With a snip of the ceremonial scissors, six Lawrence Middle School students officially opened the school’s newly renovated auditorium Oct. 19.
It is the first project to be completed under a $98 million school bond referendum approved by voters in March 2025. Additional projects are planned for Lawrence Township Public Schools, including a two-story classroom addition to the middle school. It is expected to be ready in time to accommodate sixth-graders when they move to the building in the 2029-30 school year.
LMS Student Council President Ava Tseng cut the ribbon, surrounded by schoolmates Niara Garcia, Xyreen Velasquez, Reema Cyrus, Emmett Parsons and Joey Miller. All six students participate in the school chorus, musical, jazz band or orchestra.
The students’ reaction when they walked into the auditorium for the first time after cutting the ribbon was summed up in one word — “Wow.”
Plush seats have replaced the hard wooden seats in the auditorium, which dates to 1952, when the school opened as Lawrence Junior High School. The renovations also include accessibility improvements for students with disabilities, along with upgraded lighting and sound systems.
The spotlights and sound system can be controlled from the lectern on the stage or from the lighting and sound booth at the rear of the auditorium, LMS Principal Mindy Milavsky said.
The 454-seat auditorium can be used for performances, assemblies and classes, Milavsky told school district administrators, school board members and township officials who attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Milavsky also presented a video highlighting the school’s history, from its opening in 1952 to the present. Former administrators and principals shared their recollections of the school and its development over the years.
When the building opened, it enrolled 300 students in grades 7-9. It was later renamed Lawrence Middle School and became a school for seventh- and eighth-graders.
Before Lawrence High School opened in 1966, township students in grades 10-12 attended Trenton Central High School or Princeton High School, depending on where they lived.
The middle school underwent several expansions as enrollment grew. Twelve classrooms were added in 1958, followed by additional construction and renovations in 1989 and 2018. The auditorium renovation marks the latest chapter in the building’s history.
School board President Michele Bowes said board members were not construction experts when the project began in December 2025. The undertaking initially seemed daunting, and it was difficult to imagine everything coming together.
“It blows me away – the amount of effort to get to this point. It does not go unnoticed (by the school board). I feel so confident that the next phase will be smoother. Our kids are deserving of something so special,” Bowes said.
Superintendent of Schools Robyn Klim said the ribbon-cutting ceremony marked an exciting milestone for Lawrence Township Public Schools and the entire community.
“The completion of our first referendum project is a tangible reminder of what we can accomplish when we work together to invest in our schools and our students,” Klim said.
