Referendum - Montville Township Public Schools

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Montville Township Public schools Bond Referendum. VOTE December 12

Referendum Forum Virtual: November 29

FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW

Montville Township Public Schools recognizes the need for instructional space, security improvements and well-maintained facilities to preserve our goals for academic and personal growth in our students’ education. Through research, the Board of Education unanimously decided a bond referendum is the next step toward funding key school projects in a fiscally responsible manner.

Projected Enrollment (PK-5). New student rate is up 30% to an average of 9 students per month, since the 2021-2022 school year. (Montville Township Public Schools logo). There is a graph with two line showing projected student population with current housing and projected student population with planned housing. The graph illustrates that 1,496 is the current student capacity for all 5 elementary schools. Current elementary population for 2023-2024 is over 1600, which is more than 100 students above capacity. Birthrates, in existing housing, are projected to bring student population to over 1,750, or nearly 300 over capacity, by 2027-2028. With planned housing developments also added to the enrollment projections, it is estimated that the elementary population will be 1,900, or 400+ students over the current capacity of the district's five elementary schools, by 2027-2028.

Strategic Funding

A voter-approved referendum is a strategic way to fund space and building necessities. 

  • It's the only route to a dedicated source of state aid.

  • All taxpayers contribute, but only districts with bond funding get this state aid.

  • This is a way to bring some state money back to Montville Township.

If approved, a bond referendum would allow additional space to be ready for student use in 2025.

With Voter Approval

  • Small class sizes would be maintained.

  • MTPS would capture $9.5 million in state aid that would help to pay for added  space, more efficient HVAC and improved security.

  • Urgent needs would be addressed at the elementary schools, freeing up funds for science lab renovations at Lazar Middle School and auditorium renovations at Montville Township High School.

MORE SPACE, IMPROVED SECURITY, BETTER EFFICIENCY

SPACE:

Our elementary schools are already above capacity, and more students are expected. Today's teaching also requires more small-group instruction and added flexibility for large, multi-purpose rooms.

  • Within four years, MTPS could be serving 400 students more than the current capacity of our elementary schools. This projection is based on natural population growth and planned housing developments.

Rendering of a new security vestibule proposed for Montville Township High School to meet modern safety standards by screening visitors before they are allowed to enter.

SECURITY:

Systems in some schools have reached the point of energy inefficiency and risks for repairs.

  • In most schools, the classroom heating units are almost 50 years old. Many are failing and replacement parts are unavailable, making it difficult or impossible to repair the existing systems.

  • Replacing them through bond funding is a way to capture state aid that is only available with voter approval.

HVAC:

Systems in some schools have reached the point of energy inefficiency and risks for repairs.

  • In most schools, the classroom heating units are almost 50 years old. Many are failing and replacement parts are unavailable, making it difficult or impossible to repair the existing systems.

  • Replacing them through bond funding is a way to capture state aid that is only available with voter approval.

WHAT DOES CROWDING LOOK LIKE?

Teachers struggle to offer activity stations in limited classroom space; temporary dividers split rooms; and individualized services are sometimes held in hallways. Long-term solutions would provide the best possible learning environment for students.

Personalized instruction, which can help students catch up or keep advanced students engaged, sometimes takes place in the back of a school's Media Center.

The growing elementary population means rooms are not available for large assemblies and interactive programming.

A write-and-wipe board is used to subdivide a classroom for simultaneous, unrelated lessons.

A write-and-wipe board is used to subdivide a classroom for simultaneous, unrelated lessons.

WHAT’S ON THE BALLOT

QUESTION 1

Added Space; Renovations

$53 million to fund additional space at our elementary schools that are already over capacity.

Nearly $6.6 million of that paid from the district’s Capital Reserve.

Almost $3.7 million of that paid in state aid - available only with voter approval.

Tax Impact: $326 per year*

QUESTION 2

Improved HVAC and Additional Security

$17 million to strengthen our schools with more efficient HVAC systems and stepped-up security.

Nearly $5.8 million of that paid in state aid - available only with voter approval.

Tax impact: $84 per year*

Temprary dividers are used to divde classrooms so that two, three and sometimes four classes can meet simultaneously in one classroom.

Temprary dividers are used to divde classrooms so that two, three and sometimes four classes can meet simultaneously in one classroom.

TOGETHER

Total Tax Impact $410 per year*

  • or $34 per month*

These proposals total $70 million in improvements.

  • State aid of $9.5 million is committed to reduce the local tax.

WHAT TO KNOW

Estimated tax impacts are based on:

  • A pay-off term of 25 years would start in the 2024-25 school year

  • *A home assessed at $533,572, the mathematical average in Montville Township

  • Question 1 must pass for Question 2 to also pass

WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF VOTERS REJECT QUESTION 1 TO CREATE MORE SPACE

The need for space and building improvements is a real and present concern that MTPS has been monitoring – and adapting to – for several years. If new space cannot be created through bond funding, the space crunch and other needs will have to be solved without $9.5 million in state funding.

Montville Township Public Schools logo

BY THE NUMBERS

QUESTION 1

Construction of 23 new classrooms at 5 schools

Renovation of 14 classrooms to make 28 smaller areas

Construction of 3 flexible, large-group instructional areas

QUESTION 2

Upgrades to HVAC systems at 6 schools

Two-stage security entrances at 5 schools

For referendum info and reminders, visit

Graphic design element with a "Q" and an "A" in conversation bubbles for Question and Answer.

WEBINAR-STYLED FORUM

Wednesday, Nov. 29

MTPS will host a webinar-styled forum to explain the Board of Education’s plans to address projects on the ballot. It will include the opportunity for questions from the public through Zoom’s Q&A feature.

The virtual forum will start at 7 p.m. and will be recorded for future viewing. A Zoom link will be posted at montville.net/referendumforum.

Panelists will include key leaders from Montville Township Public Schools and outside professional consultants who helped develop the plans.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

  • Nov. 21

Voter Registration deadline

  • Nov. 29

Webinar-styled forum

  • Dec. 5

Vote By Mail applications due

  • Dec. 12

VOTE - Polls open 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.

  • Dec. 12

Vote By Mail postmark deadline

More details and voting options are on our website:

IN-PERSON POLLS

Montville Senior Center

Districts 1, 4, 12, 14, 16

Pine Brook Fire House

Districts 2, 13

Towaco Firehouse

Districts 3, 6, 17

Montville Municipal Building

Districts 5, 9, 10

First Aid Squad

Districts 7, 15

Montville Library

Districts 8, 11, 18

Polls are OPEN from 2-8pm Tuesday, Dec. 12

  • VOTE at all regular polling places in Montville Township

QR Code to the translatable version of the printed brochure: https://www.montville.net/page/brochure

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LEARN MORE

For referendum information and reminders, visit montville.net/referendum

REMEMBER TO VOTE ON TUESDAY, DEC. 12!