TOWAMENCIN- With the course selection process underway for students across the North Penn School District, the proposed cuts listed in the Preliminary Budget for the 2012-2013 school year serve as a growing concern for students.
If the Preliminary Budget is to pass without amending the proposition that suggests courses with fewer than 20 registered students should no longer be staffed, then classes such as AP European History, various levels of Latin, AP Music Theory, and the class that brings you this very website, News Journalism, could disappear from the course offerings.
Demonstrating the apprehension of the student body, a rising number have joined the recently created Facebook group, “Students Against Harmful Budget Cuts,” primarily in protest of the removal of the albeit small, but unique classes offered at North Penn. Students deciding what courses to take next year seem to have some trepidation about signing up for courses that currently stand among the list of those that may be cut.
On the morning announcements on Friday, February 3, Mr. Burton Hynes, Principal of North Penn High School, encouraged students to sign up for their desired courses, regardless of what the preliminary budget may say. He urges that none of the decisions are final, and that the number of people registered in each course will help determine what courses may be saved.
“I highly recommend that students sign up for all courses that interest them and fit best into their plans for life after high school, even if the courses have historically had low registrations. The administration will look closely at the course registrations. The best way to maximize the chances that a course is not cut is to have a high number of students preregistered for the course. If a student has a unique interest in a course, perhaps that student could make his or her friends more aware of the benefits of that course. Although there are no guarantees, high student interest is very helpful,” says Dr. Curtis Dietrich, Superintendent of the North Penn School District, echoing Mr. Hynes’s sentiment.
While students seem to agree that such cuts would be detrimental, the looming economic difficulties call for the possibility of drastic changes. The preservation of North Penn’s superior education continues to rank as the top priority for the School Board, but compromises must be made in the face of our current economic situation.
“School funding is a very important matter and students should understand the challenges of raising revenue and controlling costs, particularly in a tight economy. All administrators, teachers, support personnel, parents, and taxpayers want a strong school system for the students of our community. Because of the economy, very difficult choices will need to be made in order for us to arrive at budget where our expenses equal our income,” says Dr. Dietrich.
As to just how many “difficult choices” will need to be made remains uncertain, as Dr. Dietrich explains, “Given that it is early in the budget process, it is very difficult to know how many cuts will be necessary. Our district is waiting to hear what Governor Corbett is recommending regarding the funds we get from the state budget. Because the state’s revenues are presently less than their budget, we do not expect good news. We also are closely monitoring the tax revenue that our school district gets directly from our taxpayers (for example, earned income tax and real estate transfer tax). We will be able to make a better estimate in April.”
For any and all students who would like to voice their concerns to or ask questions of Dr. Dietrich himself regarding the Preliminary Budget, he will be holding an informational, question and answer meeting at 2:30pm on Monday, February 6 in the Audion of North Penn High School.