Um, but for those families who are looking what to do with their kiddos for summer, um, the district partners with the Boys and Girls Club of the Sun Corridor, and they do have a summer camp. They are taking registrations now. It's very affordable, very structured, um, and a lot of fun. So, if you're interested, flyers did go out through Peachar or you can go to their website at bgcidor.org. Thank you, President Downey. Thank you. Um, I also attended the exceptional student classroom tour. Um, I agree with everyone was said. I just want to call out and recognize the volunteers that also help in those classrooms and programs. I mean, thank you very much. I know we heard you make a difference. So um thank you for volunteering your time and efforts and curing for the for those students. Um the only other thing I did was I did attend a study group on um the difference between psycho education and psychotherapy.
every municipality is required to offer that to its residents. Um that includes some sort of high school completion programming in the state of Connecticut. That could include credit diploma program which is very similar to a traditional high school diploma. 25 credits that students have to complete. Um it's a teaching and learning program. Uh general educational development which is more commonly known as the GED. uh that is a preparation program to take four different tests one in each of the four core subjects English, science, social studies and math. And then the last one is NEP, National External Diploma Program. This is an assessment program. So this is a program that um if we have someone that comes to us with a lot of life experience and has a lot of academic knowledge, they are basically showing that they have the competencies needed for a high school diploma, proving that to an assessor and then they're awarded a high school diploma and that's through a number of different modules.
Hearing none will >> Nicole Marquez: I, >> Sophia Carrillo: All right, any names. Hearing none will >> Nicole Marquez: I, >> Sophia Carrillo: All right, any names. Hearing none will move over to executive session, >> Sophia Carrillo: All right, any names.
The board then approved the procurement of High Ground, a political consulting firm, to conduct a community bond survey. This was done to get an idea on our community's views regarding a potential bond election and if it aligned with our committee. The survey results indicated that a high that high efficacy voters within our community support quality schools and are receptive to a bond measure. Specifically, when presented to the $80 million bond scenario, in the survey, we saw a positive shift in community sentiment. Though initially we had 58% support after further information and consideration in the survey, that number rose to 62% in favor. Notably, we observed a significant increase in support among voters aged 50 and older, which is a key demographic in our community. Peter just went into some detail on this slide when he was um talking about the three bond scenarios and the the tax implic uh implications.
Um it's an important issue for the schools in general of getting toward the point where we have licensed social workers and licensed counselors and it just went through for one hour and a half through the difference between those two skills. Um that's all I have. So we now move on to item four, spotlight recognition.
Um 3 years ago we only offered CBP and GED. Over the last two years, we've been able to just getting over a cult, so bear with me. Uh we've been able to offer all three um which has been great because it offers another pathway to high school completion for all of our adult learners in the community. Uh the second piece that we're required to offer um from state legislation is our largest program here in Danbury, ESL, English as a second language. Uh and then the third that we are required to offer is citizenship preparation. So, those are the three requirements um under state legislation. The last two things on there, the family literacy programming and the jobs first uh employment services come as a result of two initiatives that we've undertaken over the last 2 years. So, we were awarded um a a pretty generous federal grant.
Hearing none will move over to executive session, >> Sophia Carrillo: All right, any names. Hearing none will move over to executive session, please. Use the other link. So any names.
So, I won't spend uh time here except to say that uh this committee will come forward with a $80 million bond recommendation. What I do want to share is a little bit about our process. Um, we saw on that thank you slide a large number of stakeholders who were part of our our committee and we spent two or three meetings talking about what was needed and then we had a chance to uh vote on that as a committee and clearly the these were the top four priorities from that committee and later on we'll talk about this but I it's an important important point that the top priorities that the committee came up with really matched with the survey that the community u sample and those who participated in that uh that sample what their priorities were as well. So, um, school safety and security, that was clearly number one, and that's always number one in the minds of of parents and staff.
Miss Terry Well, hello and good evening everyone. Thank you for being here tonight. Tonight, the Maricopa Unified School District is excited to honor Spotlight recipients across three categories. Community members, MUSD employees and students. Before I begin, I'd like to thank our sponsors at Freddy's Steak Burgers and Frozen Custard, Culver's Frozen Custard and Butterburgers, and Opchin Circle for making tonight special for our honores. Our first honores are community members whose time and support make a real difference for our students and families that we serve. Congratulations community members. As I call your name, please come forward to receive your certificate and give a quick fist bump to the governing board members and Dr. Lopeman and then head to room 123 for a group photo. Mr. Harmon is standing by the hallway to point you in the right direction. Give us a wave, Mr. Harmon. There he is.
Um 3 years ago, we were awarded about $100,000 in that grant. this year because it's the first year of the grant. Um it's a four-year cycle. Um and due to some of the outcomes, the increased outcomes that we've had over the last two years, we were able to increase that award to 185,000. Um so a very significant increase as a result of the work that our division is doing with the community. Um the second piece to that, the jobs first employment services is a result of a partnership with the regional workforce board. Um, so they actually contract out to LRAE to provide employment services to their adult clients that are looking for employment. Um, and that comes in a myriad of different forms, right? If we have somebody that comes in that hasn't completed their high school diploma, they might go through one of those programs.
Hearing none will move over to executive session, please. Use the other link. So any names. Hearing none will move over to executive session, please. Use the other link. So we can go there. Thank you. move over to executive session, please. Use the other link. So we can go there. Thank you. move over to executive session, please. Use the other link. So we can go there. Thank you. >> Hilda Juarez: And Russell, if please. Use the other link. So we can go there. Thank you. >> Hilda Juarez: And Russell, if please. Use the other link. So we can go there. Thank you. >> Hilda Juarez: And Russell, if you want to. I don't know what we can go there. Thank you. >> Hilda Juarez: And Russell, if you want to. I don't know what we can go there. Thank you. >> Hilda Juarez: And Russell, if you want to.
They want to save school. And then it got down to um, uh, you know, some of the infrastructure, CTE upgrades, and instructional improvements. So, those were the top four. And I should, let me back up and say that as a committee, again, we spent two or three meetings looking at all the needs of our district. again from this cross-section of committee and members and stakeholders and um I believe it was 320 projects were actually brought to the table and then we they were paired down into categories and um and then we were able to consider each of those u and these were the top categories that uh that this bond committee came up with these are the next level priorities. So modern technology again infrastructure with electrical repairs, roof repairs and computer replacements to get a little bit more. I think we have Bob coming up next.
Congratulations to Emmy Breton, PTO president, Butterfield Elementary School. [Applause] Sinclair Logan, volunteer, Maricopa Elementary [Applause] School. Leslie and Brian McCloskkey, business partners from Pimabute Elementary School. [Applause] Joseph and Shannon Caruso, PTO co-presidents, Saddleback Elementary [Applause] School and Mary Manning, school supporter from Santa Cruz Elementary School. Christina Costello, volunteer, Santa Rosa Elementary [Applause] School, and Otarius Hammond, tutor from Desert Wind Middle School. Earl King, parent supporter, Maricopa Wells Middle [Applause] School. Emily Bitner, community partner, Desert Sunrise High School. Rosie Kousmik, community partner, Maricopa High [Applause] School. And Tony Garza, business partner, Maricopa Virtual Academy. Congratulations again to our outstanding spotlight community [Applause] members. Next, we're proud to honor our Spotlight Employees of the Month. Dedicated staff who go above and beyond to meet the needs of our students and school communities. Congratulations, Spotlight employees. As I call your name, please come forward to receive your certificate and give a quick fist bump to the governing board and Dr.
If they come in and they don't speak proficient English to land a job, we work with them on those skills to upskill them. Um it's very individualized for each client that comes into our door that's referred to us by the regional workforce board. Um that contract that we have on file brings us in an additional $70,000 for our programming that helps offset the contribution for you guys um as a board. So we've done a lot of work in terms of bringing external funding in um over the last 3 years I think um so long as the ask goes forward for we race um in total over the course of 3 years we've seen an increase of 1.25% for our budget and I think what you'll see in the following slides it's pretty impressive for the number of people that we're serving despite that very very small increase.
I don't know what you do. You kind of hold. >> Hilda Juarez: And Russell, if you want to. I don't know what you do. You kind of hold. >> Hilda Juarez: And Russell, if you want to. I don't know what you do. You kind of hold. >> Russell Deneault: Yep. We'll you want to. I don't know what you do. You kind of hold. >> Russell Deneault: Yep. We'll you want to. I don't know what you do. You kind of hold. >> Russell Deneault: Yep. We'll just we'll just holding and you do. You kind of hold. >> Russell Deneault: Yep. We'll just we'll just holding and you do. You kind of hold. >> Russell Deneault: Yep. We'll just we'll just holding and continue the stream for when >> Russell Deneault: Yep. We'll just we'll just holding and continue the stream for when >> Russell Deneault: Yep.
Is that right? U to get a little bit more into the detail and then we'll get into those categories. So again, as as Dr. Milton said, the committee's recommendation is to go for 80 million. Um, and so uh uh why don't we go for the 80 million? If you go to the next slide, Dr. Milton. Uh a couple just a couple reminders. Um so we looked at a ton of of different projects, estimated costs for all those projects. And and we also had professionals review our estimated costs. We we factor inflation into those because if you're going to go out for a bond, there's probably going to be a series of sales. So, you may not do the second and third sale and we're we're trying to get final numbers to see whether we go out for three sales or or four sales, but you're going to be talking about 2030 2032.
Lopeman and then head to room 123 for a group photo. Congratulations to Naomi Lake, kindergarten teacher, Butterfield Elementary [Applause] School. Samantha Keith, second grade teacher, Maricopa Elementary School. [Applause] Alexia Clayburn, ESS pair professional from Pimabute Elementary [Applause] School. Maddie Olderbach, gifted teacher, Saddleback Elementary School. Susan Swanson, ESS PAR professional from Santa Cruz Elementary [Applause] School. Shannon Hillman, lead speech language pathologist, Santa Rosa Elementary School. Cuado Adu Gami, custodian at Desert Wind Middle [Applause] School. Dr. Arman Zerifian, math teacher, Maricopa Wells Middle School. [Applause] [Music] Devin Talbot, band teacher, Desert Sunrise High [Applause] School. And Nancy Taylor, administrative assistant, athletics from Maricopa High School. Mike Hunter, electives teacher at the Ram Academy. [Applause] Tonyie McGinness, ESS program specialist, exceptional student [Applause] services. Michelle Garcia Perez, executive assistant to the superintendent superintendent's office. [Applause] Congratulations again to these outstanding spotlight [Applause] employees. And finally, we're thrilled to honor our spotlight students of the month.
So, I talked a little bit about each of these three programs that we offer. Um, this just gets into a little bit more detail of each of those three. Same thing with ESL and citizenship preparation. Let's talk about our new initiatives. So, last summer, um, similar to K12, similar, take two. Yeah. Okay. uh similar to K12, adult education providers are struggling to find ESL teachers, right? Certified ESL teachers. Um what we did, um we actually kind of led the way and and were the first in the state to have a partnership with CT State Community College. We ran a cohort that trained and certified teachers at no cost to them. They signed a contract with us. Uh we partnered with the HR department. We were able to hire an additional 17 teachers as a result of that program. Um, which is allowing us to service roughly 600 additional ESL learners in the community.
We'll just we'll just holding and continue the stream for when they return. just we'll just holding and continue the stream for when they return. just we'll just holding and continue the stream for when they return. >> Hilda Juarez: Okay, thanks. continue the stream for when they return. >> Hilda Juarez: Okay, thanks. they return. >> Hilda Juarez: Okay, thanks. they return. >> Hilda Juarez: Okay, thanks. >> Russell Deneault: You're >> Hilda Juarez: Okay, thanks. >> Russell Deneault: You're >> Hilda Juarez: Okay, thanks. >> Russell Deneault: You're welcome. >> Jay Mann: All right. >> Sophia Carrillo: All right, >> Jay Mann: All right. >> Sophia Carrillo: All right, >> Jay Mann: All right. >> Sophia Carrillo: All right, awesome. We're gonna give a few >> Jay Mann: All right. >> Sophia Carrillo: All right, awesome. We're gonna give a few >> Jay Mann: All right. >> Sophia Carrillo: All right, awesome.
So, we we have some built-in inflation. When we talked to the professionals and had them look at the numbers, um they indicated yes, that that that they felt those were solid numbers. So, we have an idea of of what it means. Um, but Howard, even though we have that many projects, when you actually go to bond pamphlet language, you go back up high to category. So, we would say, um, we're going to do something with health and safety. We're going to do something with curricular. We're going to do something, you know, we're going to use those big topics. We're not going to get into ton of specifics. However, there's always that concern. So, how do I trust you? How do I trust what you're going to do? Um, note that there is some limitations. I give you an example that we're not going to do this in any way, shape, or form, but just to let you know, if you have uh bond pamphlet language um and you say nothing on in the pamphlet about building a new school, you cannot by law turn around two years later and say, "Hey, we decided to build a new school.