FAIR HAVEN – Fair Haven youngsters will soon attend full-day kindergarten, thanks to the community’s approval of a $15.6 million bond referendum Sept. 24.
Unofficial results by the county clerk’s office show that of the 1,282 voters who participated in the Sept. 24 school referendum, there were 781 “yes” votes and 501 “no” votes. The turnout represents about 26.4 percent of the total 4,857 registered voters in Fair Haven. Late mail-in ballots and provisional ballots are still pending.
Superintendent Sean McNeil said he is happy that the majority of voters share the same vision he has for the school district and its children. “It’s been a couple years in the making to get to this day,” he said, adding that he is “incredibly grateful” for the support from the community. He shared his appreciation for the number of people who turned out for the special election.
With the referendum’s approval, the Sickles school, pre-K through third-grade, will gain a security entrance vestibule for safety upgrades; a multipurpose space for school use and recreational space; a new world language classroom; upgraded electrical services; new boilers; masonry repairs; added parking areas on Willow Street; and a two-story addition with an elevator, allowing for the implementation of full-day kindergarten.
At Knollwood, a fourth- through eighth-grade school, three classrooms will be added for “flexible classroom space,” which may be used for science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) programs; funding for middle school course pathways and small group instruction; electrical upgrades; masonry repairs; new boilers; and air conditioning in the gymnasium.
Resident Ashley Romaglino said the decision Sept. 24 was easy. She and her husband have three young children, one of whom will be impacted by the full-day kindergarten program. “I think anything that could improve a child’s education or their sense of safety is paramount.”
Although she did not say how she voted, resident Susan O’Brien said she feels the town and the school are “being squeezed because the town has plans to put some new buildings in and now, we’re adding onto the schools.”
Sample ballots sent out by the Monmouth County Superintendent of Elections Office listed the incorrect polling location for voters in Districts 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, but McNeil said he doesn’t think that impacted the results. He said the district did “a really good job” of advertising the referendum – and its one-time voting location change to the Knollwood school – through both school and borough channels so all stakeholders received the same information. Signage also directed people to Knollwood Sept. 24, and the county sent out corrected postcards before the vote.
Additionally, some residents on social media said they had issues when arriving at the polls because they were listed as “mail-in ballot” voters. McNeil said he knew of one citizen who had that issue, but that the school district tried to send out a letter explaining new changes to mail-in ballot voting and explained that if they had not yet mailed in a ballot or thought it would be late, that they could still fill out provisional ballots at the polls.
