Little Ferry School Board Approves New Middle School Referendum

In a notable move for Little Ferry’s educational landscape, the Little Ferry Board of Education has announced a referendum for the construction of a new Middle School, slated for a community vote on March 12, 2024. Superintendent Matthew A. Perrapato highlighted the project, presenting renderings of the proposed building, which is estimated to cost just under $38 million. The decision came with assurances of transparency throughout the process, although tax impact numbers were not yet available. The board expects to release these figures shortly and will commence comprehensive community engagement efforts.

The proposed Middle School would replace the historical Washington School site, with demolition activities expected to begin within a week or two, depending on weather conditions. The superintendent expressed a commitment to honoring the community’s history while providing a facility to serve the district’s needs for the next century.

Additionally, the board is on schedule with payments for the demolition of Washington School and is preparing for a bid in February for the last federal grant under the American Rescue Plan, amounting to approximately $800,000.

In terms of facilities, a small committee has been formed to review equipment for the basketball courts, considering both conventional and adjustable baskets, with input from physical education teachers and the Middle School principal. The food service program was also noted to have increased numbers and profit compared to the previous year.

On staffing matters, the board approved the hiring of a new school nurse, Kathy Martone, for the remainder of the school year, pending completion of appropriate documentation.

The board did not have any committee reports that evening and chose to enter into an executive session to discuss matters of personnel, negotiation, and litigation. No action was noted to have been taken following the executive session.

The meeting concluded with the board extending an invitation to the public for Family Engagement Night on January 18th, although Superintendent Perrapato mentioned he would be unable to attend due to a personal commitment.

Note: This meeting summary was generated by AI, which can occasionally misspell names, misattribute actions, and state inaccuracies. This summary is intended to be a starting point and you should review the meeting record linked above before acting on anything you read. If we got something wrong, let us know. We’re working every day to improve our process in pursuit of universal local government transparency.

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