Two weeks after Hopewell Valley voters approved a more than $80 million school facilities referendum district officials on November 17 presented the first detailed timeline for how the multi-year construction program could unfold, from roof replacements beginning in 2026 to major renovations and building expansions running through 2027 and beyond.
The November 2025 referendum, which funds districtwide roof replacements, HVAC upgrades, core infrastructure repairs, and building additions at Bear Tavern Elementary School and Toll Gate Grammar School, passed following months of public outreach, updated cost projections, and renewed community engagement after last year’s proposal fell short at the polls. Superintendent Dr. Rosetta Treece opened by thanking residents for their participation throughout the process.
“I want to say thank you to the community for supporting,” she said. “And for those who weren’t necessarily in support of the referendum, you certainly went out and learned about it and made your decision based on the information we put out there. We’re so grateful for that and your feedback that you offered us along the way.”
Treece emphasized that the district is “very excited to move forward,” and said the timeline being presented is the first of many updates the community will receive as design work, bidding, and construction begin. “We want to make sure that you all are kept abreast of what’s going on so that you can see the evidence of the work that you’ve approved,” she said.
Design and bidding begin immediately
Architect Dan Schittone of Fraytak Veisz Hopkins Duthie (FVHD), who is transitioning into the role of lead district architect, outlined the approach now that the referendum has passed. The first phase is design and engineering work, followed by agency reviews and competitive public bidding.
Schittone cautioned that the schedule is preliminary, with adjustments expected as the district navigates state review timelines, market conditions, equipment lead times—some HVAC components take 40–50 weeks to arrive—and the need to avoid disrupting school operations during the instructional year.
“We are planning for a myriad of things,” he said, noting that every phase will be coordinated closely with administrators, principals, and staff to manage impacts on safety and daily operations.
First construction visible in summer 2026: Roofing
According to the official project timeline, the earliest visible work will occur in summer 2026, when the district will undertake the first round of roof replacements at:
- Hopewell Valley Central High School
- Timberlane Middle School
- Stony Brook Elementary School
These are the buildings with roof warranties expiring first, allowing the district to begin work on predictable, summer-season projects while design continues for later phases.
Summer 2027: Second round of roofs and major renovations
A second round of roof replacements follows in summer 2027, covering:
- Bear Tavern Elementary
- Hopewell Elementary
- Toll Gate Grammar School
That same summer includes an extensive list of building renovations and infrastructure upgrades, including:
Hopewell Valley Central High School
- Pavement and sidewalk restoration
- 400-Wing bathroom renovations
Timberlane Middle School
- New exterior doors
- Entrance reconstruction
- Auxiliary gym and bathroom improvements
- Additional water well
Bear Tavern Elementary School
- New exterior doors and walkway cover
- Interior door replacements
- Gym bathroom renovations
- Additional well and pumping stations
- Cafeteria renovations
Hopewell Elementary School
- Two ADA-accessible bathrooms
- Interior/exterior door replacements
Stony Brook Elementary School
- Drainage improvements
Toll Gate Grammar School
- Pavement restoration
HVAC work spans 2027–28
Much of the referendum addresses end-of-life HVAC systems across all six schools. Because of supply-chain delays—some units take up to a year to deliver—the district will phase HVAC work over summer 2027 and summer 2028, covering every building in the district.
Building expansions begin as early as spring 2026
The referendum’s largest new components—the classroom wing additions at Bear Tavern Elementary School and Toll Gate Grammar School—are scheduled to begin in spring 2026, depending on the pace of agency approvals.
Construction on these additions will continue through the end of 2027, overlapping with roofing and renovation work at other schools. Schittone said contractors will isolate active construction areas from students during the school year, with careful attention to access, egress, and safety during daytime operations.
What happens if bids come in under budget?
Assistant Superintendent for Finance Robert Colavita provided additional context about how referendum funds can be used. If certain projects come in below estimate—for example, if roofing bids are lower than expected—the savings may be used to cover overruns in other referendum-approved categories, such as HVAC.
But unspent referendum funds cannot be repurposed for non-referendum needs.
“If we are under budget, then that money is returned to the taxpayer,” Colavita said, explaining that the district recently completed close-out of the 2016 referendum and will be returning those residual funds over a three- to four-year period to avoid year-to-year tax spikes.
Regular communication promised
Treece said that as construction progresses, the district will share updates through:
- Superintendent newsletters
- Photos and videos supplied by FVHD
- Local news outlets
- Public events and school-community meetings
She emphasized that updates will reach not just families but also residents who do not receive district email communications.
“We want to make sure that you all are kept abreast of what’s going on,” Treece said, noting that the community will be able to see progress in real time. “We want you to see the evidence of the work that you’ve approved.”
