The Universal Preschool (UPK) Expansion Facilities project is construction work that will be undertaken at Faber Elementary School during the 2025-26 and 2026-27 school years.

The project will add eight (8) new classrooms at Faber that meet the state’s requirement for new preschool classrooms. This addition will help us continue to support our district program and our push to provide universal preschool for the community of Dunellen. 

The project is estimated to take approximately one year and we anticipate it will be completed by the end of 2026. 

The project is partially funded through a $3.4M grant from the state of New Jersey and partially funded from the district’s reserve accounts. Dunellen was one of only four districts in the county to receive the grant and an article about the approval can be found here: Governor Murphy and Commissioner Dehmer Announce Award of $42 Million to Fund Preschool Facilities Projects Across New Jersey

No, this project is funded through the district’s existing funds and does not require additional taxes to be levied in order for it to be completed.

The construction will take place in the northeast section of the building by the Main Office and the All Purpose Room (APR). A second story will be constructed over the APR and a few offices will be relocated on the first floor. 

No student classrooms will need to be relocated as a result of this project and we will not need to use trailers or temporary classroom units for classes. Once the work starts, there will likely be some noise at times, but we will try to minimize the impact on learning as much as possible.

Yes. Beginning in January 2026, the All Purpose Room will be closed for many months and meal service will move to one side of the Faber gym. A rubberized floor solution and the cafeteria tables will be set up and broken down daily by the facilities team to ensure the gym floor is protected. We will have increased custodial staffing at Faber to support this work. New student safety procedures will also be determined for drills that occur during the lunch periods.

This decision was preferred over having students eat in their classrooms, which would have introduced a wide range of disruptions including cleaning protocols, meal delivery, staffing, pest control, and loss of instructional time.

Door S, which has been used for student egress and student pickup from the After Care Program, will be closed for public access. A new entry/exit plan for students will be developed and After Care pickup will be moved to Door B in the horseshoe. Additionally, we are reviewing preschool dropoff and pickup procedures to ensure student and parent safety. Additional updates on that will be provided shortly. 

Recess and outdoor play will generally be unaffected by the project, as students primarily use the field on the south side of the building. Physical education classes will be shifted to meet in one side of the gym due to the shift of meal services away from the APR.  

Construction vehicles, dumpsters, and other materials will be on site, but we will work with our team to ensure that any potentially hazardous area is isolated to provide safety for students, staff, or parents. All construction personnel will be identified with black lanyards and background checks are required to be verified by the contractor. District security personnel will monitor the flow of construction personnel within the site.  

Construction projects result in dust and other debris, but all work areas will be isolated to protect the air quality in the building. Asbestos abatement will occur over Winter break. The district will install digital monitors in certain locations to keep track of the of air quality in areas surrounding the construction as it progresses.

The asbestos abatement has been scheduled to be completed over Winter break, which is before the significant construction work begins. The asbestos on site is non-friable and is found on pipe fittings above the ceiling (primarily in the hallway) and some ceiling boards. The initial room demolition planned early in December does not involve those areas.  

During the abatement, a number of robust safety strategies will be in place and we will also have our own abatement company on site to monitor the work of the subcontractor. This will ensure the following:

• The area being abated is fully contained and isolated from the rest of the building
• Engineering controls such as HEPA filtered negative air machines are properly incorporated
• All HVAC components are isolated from the remainder of the building
• Appropriate decontamination procedures are followed

Our company will take daily air samples and will complete a final air quality testing report before any area is reoccupied to ensure a safe return in January.

Yes. Faber will still be accessible for community events, but with limitations as outlined above. For example, the APR will be unavailable for any use beginning later this month. However, we do not anticipate any impact on the use of the Faber gymnasium or any other interior spaces outside of the scope of the construction work.

Yes. Parking in the north side parking lot (between the building and Gavornik Park) will be restricted due to the placement of construction vehicles, dumpsters, and other related materials. Additional parking spaces have been created along the northwest side (back, by the preschool entrance) of Faber to manage the elimination of the original spaces.

We do not anticipate any changes being made to the flow of traffic in the horseshoe. Preschool drop off and pickup will be monitored and may be adjusted as needed.

District and building administration will continue to share updates regarding this project via email and through the district website. A monthly construction update will be provided to all stakeholders and will be shared at the public Board meeting. That update and all other monthly updates can be found on the Construction Updates website.

If you have questions, concerns, or suggestions about the construction, you can contact Rich Pepe, Business Administrator/Board Secretary, or Daniel J. Ross, Esq., Superintendent of Schools. You are also encouraged to attend a public meeting of the Dunellen Board of Education to learn more or share your thoughts during the public comment section of the meeting.