Catholic school principals advocate for budget restoration
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
By Christina Leslie | Staff Writer
Principals from Catholic elementary and high schools in the Diocese made their voices heard on the upcoming 2017 N.J. State Budget April 28 during a meeting with Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth) in his Red Bank office.
Frances Koukotas, diocesan director of the N.J. Network of Catholic School Families, led a contingent of seven principals from Monmouth County to O’Scanlon’s office, including Joseph F. Deroba, president, St. John Vianney High School, Holmdel; Neil Begley, principal, St. Leo the Great School, Lincroft; William J. Belluzzi, principal, Holy Cross School, Rumson; Mary Ellen Lilly, principal, St. Benedict School, Holmdel; Craig Palmer, principal, St. Mary School, New Monmouth; Lasallian Brother Frank Byrne, president, Christian Brothers Academy, Lincroft, and James J. Hauenstein, president, Mater Dei Prep, New Monmouth.
The principals arrived carrying hundreds of letters written by their students, staff and parents requesting additional funding for technology aid, nursing services and security aid for all nonpublic schools throughout the state.
Lilly held a packet of 455 letters from her Holmdel school’s students, and detailed the importance of a full-time nurse in the school.
“There are too many children with health needs, and we have to keep track of their immunizations,” the principal said. “Without funding, we have to compensate with our own budget by May or June.”
Transportation is also a concern for St. Benedict, Lilly continued.
“We draw from five different school districts every year, and we hold our breath to make sure the routes will go through,” she noted.
“I met with [Sen. Joseph M.] Kyrillos yesterday when he honored our girls basketball team,” said Deroba. “Our biggest issue is bussing. Cutting funding is penny wise and pound foolish. Transportation cuts could kill us all.”
Brother Frank agreed. “At Christian Brothers, transportation is a big concern,” the Lasallian brother said. “We draw from 80 different townships.”
In contrast to his fellow principals’ formal business dress, Belluzzi sported a grey sweatshirt emblazoned with his Rumson school’s colors of purple and yellow.
“I asked the children in the AP government and AP English classes to write letters,” he said as he held the 55 missives. “I have my own letter as well.”
St. Leo’s Begley, acting as courier for 200 letters from students and teachers, said all three proposed budget cuts would negatively impact the Lincroft grammar school.
“Everything is important. The nursing cuts are absurd, and the transportation cuts are worse,” he said. “As for security, it doesn’t make sense the public schools get it issues and we don’t. Any budget cuts should be universal.”
Hauenstein echoed, “The safety and well-being of every student in the state is of foremost importance. We will do everything we can do to support our students.”
The principals were ushered into a conference room to meet with Assemblyman O’Scanlon, who admitted frankly, “The government just pulls everything from the budget each year and then people have to fight to reinstate it. I don’t like the horsetrading that goes on, but that’s what they do.”
One by one, the principals voiced their displeasure at the proposed cuts. Deroba stated that Catholic education saved the people of Monmouth County $210 million last year. The assemblyman admitted, “A lot of [the cuts] are going to come back and next year, be gone again.”
Belluzzi laughed as he reminded O’Scanlon that the Holy Cross School nurse happened to be the assemblyman’s neighbor, then grew serious as he detailed the difficulty in transportation for the Rumson school.
“We lost two routes this year,” he said. “The funding is falling below what we can put out for a bid. If our people can’t get bussing, it will be a major issue.”
Hauenstein added, “We have students riding three busses every day to get to Mater Dei Prep.”
Begley said to O’Scanlon, “We are happy we have an advocate in you. We all understand budgets, but when public schools get [funding] and we do not, there has to be a tradeoff.”
Brother Frank said, “Having an ally is helpful. CBA has 1,000 students and families who vote.”
O’Scanlon noted he is backing a security bill for nonpublic schools and is looking for an allocation of more than one hundred dollars per student.
“Transportation, I will fight for,” the assemblyman promised, “knowing that it’s a priority to all schools in your category. We need that money. We all have a dog in these fights,” he said.
“But no one should consider getting extra money without reforms,” O’Scanlon said. “Or in three to four years, New Jersey will be in trouble. We are all in this together.”
Koukotas and other Catholic school principals plan to hold meetings with their local legislators throughout the month of May:
A meeting with Senator James Beach is slated for May 4 with Koukotas; Carl Jankowski, principal of Our Lady of Perpetual Help School, Maple Shade; Dr. George Corwell, associate director for education for the N.J. Catholic Conference, and school representatives from the Diocese of Camden.
A meeting with Assemblyman Troy Singleton will take place on May 23. In attendance will be Koukotas, Corwell, Dennis Guida, principal of Holy Cross Academy, Delran; and representatives from St. Charles Borromeo School, Cinnaminson; St. Paul School, Burlington; Pope John Paul II School, Willingboro, and Our Lady of Good Counsel School, Moorestown.
Sen. Jennifer Beck will host a May 24 meeting with representatives from Holy Innocents School, Neptune; Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School, Asbury Park; St. Jerome School, West Long Branch; St. James School, Red Bank, and Red Bank Catholic High School.
Representatives from Notre Dame High School, Lawrenceville, will meet with Assemblywoman Elizabeth Muoio at a later date.
The 2017 N.J. State Budget must be approved by July 1. Concerned citizens may use the N.J. Catholic Conference Faith in Action – Voter Voice system found on the diocesan website at dioceseoftrenton.org, then clicking on “Catholic Advocacy Network Alerts” or votervoice.net/NJCC/Campaigns/45557/Respond.
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By Christina Leslie | Staff Writer
Principals from Catholic elementary and high schools in the Diocese made their voices heard on the upcoming 2017 N.J. State Budget April 28 during a meeting with Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth) in his Red Bank office.
Frances Koukotas, diocesan director of the N.J. Network of Catholic School Families, led a contingent of seven principals from Monmouth County to O’Scanlon’s office, including Joseph F. Deroba, president, St. John Vianney High School, Holmdel; Neil Begley, principal, St. Leo the Great School, Lincroft; William J. Belluzzi, principal, Holy Cross School, Rumson; Mary Ellen Lilly, principal, St. Benedict School, Holmdel; Craig Palmer, principal, St. Mary School, New Monmouth; Lasallian Brother Frank Byrne, president, Christian Brothers Academy, Lincroft, and James J. Hauenstein, president, Mater Dei Prep, New Monmouth.
The principals arrived carrying hundreds of letters written by their students, staff and parents requesting additional funding for technology aid, nursing services and security aid for all nonpublic schools throughout the state.
Lilly held a packet of 455 letters from her Holmdel school’s students, and detailed the importance of a full-time nurse in the school.
“There are too many children with health needs, and we have to keep track of their immunizations,” the principal said. “Without funding, we have to compensate with our own budget by May or June.”
Transportation is also a concern for St. Benedict, Lilly continued.
“We draw from five different school districts every year, and we hold our breath to make sure the routes will go through,” she noted.
“I met with [Sen. Joseph M.] Kyrillos yesterday when he honored our girls basketball team,” said Deroba. “Our biggest issue is bussing. Cutting funding is penny wise and pound foolish. Transportation cuts could kill us all.”
Brother Frank agreed. “At Christian Brothers, transportation is a big concern,” the Lasallian brother said. “We draw from 80 different townships.”
In contrast to his fellow principals’ formal business dress, Belluzzi sported a grey sweatshirt emblazoned with his Rumson school’s colors of purple and yellow.
“I asked the children in the AP government and AP English classes to write letters,” he said as he held the 55 missives. “I have my own letter as well.”
St. Leo’s Begley, acting as courier for 200 letters from students and teachers, said all three proposed budget cuts would negatively impact the Lincroft grammar school.
“Everything is important. The nursing cuts are absurd, and the transportation cuts are worse,” he said. “As for security, it doesn’t make sense the public schools get it issues and we don’t. Any budget cuts should be universal.”
Hauenstein echoed, “The safety and well-being of every student in the state is of foremost importance. We will do everything we can do to support our students.”
The principals were ushered into a conference room to meet with Assemblyman O’Scanlon, who admitted frankly, “The government just pulls everything from the budget each year and then people have to fight to reinstate it. I don’t like the horsetrading that goes on, but that’s what they do.”
One by one, the principals voiced their displeasure at the proposed cuts. Deroba stated that Catholic education saved the people of Monmouth County $210 million last year. The assemblyman admitted, “A lot of [the cuts] are going to come back and next year, be gone again.”
Belluzzi laughed as he reminded O’Scanlon that the Holy Cross School nurse happened to be the assemblyman’s neighbor, then grew serious as he detailed the difficulty in transportation for the Rumson school.
“We lost two routes this year,” he said. “The funding is falling below what we can put out for a bid. If our people can’t get bussing, it will be a major issue.”
Hauenstein added, “We have students riding three busses every day to get to Mater Dei Prep.”
Begley said to O’Scanlon, “We are happy we have an advocate in you. We all understand budgets, but when public schools get [funding] and we do not, there has to be a tradeoff.”
Brother Frank said, “Having an ally is helpful. CBA has 1,000 students and families who vote.”
O’Scanlon noted he is backing a security bill for nonpublic schools and is looking for an allocation of more than one hundred dollars per student.
“Transportation, I will fight for,” the assemblyman promised, “knowing that it’s a priority to all schools in your category. We need that money. We all have a dog in these fights,” he said.
“But no one should consider getting extra money without reforms,” O’Scanlon said. “Or in three to four years, New Jersey will be in trouble. We are all in this together.”
Koukotas and other Catholic school principals plan to hold meetings with their local legislators throughout the month of May:
A meeting with Senator James Beach is slated for May 4 with Koukotas; Carl Jankowski, principal of Our Lady of Perpetual Help School, Maple Shade; Dr. George Corwell, associate director for education for the N.J. Catholic Conference, and school representatives from the Diocese of Camden.
A meeting with Assemblyman Troy Singleton will take place on May 23. In attendance will be Koukotas, Corwell, Dennis Guida, principal of Holy Cross Academy, Delran; and representatives from St. Charles Borromeo School, Cinnaminson; St. Paul School, Burlington; Pope John Paul II School, Willingboro, and Our Lady of Good Counsel School, Moorestown.
Sen. Jennifer Beck will host a May 24 meeting with representatives from Holy Innocents School, Neptune; Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School, Asbury Park; St. Jerome School, West Long Branch; St. James School, Red Bank, and Red Bank Catholic High School.
Representatives from Notre Dame High School, Lawrenceville, will meet with Assemblywoman Elizabeth Muoio at a later date.
The 2017 N.J. State Budget must be approved by July 1. Concerned citizens may use the N.J. Catholic Conference Faith in Action – Voter Voice system found on the diocesan website at dioceseoftrenton.org, then clicking on “Catholic Advocacy Network Alerts” or votervoice.net/NJCC/Campaigns/45557/Respond.
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