CSG (the school construction group) told staff they had met with representatives from each grade band and with teacher groups. Patrick said that teacher and administrator input commonly prioritized space, configuration and resources and that keeping fifth grade with the middle school had strong administrative support because it preserves electives, extracurriculars and existing middle‑school programs.
Staff outlined pros and cons of returning fifth grade to the elementary school: pros included a traditional K–5 configuration and playground access; cons included a reduction in daily electives, elimination of some after‑school activities and sports for fifth graders, a likely increase in elementary enrollment and additional staff needs. Staff also warned that removing fifth grade from the middle school could reduce the square footage eligible for state reimbursement.
On funding and timing, staff said there has been no referendum yet and no final structural designs. The ad hoc committee is meeting to discuss the financial piece and what the district can reasonably expect in state reimbursement and borrowing capacity. Patrick said the district is aiming to maximize state reimbursement and that, in some scenarios, the state could cover a large share of project costs; at one point staff referenced a commonly cited reimbursement level of roughly 64% for eligible work, while stressing final rates and eligibility depend on project details. He said the earliest construction start is uncertain and contingent on referendum approval and design work, with summer 2026 sometimes discussed as the earliest possible start but likely later depending on scheduling and approvals.
Several residents urged the board to move forward to give students modern, climate‑controlled facilities and to retain teachers. Jason Baoza, a local resident, said the renovation conversation had been underway for more than a year and urged continued community engagement, noting the ad hoc committee would soon discuss reimbursement estimates and town borrowing capacity.
The board encouraged residents to follow materials on the project website (posted as www.ew.schoolpro.com during the meeting), attend ad hoc committee meetings and submit questions through the district’s public channels. With public comment concluded the board moved to adjourn; Heather moved to adjourn, Gabby seconded, and the chair closed the meeting.
What's next: the ad hoc committee will continue financial and design work; staff and consultants will refine conceptual and structural designs, and the board will determine whether to place one or two projects on a referendum. No final vote on construction or borrowing occurred at this meeting.
