HOLMDEL With the referendum voting date quickly approaching, the Holmdel 2020 Initiative Committee supports improvement plans for physical education facilities.
Participation in physical education classes and school-based and community sports programs is an important part of developing a healthy community as these activities prepare students to live healthy and engaged lives after they graduate, according to a prepared statement from the Office of the Superintendent of Schools.
This was clearly something on the minds of many parents and community members who served on the Holmdel 2020 Initiative Committee, an ad hoc group that worked with the Board of Education earlier this year as it developed the Holmdel 2020 plans, according to a prepared statement.
“Promoting student health and wellbeing is critical to our mission,” Superintendent Robert McGarry said. “…and our physical education and athletics programs are one important way we address these.”
With committee support, approximately one fifth of the overall referendum budget is allocated to enhancing facilities used by the schools and the community. More than 50 percent of the budget is focused on academic needs, including the arts, according to a prepared statement.
Highlights of this part of the overall Holmdel 2020 plan include: New track, turf and lights at Roggy Field; New and relocated tennis courts with lights for evening play; Upgraded fields and irrigation for all grass playing fields; The addition of a multi-purpose physical education room to be utilized for fitness activities such as stretching and yoga as well as for wrestling; Renovation of William Satz Middle School’s Locker Rooms; replacement of gym floors at Indian Hill Elementary School and Village Elementary School, according to a prepared statement.
The plan also calls for air conditioning to be added to the older gyms at Village, Indian Hill and Satz that are not currently equipped with air conditioning, according to a prepared statement.
“The use of our facilities is intense,” Shane Fallon said, supervisor of athletics, physical education and health. “The Holmdel 2020 Initiative will go a long way in improving their quality and helping us to expand opportunities for student to engage in our programs.”
For more information about the Holmdel 2020 Initiative visit www.holmdelschools.org and click on the Holmdel 2020 Initiative tab.
Contact Vashti Harris at vharris@newspapermediagroup.com.
