Aging heating systems, outdated bleachers, and leaky roofs – the students of Wayne Valley High School have encountered almost all of these. Our school and many schools in the district are in need of repairs. Wayne Valley, which was built in the 1960s, may be able to get these necessary repairs through a bond referendum.  The district website defines a bond referendum as a way for school districts to “…to borrow money, spread out construction costs and capture state aid that is only available through a passing vote. For WTPS (Wayne Township Public Schools), this state aid would total about $39 million.” 

At Wayne Valley, this money will go to projects like elevators for accessibility, infrastructure repairs, HVAC updates, locker room upgrades, and safer bleachers. Other projects across the district will include safety vestibules, energy upgrades, new classrooms, and expanding pre-k services. The biggest project will be building a new elementary school with 24 classrooms to help with the rising population and new apartment complexes. 

Since property taxes are capped, a referendum is necessary and “…the owner of a home assessed at Wayne’s average could expect to pay $370 per year for these improvements.”  Wayne has used bonds in the past when building Anthony Wayne Middle School. In fact, since that debt has finished, a homeowner will actually expect to pay “$254/year.” If Wayne does not pass the referendum, the entire cost of any of these repairs and upgrades will be funded by the local annual taxes.

Wayne Valley High School teacher, Mrs. Sanzari, explains, “This referendum passing is in the best interest for our students, current and future. As an educator, my students’ needs are at the forefront of importance, and those cannot be met under the current conditions in some of the school buildings.”

English teacher Mrs. Solomon elaborates, “The environment of the building is essential to student’s learning along with teachers. Everything affects learning, the air temp, the environment; student’s need to be in an environment that fosters learning. This type of environment increases creativity and motivation that students need, as well as resources that are up to date and accessible.”

“The HVAC upgrades for Wayne Valley are needed. Half of the school is freezing and the other half is too hot. Having a comfortable environment facilitates learning and I just want to ensure the safety and comfort of my students at all times. These upgrades will help do that,” adds another Wayne Valley teacher. 

The building has had issues over the years that need to be addressed whether or not the bond passes. “During the last bad storm the roof above the media center leaked; we lost a computer and some books. These repairs would greatly help Wayne Valley,” says Wayne Valley’s media center specialist Mrs. Foster.

Some citizens including the mayor have raised some concerns about the budget and the cost of the referendum. Current Wayne Education Association President, Rob Sarti, explains, “We need this much money just to make our schools a safe environment. This is why it is imperative that we support the referendum.” One other issue people in the community have brought up is the lack of new building with this bond.  The building of a new elementary school at Preakness will help with the rise in population as new developments are built. In addition, the repairs and important upgrades are time sensitive and need to happen. The vote will determine if it will come completely from our taxes over the course of many years or if it will be subsidized by the state through the bonds over the course of five years. 

If voters approve the referendum, the bonds will be sold and then paid back through property taxes over time. If this referendum is voted down, many of these projects will still need to be completed. Wayne parent and Wayne Valley teacher Mrs. Nazarko explains, “As a parent of two students in Wayne, and a teacher at Wayne Valley, I cannot imagine what we will do if this referendum doesn’t pass. Students deserve small class sizes, safe buildings, and healthy classrooms.”