CREST HAVEN – Budgets for the 2023-2024 school year were approved March 28 for the county Technical School and Special Services School districts.
The Board of School Estimate’s annual session took place before the caucus of the Board of County Commissioners.
There are 606 students projected in the next year at the Technical School and 240 at the Special Services School.
There are currently 248 students at Special Services; 58 are from outside of the county.
Out-of-county tuition is projected to raise $528,000.
For the Technical School, with a budget of $17.35 million, the county will collect $8.55 million from taxes. That is a 4% increase over last year’s request.
To support the Special Services School, with a budget of $14.75 million, county taxes of $4.13 million will be needed. It is the same amount as the prior year.
Superintendent Jamie Moscony oversees both districts and gave her first report to the board.
She assumed the post following the retirement of Dr. Nancy Hudanich.
Special Services District
Special needs students attend the district from ages 3 to 21. The district offers programs that prepare students “to realize his or her highest potential as a contributing member of society,” Moscony said.
Students in Ocean Academy and Cape May County High School are all classified.
“In recent years, we have begun to service a higher population of more severely disabled students who need an educational environment very specific and supportive of their unique needs,” she continued.
Aggressive student behaviors “often require intensive staffing that include one-on-one aides, instructional aides, bus aides, and our behavior support staff, including two board-certified behavior analysts,” Moscony said.
Moscony cited the staff’s “collective desire” to help students prepare for” a meaningful life outside of school post-graduation.”
Toward that goal, the Community-Based Instruction program and vocational programs guide students into paying jobs. In the community, those commercial partners include Atlantic Cape Community College, Congress Hall, Reed’s Farm, Acme, ShopRite, Cape May (County) Zoo, and Cape May Tech.
The budget maintained the contract with the Sheriff’s Department for a school resource officer.
For the next school year, a new director of security will be shared with the Technical School.
Technical School District
The district serves 437 regular, full-time students, 125 full-time Special Ed students, 12 shared-time regulars, and 32 shared-time Special Ed students.
Tuition will remain at $9,340 for regular full-time students. A $5 increase to $9,380 will fund Special Ed students. There’s no change for regular, shared-time students at $4,715 and a $2.50 increase to $4,740 for shared-time Special Ed students.
Moscony told the board that construction on the secure front entrance, funded with 40% debt service, will be completed in May.
The next project that started in January is to be done in November. It includes seven new hotel rooms, a 100-seat cafe, a 264-seat conference center, a business center, and a new media center.
On the drawing board, in its final stage, are plans for a road leading to docks on the marsh, bulkhead, and dock, an updated boat house, and two new shop areas.
Also, in spring 2024, new areas of study will include environmental science and sustainability, electrical, cyber security, marine maintenance, medical assisting, dental assisting, and veterinary assisting.
The district will maintain its contract for a school resource officer with the Middle Township Police Department.
Board of School Estimate
Members of the Board of School Estimate were casting votes to approve the budgets for both districts.
They were Commissioner Director Leonard Desiderio, Commissioner Vice-Director E. Marie Hayes, Commissioner Will Morey, (School District) Board President Alan I. Gould, and (School District) Board Vice-President Christopher Kobik.
