Old School Building To Serve As Temporary Replacement For Salem Middle School

SALEM, N.J. (CBS) -- Some 400 students at the Salem Middle School will report to a new building when classes resume next month. This, as repairs are made to the place.

But the temporary replacement is far from new.

A ceiling collapse last year had school district officials scrambling to find a temporary new home for students in grades 3 through 8. Last school year was no picnic.

This one will be better, though, as the old St. Mary's School nearby is converted from its current office use back in to classroom space.

State Assemblyman John Burzichelli helped to broker a deal to make that happen.

"The state became aware that this was available and was able to put together an arrangement with all parties to convert the school back to school use in time for the fall," Burzichelli told KYW Newsradio.

New Jersey will pay all costs involved.

As for those repairs, Burzichelli thinks they'll take most of the upcoming school year to complete.