Kent School District parents and teachers told the Kent School Board Tuesday night to save elementary music and physical education programs and find somewhere else to cut the 2011-2012 budget by $6 million.
Speaker after speaker at the Community Budget Session and Public Hearing at the Kentwood High School gym objected to district proposals to cut the elementary school physical education program for a savings of $2.48 million and the elimination of elementary school music programs for a savings of about $3.8 million.
“The cuts need to be from the CEO level on down,” said Dan Williamson, whose suggestion to the board received cheers from the crowd. “We need to cut salaries that are at the highest level before we cut music and P.E.”
School district officials said they need to cut the budget because of funding reductions by the federal and state governments.
District cuts to music and P.E. would eliminate the specialized teachers in the two subjects and have classroom teachers take over teaching P.E. and music.
An estimated 50 teaching jobs would be cut with the elimination of music, band and orchestra programs, said Richard Stedry, chief business officer for the district. Another estimated 37 jobs would be cut by eliminating the current P.E. program.
Superintendent Edward Lee Vargas told the crowd before the public comment period that the proposed cuts are a preliminary step as the school board eventually decides in late April where to cut the budget.
“This is not a done deal,” Vargas said.
Vargas said state basic education requirements limit where the district can make cuts.
“No one wants to cut music,” Vargas said. “But if we have to reduce the budget we have to consider those areas where there are no requirements to fund programs.”
But parents and teachers who spoke at the meeting made it clear they want music and P.E. part of Kent’s elementary schools.
“Music and P.E. are core parts of education,” said Heidi McIlroy, who suggested rather than cutting the programs completely maybe they could be offered just one or two days per week to save money and have the programs still there to be restored completely when revenue comes back.
Numerous speakers suggested furlough days for administrators to save money rather than cutting school programs. Others want the board to reconsider funding a full-day kindergarten starting next school year.
“I object to full-day kindergarten,” Mike Visser said. “Why keep something that’s optional and cut programs. I am disappointed that option (to not offer full-day kindergarten) is not on the survey.”
Many speakers didn’t like the survey the district has made available online and at district schools for input about where to cut the budget.
“The list of fund reductions is unacceptable,” Jeanne Qunell said of the survey. “It’s very limited. I’d like to know why other items are not listed. If you complete the survey, music and P.E. are going to be impacted. I urge the community to write in ideas and not choose from the limited choices.”
Residents can fill out an online budget survey at www.kent.k12.wa.us/budget to show what programs they would cut. Surveys also are available at any Kent school office. Surveys are due to the district by April 8.
The school board plans to review survey results and public comments at an April 11 work session and then vote on a budget reduction plan April 13. The board will consider final approval of the budget cuts at its April 27 meeting.
“The survey answers and comments will be given to the board and the final cuts will be a combination of the proposals and new ideas,” Vargas said.
Linda Baily brought up the name of “American Idol” finalist Stefano Langone, of Kent, as a reason to keep elementary music. Langone, 22, attended elementary, junior high and high school in Kent.
“Music programs open opportunities for all children,” Baily said.
Randy Furukawa told the board elementary music and P.E. always rank high on surveys of residents about the top priorities in school district programs.
“I cannot accept that P.E. and music are up for sale,” Furukawa said. “You heard tonight that the community will not accept that.”
For more information, go to the Kent School District website at http://www.kent.k12.wa.us.
Talk to us
Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.
To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.
