To the Editor:
We write today to urge our fellow Hopewell Valley friends and neighbors to support our schools and vote Yes to BOTH questions on the November 4th referendum.
Among us we have had children at four of the district’s six schools, and we have seen firsthand the needs in these buildings and the way the funding from the referendum can benefit ALL students. However, today we come to you uniquely knowledgeable about the needs of Toll Gate Grammar School- having all served now or in the past several years as presidents of the Toll Gate PTO.
This year marks the centennial for both Hopewell Elementary and Toll Gate Grammar. We know that many of you celebrate these 100 years with us – thinking back fondly on your time as a student or a parent in one of these buildings. But much at Toll Gate has not been updated in recent years, and for our little neighborhood school to continue serving our students into our next century, updates must be made now.
For Toll Gate, a YES vote on BOTH referendum questions would mean the updating of facilities and the building of a six-classroom addition which would address three major problems: outdated facilities, security, and a need for more instructional space. Below we’d like to outline how the referendum would address needs at Toll Gate.
Question 1
- Roofing– Toll Gate’s roofs need to be replaced due to expiring warranties and leaks in classroom ceilings.
- HVAC– The Toll Gate HVAC and boiler systems are extremely outdated and inefficient. The current set up means that some rooms are so hot teachers have to open windows in the winter and the Media Center is sometimes so cold the students have to wear coats and gloves to the library.
- Safety– Doors need to be replaced to ensure the building and classrooms are as secure as possible. Several basic outdoor repairs need to be completed to allow emergency vehicle access to all parts of the building.
Question 2
- Elimination of Two Trailers– The two Toll Gate trailers, which currently house three classrooms and several offices, were constructed thirty years ago to temporarily fix an overcrowding problem. In fact, several of today’s Toll Gate parents had class in them! Yet, three decades later they are still in use and show obvious signs of deterioration. Additionally, students in these trailers have to constantly walk outside in all weather and are not afforded the security of the regular building.
- Building Six Classrooms– A recent op-ed asserted that there was no need for the six-classroom addition at Toll Gate, but we can strongly assert that these are essential and not a “nice to have.” Three of these classrooms would replace the aforementioned trailer classrooms. The three additional classrooms would address two issues. First, in recent years, Toll Gate has navigated around a significant lack of space. A shortage of classrooms means that regular classes have been held in spaces usually reserved for specials such as Art, Spanish, and STEAM, and these special teachers have been pushed to carts. Secondly, while current enrollment at Toll Gate is not increasing at the rates of Bear Tavern or Stony Brook, some of the students from the new developments can and will be redistricted to Toll Gate, and these classrooms allow flexibility to house some of those students, helping relieve the burden of large class sizes across the district. Without this additional classroom space, redistricting will be an inevitability and many families who have long called Toll Gate home will be sent to other already crowded schools throughout the district.
- Addition of Teacher Restrooms – Toll Gate staff members have been without a dedicated restroom for several years because the current fix would be exceedingly expensive. Staff restrooms will be addressed in the new addition.
- Addition of a Gym Storage Room– Toll Gate currently does not have a gym storage facility, and as a result gym equipment is stored on the Toll Gate Stage, rendering the state unusable and providing many challenges for our gym teacher. A gym storage room allows Toll Gate to utilize the stage for students’ performances and assemblies.
- Addition of Small Group Instruction Rooms– Toll Gate’s current small group instruction rooms are mostly windowless converted closets. Students being taught in these spaces deserve to be in rooms similar to those in other schools that promote learning.
- Nurse’s Office– The current Toll Gate Nurse’s office is tiny and the only one in the district without a bathroom or a dedicated area for sick students. The updates, however, cannot occur unless small group instruction space is shifted to the new addition, and the new nurse’s suite can fill one of these spaces. This is not a separate project, as implied in a recent op-ed, but truly inseparable from the addition.
We understand that any increase in taxes is a serious consideration. However, we urge you to think of this as an investment, not just an expense. Strong schools are the foundation of a thriving community, and they are directly linked to property values. With the passage of the state property tax cap in 2010, the state has made funding schools without going to referendum next to impossible. None of our board members or administrators want to increase class sizes, leave students in spaces that are not conducive to learning, or cut programs; yet without the passage of BOTH referendum questions these leaders are left with an impossible task. Programs will need to be cut, class sizes will remain large, and redistricting will affect all buildings.
We can think of no better way for the community to help us celebrate Toll Gate’s centennial than joining with us to bring about the updates that will allow our school to meet the needs of our students. For the sake of our children and our community, we urge you to join us in voting YES on BOTH ballot questions.
Sincerely,
Bonnie Lieu, Carina Fanelli, Kathy Belli, Andrea Fereshteh, Tricia Simpson, and Eva Tramontana
Bonnie Lieu and Carina Fanelli are the current Toll Gate PTO Presidents. Eva Tramontana, Tricia Simpson, Andrea Fereshteh, and Kathy Belli are all past Toll Gate PTO Presidents. We all write in our capacity as private citizens and not in any official capacity as part of the Toll Gate PTO.
