With Dover's public school population surging, the town's Board of Education wants to build a second middle school and expand the high school to combat overcrowding.
Residents in the school district will go to the polls on Tuesday, Dec. 13, to vote on a $69.3 million bond referendum to pay for the construction. If the proposal is approved, work could start at the end of next year and take two years to finish.
"The New Jersey Department of Education found that Dover has 700 more students than we have space for, and for the last two years, our student enrollment numbers have steadily risen," the district says on a website touting the referendum. "Our schools have been over capacity for decades."
If the referendum passes, state aid would cover $8 million of the projected cost. The district would borrow the money and pay it back over a period of 30 years.
Dover's school expansion plans
The middle school would be built between Dover High School and North Dover Elementary School, where tennis courts are now. The two-story building would include classrooms, science labs, a media center, a kitchen and art and music rooms, according to the district.
"Enrollment has been higher than capacity for years, and has continued to rise each month since November 2020," the district said. "Already some music and speech lessons are held in hallways and some offices have been converted for teaching. Some classes have as many as 30 students, and that number is higher than the ideal scenario."
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How much would it cost taxpayers?
In Dover, the project would add an estimated $51 per month, or $611 annually, to the tax bill for a home assessed at $240,000, the town's average. Homeowners in Victory Gardens, whose students attend the Dover district, would pay an extra $48 per month, or $579 per year, on the average assessed home of $170,000. But taxpayers would see their bills decline by $10 a month starting in 2026, when the district finishes paying off debt for the last major renovations to local schools.
Solving overcrowding would benefit the entire community, even those without school-age children, the district argues on its website:
"School quality is a top reason people choose to move to a town," it said. "It affects community pride and home sales. To maintain the community’s good reputation, Dover public schools must have adequate space to teach students."
Where and when to vote
Registered voters from Dover and Victory Gardens can cast ballots on Dec. 13 from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at their designated polling places. Dover’s Ward 1 residents can vote at Dover High School, residents from wards 2 and 3 can vote at Sacred Heart Parish Center, Ward 4 residents can vote at the Board of Education Administration Building. Victory Gardens residents can vote at the Victory Gardens Municipal Building.
Those who wish to view recordings of virtual question-and-answer sessions and public forums discussing the expansion, in both English and Spanish, can find them at dover-nj.org/vote.
Stephanie Noda is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
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Twitter: @snoda11