On Monday, the Upper Dublin High School Marching Band Parent's Association held an open meeting to discuss the proposed cuts in the 2013-14 school year budget.
Deb Carver, the Public Relations Secretary for the March Band Parents Association, say that the parents who gathered on Monday were there to "advocate for something that is near and dear to our hearts."
Chris Dowdell, President of the Parent's Association, said, "The budget process is already underway, time is not on our side."
He continued, "The stakes of tonight's meeting are high."
The proposed budget, according to Superintendent of Schools Michael Pladus, as a $2.7 million dollar deficit and the school board can raise taxes to a maximum of 3.04 percent.
"[We] cannot continue the spending trajectory that we're on without [major cuts]," said Pladus.
Pladus continued that the past few years, cuts have been made across the district that have been considered those that least impacted the students. He said there has been downsizing in administration staffing, the district has reduced overtime payment, the late buses, eliminated a social worker, a kindergarten assistant, a District receptionist and one Robbins Park assistant.
However, this years cuts will affect the students, although Pladus said the administration tried to cut from programs that have the least impact on students and made cuts with "fairness and equity to the extent possible."
The proposed budget eliminates a math coach and increases class sizes at the elementary level. During the question and answer session, Pladus told parents that reductions will also be made in elementary music, arts, physical education and library.
At the middle school, the budget eliminates two writing lab assistants, teacher reductions to .8 in music and arts and "other special areas," according to previous reporting in Patch.
At the high school, the budget, calls for the elimination of driver's ed, reductions in teaching assignments in art, music, business technology and family and consumer sciences and the increase in class sizes.
See the full list of proposed reductions here.
Pladus added that an activities fee is being considered and will most likely be implemented for the 213-14 school year.
And if you think cuts in the music program will hurt our property values...just wait until those PSSA scores start to drop. Unfortunately, there are no easy answers.
17k next year, and 20k the following year. He refused to comment any further when asked if the teachers would make any concessions other than to say they have been approached and have refused that option. Another point was that only 25% of the paying residents have kids in school. Oh and property values... a house went from 425k to 340k in five years regardless of the school district. It's been on and off the market for 2 years because they can't sell it, and this is while interest rates are at historically low levels. My point is that by next year the same issues and arguments will be had and deeper cuts will be necessary.
I've already started considering when my family should move so my present third grade student can attend a high school with full-time music faculty, not 0.8 classroom teachers and limited extracurricular activities. I'd be amazed if UD does not see teachers flee the district this Spring. And who will they hire as replacements at a 0.8 position - someone wanting to get experience and then jumping to a 1.0 position. If the District proposes all these demotions in a year with a teacher's contract, what will they propose next year? I know and appreciate many of the arts the teachers, and I wish them well elsewhere.
The school district being at it's debt limit because of the high school construction does factor into the situation since borrowing to help lessen the burden until 2015-16 is not an option. Not that borrowing is good, but it's a non-option. UD may have needed to offer salary increases to gain parity with other districts, but where is that parity now? Clearly every teacher is important, but some are more important than others.
I said, “if I understood Dr. Pladus correctly”. Teacher? If this is how you respond to a post then what do you do to defenseless children in the classroom that you disagree with. Using tactics that look to silence others by attacking there credibility through name calling and accusations is immoral. You should resign your position!
D Plasket