On March 12, 2024, The Board of Education asked residents of Chester Borough, Chester Township, Mendham Borough, Mendham Township, and Washington Township to vote on a proposal that would bring their school district’s facilities in line with the quality of education that is expected of both West Morris Central and West Morris Mendham High School.
The March 12th referendum provides a path for the community to make continuous improvements to the West Morris Regional High School District’s infrastructure and learning spaces, while still seeing a decrease in the school debt portion of their taxes.
Because voters approved the referendum on March 12th, both high schools will receive significant similar upgrades, including air conditioning in all classrooms, cafeteria and kitchen upgrades, and roof and parking lot repairs. Updates will also be made to the technology labs at both schools, as well as the fieldhouse shower and storage facilities. The WMM culinary arts room will be renovated to enhance student learning and accommodate student interest, and the public address system will be updated to match WMC’s system.
At WMC and WMM, only a select few classrooms and most larger rooms have air conditioning, including the cafeterias, libraries, main gymnasiums, and auditoriums. The March 12th referendum will bring air conditioning to all instructional learning spaces. “Over 50% of our school building is not air conditioned,” explains Mr. Rymer, principal of WMC. “The idea of returning to school in August and being able to be in our building, even if it is 95 degrees outside, is extremely exciting to me.”
The school district also aspires to provide WMC and WMM students with learning spaces that cultivate collaboration and 21st-century learning. Under the referendum, the technology lab at WMC will receive new flooring, improved lighting, and general upgrades, while two technology rooms at WMM will get new flooring, air filtration systems, drywall, and lighting, therefore making both schools more adaptive to STEM learning. A culinary arts room at WMM will also get a sixth cooking station, as well as updated fixtures, surfaces, and appliances.
Within both of the high schools in the WMRHSD, cafeterias are one of the most high-traffic areas, with every student utilizing them for lunchtime or other purposes throughout the day. The March 12th referendum allows for the removal of the stage in the cafeteria at WMC to allow for more seating and improve flow. “I am really excited about this,” says WMC junior Quinn Commerford. “Since I started sitting in the cafeteria this school year, I have always had to pull chairs from other tables or have a bunch of my friends and I squeeze into one in order to sit comfortably. I think that the removal of the stage will just make a more comfortable atmosphere overall.” At WMM, the cafeteria doors will be upgraded and the serving facilities improved. The kitchens at both schools will also be updated with new floorplans, fixtures, food prep areas, and appliances to better serve students.
Passing the referendum will also allow the district to create individual stall showers (10 for boys and 10 for girls) in the fieldhouses of both schools. Shower areas that are not currently being used will be converted into storage for athletic equipment.
The roofs of both WMC and WMM have exceeded their useful lifespans in part and in full. Under the referendum, the roofs of both schools will receive either full or partial replacements. Insulation will also be added, and certain sections would be recoated. Similarly, the asphalt on the driveways and parking lots of both schools will be repaired and replaced.
It is rather evident that incredible improvements are to be made to the facilities at both West Morris Central and West Morris Mendham High School because of the passing of the March 12th referendum, creating a more collaborative and comfortable learning environment for students.
