Mayor John E. McCormac & Woodbridge Township School District Facilities Improvement Project Announce Ground-Breaking and Start-of-Construction Of New Ross Street School #11 and WMS Renovation Project
(Woodbridge Township) - Mayor John E. McCormac and the Woodbridge Township School District Facilities Improvement Project today announced the groundbreaking and start-of-construction of a new $30 Million Ross Street Elementary School #11 and $20 Million in renovations and improvements to Woodbridge Middle School. The two projects, which include innovative learning environments and adaptations to help educators boost student collaboration and ideas, are funded via a public referendum which Township voters overwhelmingly approved in March 2017.
“Today’s groundbreakings represent a significant commitment by the Township Administration, the Woodbridge Township School Board and District Administration, the Municipal Council, educators, teachers, professional staff, parents, students and residents to improve the future of education for all students in Woodbridge,” said Mayor McCormac. “We are proud to be able to work together to make our schools ‘the best they can be’ – by not only in appearance, but in the quality of education received by each and every student.”
“Our goal is to create students who are life-long learners and it starts in an environment that fits their learning style,” said Dr. Robert Zega, Superintendent of Woodbridge Schools. “By providing an environment that is engaging, interactive and new, our teachers can play to the strengths of students’ learning style.”
Mayor McCormac and Dr. Zega noted that Ross Street Elementary School, the second oldest school in the district, was built in 1920. The new three-story, 87,000 square foot Ross Street school is centered around a large atrium courtyard providing natural light and a connection to nature. The courtyard houses a small amphitheater for outdoor lessons, several “living learning” gardens and seating areas for reading and eating. The school promotes various break-out spaces and flexible learning environments for a variety of learning styles, while equipped with state-of-the-art photovoltaics combined with daylighting strategies to reduce overall energy consumption. Construction of Ross Street School #11 is anticipated to be finished for the start of the 2020 school year.
Renovations to Woodbridge Middle School, the oldest school building in the district built in 1910, are centered upon creating a more advanced learning environment as well as additional improvements to The Theatre at Woodbridge Middle School – improvements that began several years ago and which have transformed the theatre into a modern performing arts center hosting community theatre and musical productions. The WMS renovation project incorporates a design scheme that utilizes the existing structures and includes construction of a new gymnasium and locker rooms, large musical and vocal classrooms, six new science rooms, a Creative Commons, state-of-the-art production studio and renovated classrooms. Renovations at WMS are anticipated to be complete for the 2019 school year.
Joining Mayor McCormac to announce the groundbreaking projects were members of the Woodbridge Township Municipal Council and Board of Education, Dr. Robert Zega, Superintendent, Woodbridge Township School District Administration, Dr. John Crowe, Principal, Woodbridge Middle School and Students, Principal Tammy Giordano, Ross Street School #11 and Students, Ken Karle, President, LAN Associates (Project Architect) and members of the Woodbridge Township Administration.
