It's just reality and I've lived that reality. I I lived it with the high school >> um when the high school lost the first time and we ended up taking the fields out to the tune of about $2.4 million. Um when we came back to the town, our reimbursement rate had dropped slightly and we didn't have the um the fields any longer and it cost us almost the same exact amount as it would have cost if we' fast if we had passed it the first time by 27 by with those 27 votes. it. You know, I know that my husband sometimes talks about a a story about the police station many years ago and about not initially having a grant from the government for the police station and the town not supporting that their piece of that and you know within a few years they built we built the town 100% out of their own pockets a new police station.
So um we've had a lot of success in that field. We have a lot of new initiatives on the way. Um I've talked to you guys a little bit about the family literacy nights. We're currently partnered with CT State to offer an ESL bridge program. So what we found is as students are exiting our ESL program. They exit out at, you know, past that that 12th grade level with us. We're not allowed to use the state or federal funding to continue to service them. But they always ask us what's next, right? We partnered with CT State to offer a bridge program over the summer that we're piloting. We're going to continue that through the fall and the spring so that we can actually enroll them in CT state and continue their education with them. Uh we've also started a credit diploma uh asynchronous program. This has been incredibly successful not only for the students that need to take these classes on our end, but because it has been such a gamecher for those students.
Hearing none, Ms. Lee, roll call, please. Mr. Dawson. Ms. Bezino. Ms. Hyatt. Ms. Deniccotera. Mr. Genovese. Yes. Mr. Menendez. Ms. Mosson. Mr. Balmer. Motion passes. Thank you. Uh I'm not aware of any other matters that have been submitted to come before the board. So, we are up to new business from any board members who would like to open a discussion on items that have been on that new business. Go ahead, Ms. Hyatt. You know, I'm not sure where this goes, but we were talking about we have the um upcoming Memorial Day parade that is coming. And if you look, the banner looks great. You know, that was, you know, the thank you so much, Ms. Winters, for just getting that done for us. Um but, you know, thanks to to the schools because we have football team, cheerleaders, um the drama club, the I know I'm forgetting some, the uh there's going to be music you musicians coming also with the drama club.
So I mean there there is some reality to to what happens when you have these needs. I mean in this when we talk too about I think people do understand we we all are faced with increasing costs and our utilities and our food costs and now particularly our gasoline costs. Um so we all know that these costs are not they're not um costs that we have much control over. Um and we we face them in our individual lives and collectively you know the town and the schools face them as well. Um so it's um you know it's it's it's tough because nobody everybody does face these increased costs and now we're asking for them to increase their costs. um with their property tax. And I mean the the simple number of um Proposition two and a half allows us to raise $1.3 million and yet we have $1.2 million in health and in health and benefits.
12 of the 14 CDP credit diploma program providers in the state actually contract us to have students take these classes. So it brings us money and it actually makes it so that this this program the asynchronous program is free to us, right? It covers the cost of that. Um we have gotten uh authority once we move into the new building and have hardwired internet uh to become a Pearson and ETSs test center. That means that we will be able to uh test folks for the parapathways program as well as practis and GED right on site which will bring funding into our into our center to offset what you guys have to give us. Um, speaking of parap uh professional, so about 6 months ago, they changed over from parah pro to parapathways, right? So that's the new assessment that folks have to take in order to become a parah if they don't have an associates degree.
But, there are a lot of different groups, baseball, a lot of kids from the district who are going to be involved in that. It's just very, very nice to see. And, you know, that's something that we as a board are always so in tune with, just connecting with community. So, this is a wonderful way to do it. Agreed. Any other matters for new business? Okay. At this time, we are open to the public for discussion. Would you like to come on down? It's okay. We don't get guests very often, so it's very exciting for us. Hi. What was the name that you were looking for again? My name is Josephine Lacey, PTO President. And I just wanted to come by and thank you for everything that you guys have been doing. It's amazing to see, you know, the Board of Education working together in goal of getting, you know, the school district working well.
Just that health and benefits line has increased $1.2 million. Um and then in terms of the schools and you know Mr. Adams has worked really hard to um there are 13.2 positions that are being eliminated no matter what. I actually, you know, read something that was written by someone who was angry about that. You know, we're not we're still losing a computer teacher at Mendes and a classroom teacher. Um so but he's tried to pick and choose the the least impactful uh losses for the the school system. You know the costs that we face in the schools the um our ke tech assessment th those are significant increases that we have no control over. And I know that um you know especially I think nowadays we are I know that I feel that there I have so little control over what go is going on in my life and my bigger life than just within my family.
We're running our first preparation program uh to prep people for that in the hopes of supporting the hiring needs of the district. I've worked really closely with Kim and with Kelly on this. Uh that flyer has gone out for 72 hours. We have 57 people that have applied for this program. Right? So, if our workforce data holds true over the last few years that we've had workforce uh programs, preparation programs, we'll see about 35 to 45 people that we can hire from that program. Okay. Um so, that's pretty great. Uh we also have been offering CTE duel and co-enrollment to our high school completion students. uh in addition to what we've done for that because it doesn't cost us anything extra. We've partnered with Kelly's programs to reach an endeavor and ACE to have students actually take those classes at night so they can take a couple additional credits, potentially graduate on time or early.
So, it's very nice. We appreciate you guys. The parents appreciate you. And I just wanted to extend the invitation. I know we have Memorial Day parade coming up. The PTO will be there. But, we also will have our end of year bash on June 19th. So, it would be really nice to see the board there. It has become a bit of a large event. We are going to have a very special section dedicated to Charlie. And we It's open to the community. We have involved the borough as well, fire department, and police department. So, it would be really nice to see you guys there. I just wanted to extend the invitation. There you go. Yeah, thanks for coming out. All right. We are up to item 13.1. Be it resolved that the Bound Brook Board of Education enter executive session as allowed by NJSA 10 colon 4-11 for the purposes noted in the agenda under items 1, 3, 5, 7, and 8.
I don't want any control there either. But um in the world, right, there's so little control and and here in this community um you know I we do have the opportunity to have a bit of control for our public schools and what we've done for our police and fire in particular. So um you know and again not everybody no matter whether they believe strongly or not that we should be funding these things they might not they still might not have the money and I understand that too and we everybody has to make those decisions um for themselves but I just want to make sure that everybody understands you know all the pieces of this because it's it's not simple it's it is somewhat complicated and um and so I just want to make sure that as we go forward people realize what the choices are and and why some things are are have been you know it is our responsibility to bring forward to the community what we think best serves the community and and uh and it's not that we're trying to take money from people or from ourselves or anybody else.
Uh we've had just shy of 10 students utilize that this year. Um and it's been a pretty good success. So, you know, people that typically would not have access to higher education classes in high school are now getting that opportunity, which is great. Uh we also just today about six hours ago got clearance to become a proctor uh of the serve safe program. So we're running our first cohort of that which you'll see here. Uh it is a full cohort. We have 22 people that are enrolled in it. All people that are working in the food industry and need that certification to kind of move up. Um and then I spoke a little bit about enrichment. Um that's going to be coming in the fall. These are all the partnerships or some of the partnerships rather that we have engaged in that has allowed us to do this.
Full agenda tonight. May I have a motion? Thank you, Mr. Dawson. A second, Ms. Cozzolino? There you go. All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? We are adjourned to executive. >> Mhm. >> All right, everybody. We are back in session. Item 14.1. We have tonight No, we don't have tonight. Am I mistaken or there's no 14.2? So, Ms. Lee, we're skipping 14? Um, yes. Very good. So, it's actually item 15.1 that we are up to. Which is Just be it resolved the Board of Education approves the resolutions as outlined in approval of HIB cases on the middle and and elementary schools. Just item 15.2. A motion, please. Thank you, Mr. Incalcaterra. A second. Thank you, Mr. Dawson. A roll call. Mr. Dawson. Mr. Ms. Cazzino. Yes. Mr. Hay. Mr. Incalcaterra. Mr. Januzzi. Yes. Mr. Minhas. Ms. Morrison. Mr. Volmar. Motion passes. Thank you. That leaves us just with item 16.1.
It's that we're trying to offer people what we believe to be the best road forward. >> And and just very well said, Claudia. I think that's that's it in a nutshell. But you know, the Prop 2 and a half was never meant to be the end all beall. Prop two and a half was meant to be the point where communities have the discussion. And I think we're having a really good discussion about where we want to go and what we want to do and how we want to get there and how we have control over those things. Um, and it's been a very thoughtful process. I mean, and very thorough process and very public process. Um, I know that there's been talk about, you know, things have changed and and yeah, things have changed because because because we've crunched the numbers and we've done done the work and we're trying to minimize the impact to to taxpayers.
Um we are one of the only uh providers in the state that not only partners with the regional workforce board which is NRWIB uh but we also partner with a second workforce board located in South Central that pays us to offer programming um out of New Haven with Workforce Alliance. So, um, you know, we're we're getting a reputation for really providing strong programming and people are asking us to provide programming to their clients and to their students and to their workers, which is great. Um, so enrichment programming, this is kind of the last piece. If you remember when I presented three years ago, we had really hoped that we were going to get enrichment programming up and running and then we got hit with 600 more students the next year and that just wasn't possible. um through the through the grant funding that we've brought in, we were able to actually hire an enrichment coordinator.
So, [clears throat] um, I think I think it's a I think it's a thoughtful plan. I think it um I think it really is the best the best scenario for the entire community. So, um we can't control what happens a year from now. You know, who knows what's going to happen a year from now. And but we can control this and we can we can work to um protect our community as much as and that's >> minimize [clears throat] the impact >> and I think our community too along with many other communities are becoming um you know inspired to to fight back to our state government and say we need to have more money coming back to us and um and you know there's s certainly many ways to do it. Um funding public education through property tax is does not work. >> It doesn't work.
She started on Monday. Um we're very excited about that. She's hit the ground running. We've put together a timeline. Um there will be cataloges coming out to every house in Danbury in the fall. Um for enrichment, we're shooting for uh 15 to 20 classes in the fall. The goal is by year three, it's self- sustaining, right? Those are tuition based classes. Those are the fun classes, the wine tasting, the beer making, the dancing, the painting, things like that. Um, so we're very excited about that. Um, the goal is in three years to have it up to 70 to 80 classes, right? Um, because at that point it really does become self- sustaining and actually offsets some of the costs that needs to go towards the statemandated programming. So, um, we have quite a bit going on. I appreciate your support with this. Um, we're really looking forward to a new building.
And I think Massachusetts is one of the few states that that does it that way. I shouldn't say that because I'm not 100% sure. But I there are certainly other ways of doing it. And um I know that that's those aren't popular discussions these days either, but um you know I think the state government really owes us uh some as a time to change and we can do both. So we can we have to we have to deal with the situation that we have currently in front of us because we need a budget by July 1. Um, and we can continue to advocate for change at the state level because I think I think we are reaching a tipping point when you start looking at the other communities that are in exactly the same situation because the same fixed costs that we're seeing going up.
I can't stress that enough. Um, if you guys have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them. >> Is there any questions for the board members? Go ahead, Sean. >> Can you talk about graduation night school as it was called back in the day and how emotional it is and that it's a real thing >> because I think for people that haven't been there, you want to go see those people. I don't know how you run it now, but it was unbelievable. Our graduation is the first week in June. Um, invitations will be coming out shortly from Cara Pompano. Um, we would welcome I know that a few of you guys attend every year. We love seeing you. The students love seeing it. Um, and it's a it's a great show of support from the community. Um, there's usually quite a few non dry eyes in the room because it is so powerful.
I mean, some communities I mean the the overrides that are on the ballot for so many of these communities are >> huge. >> Insane. Like insane. And I know I know we're not Brooklyn, but like Brooklyn's got I think it's a $23 million override on their ballot. Um there are communities that um there was one now I can't remember the town that just had an override fail, but they were going to increase taxes by 50%. >> Hadley. That's Yeah. I mean, you know, I mean, >> that's that's a big boost. >> That's crazy. >> It is. Yeah. I mean, so >> thankfully we haven't had to do that. Hopefully we don't never have to do that. But >> yeah. No, I mean we >> we're not the only ones in the same boat. We're all we're all in this together and it's not a it's not an easy.