CRAFORD — Now that the district’s referendum vote has passed, the Cranford Board of Education (BOE) can start to lay out conceptual plans for the numerous changes that will be occurring across multiple schools over the course of the next several years.
Representatives from LAN Associates, an engineering and design firm that has been contracted by the district to oversee the initial stages of the project, laid out an unofficial timeline for construction during a regular meeting of the BOE on Monday.
Work is expected to commence this summer on bathroom renovations at two of the district’s middle schools, the high school and Lincoln School.
“We are also doing a bleacher project at the main gym at Cranford High School,” the firm’s vice president Stephen Secora said, adding that LAN is already working to design the four new additions that will ultimately house the district’s fullday kindergarten programs.
“We also decided to include in the building addition package all the capital improvement work which will be done at Brookside, Bloomingdale, and Walnut Avenue School,” Mr. Secora continued. “We’re doing windows and air conditioners in the multi-purpose room first, and then we’ll be converting some spaces. The current media center is going to become a music room and the current Kindergarten will become the media center.”
Electrical upgrades to each of the district’s eight schools are also being planned.
The district will need to move quickly, one of the firm’s senior associates Matt Fink said, if it hopes to be able to get a contractor on board to start the projects before classes let out in June.
“We have a quick turnaround but feel confident with our design and so we want to make sure we have the bathrooms renovation design completed by the fall of 2024,” Mr. Fink said.
In spring 2025, work will begin on other projects including the masonry reappointing, window replacement and elevator upgrades to the high school as well as auditorium upgrades.
“In spring 2026, we’ll start renovations such as the science labs and early childhood inclusion,” Mr. Fink said. “In summer 2026, we are looking at additional multipurpose room AC upgrades and window replacement projects. We purposely scheduled these projects for fall 2026 so that when the schools open for full day Kindergarten, all elementary schools are able to see improvements.”
By summer 2027, most of the work in the elementary schools is expected to be complete. Work is expected to continue into the following year at the district’s other locations.
The board also welcomed Tony Goode, who was appointed to serve as the district’s performing arts supervisor last year, as the new assistant principal at Cranford High School.
Mr. Goode was a music teacher for 12 years and earned his degree in elementary leadership. He said he is honored to take on the new role at Cranford High School and is committed to working hard to sustain success for all.
