What programs should Kent district save?

Nearly 800 community members, staff and students packed into the Kent-Meridian gymnasium Tuesday night to help the Kent School District Board of Directors prioritize district programs in preparation for a budget crunch that will lead to potentially painful cuts throughout the district.

With items such as middle-school athletics, junior-varsity athletics and elementary music, band and gym on the potential chopping block, residents from all walks of life and all parts of the district came together to let their voices be heard.

In the end, most groups visited placed athletics and music in high-priority positions, as well as maintaining the current middle-school day, meaning those programs will in all likelihood be saved from the impending budget cuts.

The board is struggling to balance the district’s budget in an time of declining revenues, and expects the combination of a drop in state funding and the outcome of contract negotiations with the Kent Education Association to create a potential budget hole of up to $16 million.

“This is not going to be an easy process,” Board President Jim Berrios said at the opening of the workshop. “We need your help. We can’t do this alone.”

The public workshop at Kent-Meridian, the first of two such forums, drew an unexpectedly large crowd, with district officials running out of pre-printed packets of potential cuts, as well as seats at tables on the gym floor. Overflow crowds also packed the bleachers on both sides of gym, as groups of eight to 10 worked in mostly randomly assigned groups (designed to keep any one group from dominating a particular table).

Each group was then asked to prioritize each of the 23 potential cuts by meting out 100 points to the programs of their choice, with no program eligible for more than 20 points.

The potential cuts on the table totaled approximately $30 million, giving residents nearly twice as much to choose from as necessary.

Berrios urged those gathered to “think of all children” instead of focusing on pet projects of those involved, many of whom turned out to save their own programs.

“This evening cannot be about protecting only what you are interested in,” he said.

During the discussions, members of the administration and board cycled among the crowd, answering questions and offering explanations, but individual tables and groups were left to decide their own priorities.

At nearly every table visited, maintaining athletic programs and protecting elementary school music, band and physical education received the most points, with “maintain the current middle school schedule” also near the top of all those asked.

In many groups, parents and community members deferred to student perspectives.

At one table, Kentwood senior Holly Nies, a trumpet player herself, argued for keeping band during the day at elementary schools.

“Keeping music in the lives of younger children helps with grades and builds teamwork,” she said, adding “it keeps kids out of trouble.”

Nies argued that students need the extra years in elementary school in order to be prepared to compete for scholarships once they reach the higher levels.

At another table, Kentridge junior Andrea Antrim used a personal story to help her group to prioritize highly the maintaining of staff levels in school-nurse offices.

“Three of my best friends are diabetic, so that is essential to me,” she said.

Board members also asked for additional suggestions, to which Cheryl Nowacki offered an across-the-board wage freeze.

“Why do we have to look at all this?” she asked. “We’re in a crisis.”

At the end of the evening, district officials collected the priority sheets from all groups, which will then be tallied with results from the Feb. 26 workshop at Kentwood High School and a master results list will be distributed to the community before any decisions are made.

Superintendent Barbara Grohe said after the meeting that she was impressed with the turnout.

“It’s wonderful to have so many people so interested in their school,” she said.

Grohe said along with the prioritization, she felt the evening offered an opportunity for the community to better understand the difficult decisions the board has to make at budget time.

“I think people will understand the board has a tough, tough job,” she said.

The board plans on making a final budget decision next month.

BOX:

Have a suggestion?

The Board of Directors is asking for any and all suggestion on how to save money. A special e-mail address has been set up to collect tips from community members. Send your suggestions to BudgetReductionSuggestions@kent.k12.wa.us.