The township school district spent part of summer preparing for the 2025-’26 academic year with new curriculum plans and construction projects across its schools.
Among them was the adoption of a five-year strategic plan to provide a blueprint of the district’s vision, mission, goals and core values going forward, along with specific actions and strategies.
“It is a lengthy document, quite a bit of information there,” said Superintendent Dr. Kwame Morton, “but that truly frames the direction for the next five years.”
The district has established what it calls the Portrait of a Graduate to outline attributes and characteristics it hopes students will attain as they progress through the school system.
“The attributes and characteristics are needed to be successful while they’re with us absolutely,” Morton explained, “but more importantly, those that they (the students) need to be successful in this uncertain future world … to help them to become future ready.”
Several construction projects are underway, the result of a $363 million bond referendum approved in 2022 to address infrastructure and modernization of facilities.
Of the 12 elementary schools in the township, six had smaller all-purpose rooms for large gatherings. To improve safety, those spaces were expanded at Clara Barton, A. Russell Knight, James Johnson, Horace Mann, Joseph D. Sharp and Kingston elementary schools.
“We were floored by just how outstanding the project had really come together,” Morton enthused. “I was floored by just the amount of space that was added.”
Estelle V. Malberg Early Childhood Education Center has three significant projects ongoing. The building’s facade is being redone, a new bus loop to alleviate congestion has been installed and one wing of classrooms now has more bathrooms.
“Historically, a part of the building had bathrooms inside of the rooms,” Morton said. “There’s another section that did not have bathrooms inside, so the bathrooms have been added.”
An expansion is happening at the back of Malberg to add eight preschool classrooms, partly the result of aid from the state. Joyce Kilmer Elementary also had its bus loop updated and is getting eight additional classrooms to accommodate preschoolers.
“I think it’s going to be absolutely needed with the additional students that will be joining preschool, but absolutely needed for that community,” Morton emphasized. “So that’s a great enhancement and upgrade.”
West High now has an accessible walkway for the disabled around its stadium.
“Let’s say an individual came in their own wheelchair,” Morton offered. “Up to a certain point, there was concrete, but after that, in order to access the next point, (people) would have to go over grass and rocks, and it’s just not really conducive at all. So that accessibility issue has been solved.”
J. F. Cooper Elementary will get a new vestibule and Rosa International Middle School will see an addition to its building that will accommodate a new cafeteria and meeting space. It, too, will have a new vestibule and new locations for its main offices.
Work at Carusi Middle School is expected to continue for several years.
“The entire building literally is being stripped down to the studs, almost, and sort of being rebuilt,” Morton reported.
The project involves asbestos abatement, improved lighting, new walls and a complete upgrade to the locker room and gymnasium facilities.
“In order to get this done, the scope of the work requires that it be done in phases,” Morton pointed out. “We can’t shut the building down, because they have 900 kids who attend Carusi.”
The sixth-grade wing at the school has been shut down as construction projects continue. That has necessitated use of two separate and revived temporary classroom units.
“The kids just had orientation this week and had a chance to visit the units,” Morton said. “They are receiving rave reviews just by the niceness and the newness of them … So many people mistakenly think of them as like trailers, but they are far from trailers.”
All district schools have undergone extensive cleaning, disinfection and repairs on furniture by the custodial staff.
Work on the main office of Carusi Middle School is part of an overall renovation at the building.
