HOBOKEN – Connors Primary School in Hoboken is one of over 50 school renovation projects statewide that have not been granted funding for the coming school year by the N.J. School Development Authority (SDA), while the new state administration reviews each plan in order to prioritize spending.
Connors School, 201 Monroe St., had been awaiting final approval for their major renovation project, and had made arrangements for the students to move into the Demarest Building, 158 Fourth St.
That building housed the district’s alternative high school (which was planned to be folded into Hoboken High School) and Hoboken Charter School’s (HCS) elementary and high school students. HCS has found space for their elementary students, but was allowed to keep their high school in the district building, according to previous plans.
Now that Connors will most likely not be undergoing renovations this school year, the district is again taking a look at how they will house students next year.
Interim Superintendent Peter Carter, unaware of the state’s hold on funding yesterday, posted a letter on the district website last night stating: “[T]he state is merely saying that the approval of the construction phase will be delayed. In essence, the design stage is continuing even to go so far as state that we plan to meet on this project with state officials [on] Thursday, [May 27].
“[W]e can continue to utilize the Connors building until further notice. An administrative decision will be made on that issue in early June,” Carter said in his statement. He finishes: “May I also state unequivocally that this action is NOT aimed at Hoboken in particular, but is part of a review process by the Department of Education and the Schools Development Authority of all 59 new construction and rehabilitation projects.”
Carter is at a conference in Trenton today and unavailable for comment. An official from the SDA is gathering a response to questions from the Reporter at this time. – TJC