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Commissioners urge pause on Bella Babies closure as students plead for restored field trips and after‑school programs
Summary
The board passed a resolution asking the Hudson County Schools of Technology to pause plans to close the Bella Babies child‑care center at County Prep High School. Students from Hi‑Tech High and other schools urged commissioners to restore field trips, after‑school days and summer programs cut during recent budget decisions.
The Hudson County Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution urging the Hudson County Schools of Technology (HCST) to pause and reconsider a decision to discontinue the Bella Babies Child Care Center at County Prep High School and related community services.
Commissioner CJ introduced the resolution (item 19) asking the HCST Board to "pause, reconsider, and reverse" its decision to discontinue the childcare program. The measure was sponsored and placed on the consent agenda and recorded as approved by the board.
Why it matters: the Bella Babies center provides child care tied to a county high school campus and related community services that parents, students and staff rely on. Commissioners said the board should press the district for transparency about cuts that affect students and staff and consider follow-up measures if the district does not act.
Student speakers reinforced the urgency. Cassidy (Cassie) Gormley, a rising junior at Hi‑Tech High School, said field trips and after‑school programming are "a critical part of education, especially at career and technical education schools," and urged commissioners to allocate more funding so students can access hands‑on learning. "Field trips provide an opportunity for team building and collaboration between the VOCs, which can strengthen school spirit and community," she said.
Another student, Emil Perez, described specific cuts: reduction of after‑school days from four to three, termination of summer programs such as FunFit and Summer Sustainability, and increases in certain course costs. He said those changes disproportionately affect students without alternatives and asked the board to work with the district to preserve career‑technical opportunities.
A commissioner addressing the board said the county had supported a school‑related resolution and warned that if the district "ignores what we say" commissioners should consider stronger follow‑up; that speaker criticized the district’s handling of a $12 million supplemental request and said undisclosed program reductions—daycare, field trips and summer programs—should have been presented earlier.
The board recorded its action and directed no immediate policy to the district beyond the request to reconsider; commissioners indicated potential future oversight steps. The meeting closed with the board asking staff to track the district’s response and consider a follow-up resolution if needed.
The matter will remain under board monitoring; commissioners asked that school‑related items return to committee if HCST does not provide the requested clarifications.
