Dr. John Kellmayer, Superintendent of the Alice Costello School, released the following press release today regarding the district\’s school budget. It reads as follows:
\”The Brooklawn Board of Education held a Public Hearing and then approved the district\’s 2007-2008 budget of $4,517,836 at the regular meeting of the Board on March 30.
Because of increasing costs to school districts in areas over which they have no control, such as negotiated raises in contracts, rapidly increasing health care premiums, liability insurance, and heating fuel, a great percentage of school districts throughout New Jersey have planned significant tax increases and/or reductions in faculty and staff. There will be no tax increase in the Brooklawn School District. Nor will there be any reduction in services.
The school district plans to continue to provide services not only for families who have children who attend the school district, but for the entire community as well. The Shop Rite of Brooklawn Center and the Flowers Library and Media Center will be open evenings and some weekends. Programs will be planned for residents of all ages.
How can the Brooklawn Board of Education avoid a tax increase during a difficult economic time? Because the Brooklawn Board has adopted an entrepreneurial philosophy, the district has been successful in generating revenue from nontraditional sources. The sale of naming rights to Shop Rite for $100,000 and a $100,000 gift from the Flowers family are examples of these efforts.
The district has also generated substantial revenue from the New Jersey Interdistrict School Choice Program, which allows a limited number of students from public school districts outside of Brooklawn to attend school in Brooklawn. The Board remains committed to continuing the pursuit of nontraditional sources of revenue in the coming year, including the pursuit of discretionary grant funding.\”
Board of Education President Bruce Darrow said, \”The entire Board should be commended for their hard work in putting together the 2007-2008 budget. As far as I know, Brooklawn will be the only district in Camden County, and one of the very few in the entire state, to hold the line on taxes. Our students remain high achieving, and the school district cost per pupil is among the lowest in the state. In the past several years, we have built a library, classrooms, and a gym, added staff and programs, installed a new heating system and windows, and made numerous other improvements to educational programs and the physical plant—all without a tax increase.
The Board remains committed to working with the entire community, including Mayor and Council, to find innovative ways to continue the success of the school district for the benefit of not only the students but all the residents of Brooklawn.\”
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