NEW JERSEY SCHOOLS DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY BREAKS GROUND ON
NEW DENBO-CRICHTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN PEMBERTON

October 10, 2018 – PEMBERTON, NJ – Today, the New Jersey Schools Development Authority (SDA) was joined by students and officials from the Pemberton Township School District for a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the start of construction of the new Denbo-Crichton Elementary School. The new school is located at 1414 Junction Road, Browns Mills,NJ.

The new facility will be 126,000 square-feet and will accommodate a maximum capacity of 930 students from Pre-K through 5^th grade. The school will have 47 classrooms (including self-contained special education) and feature a multi-purpose room with a stage, a gymnasium, a science demonstration room, an art room, a tech lab, a vocal music room, and a computer lab.

"The new Denbo-Crichton Elementary School will be a state-of-the-art educational facility that will provide these students with a modernized learning environment that they deserve," said Lizette Delgado Polanco, CEO of the Schools Development Authority. "We are especially proud of this project because it addresses classroom overcrowding and will give these students more hands on time with their teachers."

As of September 30, 2018, the SDA has completed 19 projects representing an investment of approximately $20 million in health and safety renovations to existing schools in the Pemberton Township School District and an additional $25 million for the construction of the Pemberton Early Childhood Education Center. The Denbo- Crichton Elementary School marks the SDA's largest project in Pemberton Township.

"The Pemberton Learning Community is excited in this next step in providing our scholars with an optimal learning environment," said Pemberton Township Schools Superintendent Tony Trongone. "We also want to thank the Schools Development Authority in their diligence to every detail in this process."

Built in 1965, the Denbo School accommodated 359 students from 3^rd through ^5th grade. The Crichton School, built in 1969, accommodated 349 students, from Pre-K to 2^nd grade. The SDA determined that replacing both schools with one new facility was the most effective and efficient option to address the overcrowding issues and to deliver spaces that align with the current New Jersey Department of Education learning standards. The District is using the Isaiah Haines Elementary School facility as a temporary space for the students who had been in the Crichton building. The Denbo School continues to accommodate students during construction. The school is due to open to students in September 2021.

On January 23, 2018, Ernest Bock & Sons, Inc. of Philadelphia, PA was awarded a $43.2 million contract for design-build services. As part of the design-build contract, Ernest Bock & Sons is partnering with SSP Architectural Group of Bridgewater, NJ on the design. The project is being managed by Cambridge Construction, Inc. of Clinton, NJ. The total estimated project cost is $58.7 million.

About the New Jersey Schools Development Authority

The SDA is the State agency responsible for fully funding and managing the new construction, modernization and renovation of school facilities projects in 31 SDA Districts. Its current portfolio of active projects is valued at approximately $2 billion – including the Capital Project portfolio, emergent projects and Regular Operating District grants. Since the program’s inception, the SDA has provided funding for and management oversight of more than 850 completed school facilities projects in SDA Districts and has executed more than 5,400 grants for Regular Operating Districts throughout the State of New Jersey. For more information about the SDA, please visit our website at: www.njsda.gov or follow us on social media at: Facebook; Instagram; LinkedIn; or Twitter.