Educators, students react to proposed school cuts

Clear Lake teachers, students and members of the community packed the meeting room of the School Board Monday night to offer their comments about proposed cuts to help the district meet its 2015-16 budget.

Superintendent Anita Micich explained the district is currently spending an estimated $600,000 more than its general fund supports.  

“Our first approach is to cut things and stuff, not people,” she told a group of about 40 persons attending Monday night’s School Board meeting.  “I appreciate your understanding of this complex issue and everything we are discussing is food for thought.”

The Board is expected to make its budget decisions at its next regular meeting, slated for April 13.  

The task of trimming the budget began with asking building principals to suggest cuts which would trim 10 percent across the board at each of the district’s three buildings, along with district-wide reductions.

Building level budget reductions would amount to just over $54,000 and district level cuts would amount to $189,338.  The district level cuts included discontinuing contracted services with Gallagher Benefit Services and Kelly Substitute Services for $25,000 each, along with savings of almost $5,867 making a change in a uniform service.  Weight room supervision and ticket takers costing approximately $8,471 will be reallocated to be paid from the district’s Activity Fund, rather than General Fund. 

Potential personnel reductions have also been identified by the Board and are what drew comment from the audience. 

Reduction of a .5 Spanish teacher and .5 high school vocal music teacher, along with the consideration of eliminating the French program, prompted comment from several persons.

Paul Langholz, in his 31st year as high school vocal music teacher, said the proposed cut to that program would result in the inability to provide lessons, which he said are a foundation of the music program.  “Please consider and exhaust all other options before taking this action,” he pleaded.

Teacher Beth Ann Schumacher read a letter on behalf of Spanish teacher Lisa Wieck, who could not be at the meeting because she is overseeing a class trip to Spain.  A reduction in the Spanish department would not be in the best interest of students, she wrote, saying larger classes would result.

Sophomore Alanna Monson said instructor Kama Shultz, who is the .5 teacher facing elimination, is valuable to the school and its students.  She said Shultz makes learning fun and class size manageable, a sentiment echoed by senior Hadley Luker.

“Whatever decisions are being made, I hope they are made with as much seriousness as one can summon,” said Luker.  “I’ve seen so many things cut at the elementary that I participated in, it’s saddening.”  Luker traced her love of band to her early days as a member of the Drum and Bugle Corps, which no longer exists.  She is a student in Shultz’s Spanish class because French had been cut at the time she was signing up for classes.  

Sara Gutierrez, who teaches French for the - Read More Via e-Edition