MOORESTOWN TOWNSHIP PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Focus on the Future Bond Referendum

VOTE TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16

SCROLL DOWN FOR COMMUNITY INFO EVENTS

Students walk through the hallway at William Allen Middle School (WAMS). Proposed projects include a WAMS expansion to welcome sixth-graders, who currently attend Upper Elementary School.

Maintaining Moorestown quality

Moorestown Township's highly ranked schools are a source of pride, but the most important measure of our district is the ability to provide students with safe, healthy, effective learning environments.

With infrastructure aging and enrollment growing, the Board of Education and district leaders are moving toward a bond referendum on Sept. 16, pending state agency review. The proposal is focused on:

Keeping students in their neighborhood elementary schools, which is not always possible because of capacity issues
Moving 6th-graders to the middle school for age-appropriate social and extracurricular experiences
Expanding innovative programming at the high school
Creating safer, more functional buildings and grounds with HVAC and roof work, and drainage upgrades
Adding and enhancing athletic facilities to benefit students and the community
Improving traffic flow and parking
Bringing home state aid that is only available through a voter-approved bond referendum

MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN ABOUT REFERENDUM

MTPS Bond Referendum Engagement Opportunities

🚧 STAY TUNED: Bond referendum process in progress 🚧

MARCH 2025 UPDATE: New project applications submitted to the state

Moorestown Township Public Schools took another important step toward holding a Sept. 16 bond referendum during the March 18 Board of Education meeting.

The board passed a resolution to send new project applications to the state. This step was necessary to allow the district’s architects to submit revised applications for eight projects, starting the review process that will determine state aid and tax impact.

Two updated applications are related to the move of the bus depot, and the other six were prompted by a recent software update that requires the replacement of automatic temperature controls for all building HVAC systems.

No changes are required to nine project applications that the state reviewed and approved last year.

As we await details from the state, the board will consider how to structure the bond referendum questions on the ballot.

Watch the recording of the March 18 board meeting for more information and see the architects’ planning update presentation, which was shared at the meeting.

Follow the steps in the referendum process. District asks architects to assess how buildings can support goals. Architects make recommendations to the Board of Education. District seeks community input to refine proposed projects. Board sends proposal to state for review. District continues engaging community, answering questions. Community votes.

WHY
NOW?

The district has expiring debt, creating favorable timing that would help mitigate the tax impact of a new investment.
Our elementary schools need space now, and that need will only increase with anticipated growth. Some students are already diverted from their neighborhood schools because grade levels are at or near capacity.
MTPS is one of a few remaining NJ districts without full-day, tuition-free kindergarten. Creating room for the free, full-day program would better serve our community.
HVAC equipment and roofing are at the end of their useful life and are prone to costly breakdowns.

Comparison between Annual Budget vs. Referendum - Annual Budget uses local funding only, while a referendum uses local funding and state funding.

Responsible planning benefits everyone

Students and staff: Renovations would enhance the health and safety of our schools and create more effective learning environments at all grade levels.

Community members: Moorestown’s high-quality public schools contribute to the value of our community. Investing in timely school building maintenance and improvements maintains that value. Some of the proposed spaces, including a new gym at the middle school, and new and improved fields, would be available for community use.

Taxpayers: When repairs and other projects are included in the annual budget, local taxpayers get the full bill. Improvements funded through an approved bond referendum are partially covered by state aid, which offsets the amount needed from local taxes. The amount of state aid and tax impact will be known once projects are selected for the ballot.

Here's how the Moorestown community can learn more

Explore this website:

Projects - with proposed improvements at each school

FAQs – answers to common referendum questions

Follow MTPS on social media:

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Watch this website and social media for updates, including community engagement events where voters can ask questions and hear from district leaders, board members and professional consultants.