District Rededicates Morris Avenue School

The Morris Avenue School was transformed this summer, so the Long Branch School District felt it was fitting to rededicate the school Wednesday morning.

The school was officially renamed the Morris Avenue School after originally being called the Amerigo A. Anastasia School since it opened in 1973. When the district opened the new Amerigo A. Anastasia School, the school became known as the Morris Avenue School.

The pre-K to second grade school, located at 318 Morris Avenue, Long Branch, originally featured an open air, pod-style design, has been redesigned to make it more modern and to improve the learning experience for children.

The project, which was completed on Aug. 24, transformed the school which now features separate classrooms and hallways. The former design featured four pods separated by dividers that contained four classrooms each.

"For the first time, the Morris Avenue School has a quiet learning environment," Principal Matthew Johnson said at the rededication.

A New Jersey Supreme Court Abbott XXI ruling on school funding provided the school with the money for the project.

Long Branch School District Facilities Manager Ann Degnan said a bulk of the $725,000 project was done by McCauley Construction Company Inc. and other aspects, mostly exterior renovations, were done by another company hired by the district.

Long Branch School District Superintendent Michael Salvatore said he was pleased with the new design.

"It has always been a great school, but now it really shines," Salvatore said.