Clock ticking on need for school

If the numbers are to be believed, there is no doubt that the Freehold Regional High School District Board of Education will need to build a seventh high school within the next five years.

As reported on Sept. 20, ad-ministrators are expecting 2,400 new students to enter the district within the next five years, bringing the enrollment to more than 11,000 students.

The first step in what will surely be a costly and complex pro-cess has been taken with the naming of an ad hoc committee that is searching for land within the district’s boundaries. Between 50 and 100 acres will likely be needed to accommodate a high school and its supporting facilities.

With the way buildable land is disappearing in Western Mon-mouth County, this search cannot begin soon enough.

A new state law would appear to make the district eligible for partial funding for the construction of a new school.

District administrators must — and we are certain they will — investigate every avenue that could reduce what residents will have to pay in property taxes to build a new school.

Though no estimates have been made as to the cost of building a new high school, a very conservative estimate would likely put the figure at a minimum of $50 million.

With the six existing schools fighting a space crunch and more students on the way, there is no time to waste.