District staff propose $1.3 million elementary reconfiguration to add classrooms and tighten library security

Administration presented a plan to reconfigure spaces at the Salisbury Township elementary school (SCES) aimed at creating classroom capacity and improving security.

Andrew, the presenter, told the committee the preferred option converts the APOD kindergarten wing from four large rooms into six classroom‑sized spaces averaging about 850–890 square feet. He said the work would be a full renovation — new walls, ceilings, lights, HVAC adjustments, expanded electrical and data, and new casework — rather than selective demolition. He said converting B‑pod toilet rooms into a classroom was not feasible after a fixture‑count/code review.

The administration also proposed closing part of the existing library and building full‑height stud walls and double doors so the space could be secured; vision panels would maintain sight lines. The proposal includes a small conference/sensory room rather than a full classroom, the addition of sound‑dampening insulation where needed, and security film on remaining glass to slow forced entry. The library books would be reviewed with library staff to determine which volumes to keep or relocate.

Lynn and Bill summarized budget estimates: roughly $1 million to reconfigure the classroom wing, about $300,000 for the library work, and minimal cost for the daycare door modifications — about $1.3 million for construction before soft costs and contingency. Bill offered alternatives: a six‑classroom permanent modular system (with its own bathrooms) at approximately $2.5 million (including soft costs and contingency) and a single‑story brick‑and‑mortar attached option estimated at about $6.3 million.

Board members pressed on classroom size and operational impacts. Several members said intervention classrooms — which sometimes house multiple adults working with students — would shrink under the plan, a concern echoed by administration and acknowledged as an important tradeoff. The administration said kindergarten teachers routinely function in smaller rooms and that the proposed sizes are comparable to modern elementary classrooms.

The administration recommended more consultation with teachers and staff who would be affected. It told the board it would prepare construction documents in the fall, seek township approvals during the fall, bid in December–January, and target an early‑summer 2025 construction window if the board directs the project forward. Administration said it would return next month with a recommendation that includes proposed funding sources (fund balance vs. capital or other options).

The chair and operations lead thanked the presenters; the board did not take a final action on the reconfiguration and asked administration to return with a funding recommendation.