After listening to a host of ideas and plans about what the Guttenberg school district should do with a vacant lot adjacent to Anna L. Klein School, and after enduring the district’s ongoing battle against overcrowding, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Robert Penna decided to take matters into his own hands – literally.
Penna, who has a background in architectural design, has personally helped to design a four-classroom extension that could be built on the site within the next two years.
Last year, it was determined that the original proposed three-story expansion to Klein School, to be built on the site of a former embroidery factory that was razed in order to build there, was going to turn out to be too expansive and expensive to meet the needs of the district.
“It was the wrong time economically to expect the town to handle an $8 million bond referendum to build the extension,” Penna said. “It was just too expensive. However, when you’re a little creative, you learn that you can do things.”
Penna took a long look at the funding that the district is slated to receive from the state Department of Education to institute an early childhood program for 4-year-old students and realized that the district could build a structure that would not impact the township and would fully utilize the early childhood funding.
“We have that empty lot, but it wasn’t being used,” Penna said. “So we had to do something with it. It’s a small structure, only four classrooms. It’s only one level. But if we don’t use the funding, then we have to return it to the state and I wasn’t about to do that. When we have more funding, we would be able to expand on the structure, build up on top of it. It has the capability to do so.”
Penna helped to design the four-classroom plan, along with architects from the Hillier Group of Newark, headed by Paul Pizzutti. Penna and Pizzutti combined their talents several times in the past, when Penna was the assistant superintendent of schools in East Orange.
“I helped to design several schools in East Orange over the years,” said Penna. “I’ve even helped to design the last four homes I’ve lived in. Hillier Group is a large organization that has built schools all over the country and just finished the new Niagara Falls High School.”
Added Penna, “Our new structure gives us four classrooms, with the capability of giving us eight more. It will go to immensely help the overcrowding problem we have.”
Currently, Klein School has 920 registered students in a school with a capacity of approximately 750 students.
Some ready for fall
Penna said that the new facility would have four classrooms and two lavatories. It will be attached to the existing Klein School, continuing out the main corridor. He has not determined which students will use the new facility. Because two classrooms are already under construction to be used for the early childhood classes beginning in September, the new extension does not necessarily have to be used for early childhood classes, despite using allotted state funds geared for the mandated program.
“The two early childhood rooms should be ready when we start the program in September,” Penna said. “The rooms will be able to house 60 students, 15 in each class for two sessions a day. This extension would be separate.”
Penna said that the new extension would cost “under $1 million,” but that’s just a rough estimate at this stage. “We’ll have a better idea after I talk more with the architects, but it is definitely affordable,” Penna said. “The money is there. It will have no negative impact on the town itself. And if other grants or funds pop up, we will pursue them. You know we’re going to find ways to get it done.”
Penna said that he has set a timetable for “two years down the road” to finish the extension project.
“It can be built while school is in session, so it’s not going to interfere with anything,” Penna said. “I would be very surprised if anyone had a difficulty with this one. No one had come up with a way to use the land. This is much better than having a muddy, empty lot.”
Penna said that the news of the proposed new extension had nothing to do with Tuesday’s Board of Education elections.
“I’m not political in any way,” Penna said. “The elections have nothing to do with this. The district brought me here to get something done and that’s what I’m doing. My role is to find solutions to problems. Well, I believe that this is a viable solution. I’m completely objective here.”