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This demonstration project proposed by the East Orange School District and the City of East Orange is a 280,095-square-foot pre-K through grade 12 performing arts/music magnet school located on a twelve-acre campus within the City’s Main Street redevelopment area. This project was an essential element of the District's Long Range Facility Plan. The student bodies of the 100-year-old Washington School and the old Tyson School are combined at this school facility. In addition, this school includes six pre-Kindergarten classrooms and six self-contained special education classrooms, daycare for infants and toddlers to permit students who might otherwise be unable, to complete high school. The school also includes a health clinic and dental clinic. The new cafeteria services a 60% free and reduced lunch student population. The school provides many features to serve the community after-hours including library and media center facilities, gymnasium space, cafeteria, music and art rooms in addition to the health and dental clinics and the performing arts elements. As part of the planned redevelopment of the area, in addition to the performing arts educational campus, community revitalization plans include new brownstone homes within walking distance of commuter service to New York City and the creation of a downtown arts district. This school project offers a classic model for schools as a catalyst for urban economic development. The school facilities project called for demolition of the former East Orange High School, built in 1911, as well as the additions built in 1926 and 1960 and using the site to create the educational campus that houses a pre-K through grade 12 magnet community school for training in the performing and fine arts and entertainment technologies. It was conceived as a campus setting with four integrated buildings to house pre-K and kindergarten for 174 students, first through grade four to house 364 students, fifth through eighth grades for 368 students, and ninth through twelfth grade for 404 students. In total, the new school accommodates 1,310 students. Due to its specialized programming, the school includes music rooms, a performing arts media center, individual performance practice rooms, costume design and drafting rooms and a set design room/workshop. The facility includes two auditorium facilities; a smaller one for Pre-K through grade eight and an 800-seat auditorium for use by six through twelfth grades. Both facilities accommodate performing arts activities and are available for community entertainment productions and meetings. An outdoor amphitheater adjacent to the building houses the higher grades that serve the particular requirements of the school facility while being accessible to the community-at-large during non-school hours. Performing arts museum/classroom is designed to be adaptable to both classroom activity and service as a learning museum with surrounding display casework for local artisans and instructional technology. State-of-the-art television production studio/laboratory is fitted out to permit students to learn TV production and community members to utilize the facilities during non-school hours. Performing arts media center houses an electronic library of resource materials relating to creative and performing arts. This facility, available to both students and community members, operates in conjunction with the East Orange Public Library during non-school hours. Areas and rooms surrounding the large auditorium permit production arts activity similar to a professional performance complex. Utilized by students during school hours and community amateurs and professionals during non-school hours, these facilities provide for multiple performing arts activities. A wellness center for students in the East Orange school district offers comprehensive medical services, such as immunizations, check-ups and dental care. Secure parking staffed by school security personnel serve the community during non-school hours when community productions are being presented. Upgraded streetscape and green areas provide a park-like environment for the community residents of the surrounding urban area after school hours. This school demonstration project was managed by the City of East Orange as the Redevelopment Entity and Joseph Jingoli & Son, Inc. as the Redeveloper. Jingoli also served as construction manager/general contractor. The architectural firm for the project was NJ K-12. The school opened September 2009. |