Posted: 4/20/07
Residents leery of program cuts to balance budget
 North Branch teacher Marylin Fagerness stressed how important Industrial Tech and Family and Consumer Science are to middle school students. She, as well as many others, encouraged the board to restore the necessary funds to keep the programs next year. |
By Patrick Tepoorten
There were two major themes that emerged from the North Branch Area School District's budget hearing April 19: The district is cutting funds in the wrong places, and parents could do more to support extracurricular activities.
Roughly 100 people attended the public hearing designed to let residents weigh in on the district's proposal for cutting $2.5 million from the 2007 - 2008 budget. The crowd was fairly evenly divided between residents and district staff.
Residents and staff encouraged the district to look harder to find funds that are currently expected to be cut from Industrial Technology and Family and Consumer Science programs at the middle school. The $95,570 cut has been referred to as "one of the most dramatic," that Finance Director Randi Johnson can remember.
Resident Jake Gilkerson referred to the programs as "common sense" classes that have real world affects on students. "It's the stuff that makes you money," he said.
Another resident called the potential cut of the programs "a big loss for students, especially girls."
Teacher Marilyn Fagerness called the programs important because they teach students how to apply the things they learn in other classes. She said that the discipline and decision making skills are important in the fight against obesity, and improving financial literacy.
Another teacher, Stacy Johnstone, called the programs "the only way for a lot of kids to build self-esteem," and noted that many kids no longer learn life skills like using a hammer, turning on a stove, or good nutritional habits, at home.
Remarks by Fagerness and Johnstone were met with general applause.
High school Industrial Technology teacher Irv Geary said it would be impossible for the high school to teach students what they will miss in middle school and the high school curriculum, and added. "We want children ready for life, not just ready to take another test."
Middle school principal Todd Tetzlaff responded by agreeing that the cuts will hurt, saying, "I don't argue, the quality of education will be diminished." But he also called the program cuts an "unpleasant reality given the situation."
Many in attendance also encouraged the district to stop paying for extra-curricular activities and make the cost the responsibility of parents. Resident Jeff Henderson broached the idea, as did many others.
Activities Director Becky Leuer explained that doing so had not been explored because the demographics would not support it. She used the Anoka district as an example, where students pay $360 to play tennis. She explained that, in dramatically increasing the financial burden on parents could have a negative affect, resulting in greater use of open enrollment away from North Branch.
Before the public hearing, superintendent Rodney Reisnouer addressed some of the more common suggestions heard by the district. He stated that many want the district to cut something considered "high impact" on the community, like activities or transportation.
Reisnouer credited extra-curricular activities with having a great impact on classroom discipline, and although he noted that the district considers cutting in-town bussing every time cuts are on the table, student safety trumps "sending a message" to the community.
Responding to expected levy questions, Reisnouer explained that the district has studied the issue and surveys have indicated that residents feel property tax burdens are too high to support additional operating revenue. He added that even a severe increase in property taxes would not make up the difference for the roughly $10 million in cuts over the last five years.
He encouraged those in attendance to contact their legislators about changing the entire funding structure for public education.
Those in attendance were assured that the board was listening to their suggestions and would consider them carefully. It is expected that the board will make a decision regarding the cuts at the April 26 meeting.
Comment from Diane Jones, 4/23/07
I think the school board is giving up on the community by not campaigning for an operating levy. It was clear at this meeting that the parents are willing to pay what it takes to keep athletic program opportunites for their children. I believe they would agree to a tax increase if they knew it would allow the educational opportunties to continue as is for their children. They need to be presented with the facts as to how their children will be impacted in upcoming years if we continue to operate without a levy.That means being truthful about the drastic cuts to life skill programs, electives and extra curriculars as well as increases in class sizes and cuts in curricular materials. Parents do you realize that by cutting the formal health education program at the middle school, your children will not get a formal education about health topics (sexuality,dating realtionships,unwanted pregnancy, STI's,nutrition,drugs, alcohol and tobacco) until their sophomore year ? These are topics that are vital for them to understand in relationship to their wellness in their puberty years (middle school ) long before they turn 16.The recommendation from administration is to cut a trimester long formal health education program into a few week unit combined with their phy-ed program.I shudder to think the impact this will have on the increase in unwanted teenage pregnancies, STI's, obesity and drug use. As far as losing families to open enrollment, that may be the case but it is not as easy or convenient as it used to be with many schools reaching maximum capacity and also with the new MSHSL rules about player eligibility. I think we need to work on educating the community on the future consequences for their children if a levy is not accepted instead of giving up !
Comment from Stacy Johnstone, 4/25/07
I appreciate the good job representing the issues and the climate at the community school budget meeting on Thurs. April 19th.
I would like to call attention to the comment regarding the crowd being evenly divided between residents and district staff. An administrator made a similar comment to me immediately following the meeting that night.
I believe the major reason the North Branch School Board feels the need to hire a 'consultant' to help them build bridges in the community is because they too, do not recognize many of their staff as 'community residents'. Except for the administrators, almost every staff person at the meeting was a community resident.
As soon as the school board acknowledges that many of their staff are residents, they may be able to begin establishing positive relationships with the people who are heavily vested in the well being of the students in our district.
I would like to see the school board to host an open forum like that meeting just for the staff. We have some creative and unique ideas. We're worth a listen!
Respectfully submitted,
Stacy Johnstone
North Branch Resident
North Branch Employee
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