The North Bergen (N.J.) school district says it will move its high school to a facility being vacated by Hudson County Schools of Technology's High Tech High School.
The Hudson Reporter says North Bergen High School's existing campus will be converted to a middle/junior high school for grades seven, eight and nine, and the High Tech High campus will become North Bergen High and accommodate grades 10, 11 and 12.
District officials say the additional school facility will ease crowding throughout the system and represents a more affordable solution to a space crunch. Acquiring High Tech High will cost $20 million and renovating it will cost another $7 million. But constructing a new high school would cost about $120 million.
Seventh and eighth graders in North Bergen now attend elementary schools, so creating a middle school for grades seven eight and nine will relieve crowding at all six elementary schools.
The High Tech High campus will be available because Hudson County is building a new school in Secaucus that is scheduled to open in 2018.
Durinng 2018-19, North Bergen will renovate the former High Tech campus, and plans call for the new high school is to open in 2019.
The existing North Bergen High was built in 1961. It was designed to accommodate 1,800 students, but now has an enrollment of 2,450.
The new high school will have a larger media center and both small and large classrooms. It also will have amenities such as STEM labs, culinary arts facilities, Wi-Fi, parking, and security systems.
Video from Hudson County TV:
