Feedback on Santa Rosa’s potential cuts
by Extra.Credit
There is a little light reading posted on the Santa Rosa City Schools web site.
The district, to its credit, has posted every single comment tallied so far on their long list of potential budget cuts. Read them here: http://www.srcs.k12.ca.us/news/2009-10BudgetComments.pdf
Between Oct. 23 and today, 235 comments have been logged – that’s 33 pages worth.
I didn’t read them all (one criticism – the layout makes it hard to reconcile the comment with the actual line item on the budget), but the point is, anyone who wants to read them all, can.
It’s interesting stuff.
And kudos to the district for requiring names and emails to go with the comments. That lends credibility to the remarks, in my mind.
Here are a few that stuck out for me:
From a Grace High student: “I want Grace to stay on Piner campus because it will help me and many other students graduate. High School has not been the easiest
thing for us for personal reasons. At Grace, I make up 96 credits instead of 60. This is a great opportunity for students who need to
graduate and are really trying to so they can get a future job.”
From a Maria Carrillo High student: “I am a student at Maria Carrillo High School that is satisfied with the current Library system. I find the staff to be incredibly
welcoming and helpful, not only to myself but to my peers. The staff effectively inculcates new students on how to use the Library,
and I found this to be helpful. The staff alerted me as well to the selection of books they have, and due to their encouragement, check
out books to read regularly. I personally learned how to use PowerPoint from the staff. The library is an important resource to me in
general, for schoolwork and my personal interest, and the staff is integral to this, and any change in the current system would be
detrimental to my educational progress.”
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What about that 25 million dollars reserve? If the school district needs to cut 5.7 million, and they have 25 million in reserve accounts (from looking at the numbers posted on the district’s website, I am convinced they do), then why are we talking about cutting libraries and alternative education programs?
Why are we not hearing more about that 25 million dollar reserve? I really don’t understand the silence about this. I am totally convinced that the money is there. If there are reasons we can’t spend it, I want to hear the reasons.
There is no reason why we can’t at least talk about it, is there?
So, when people take out their budget scalpels, talking about cutting this program or that, I won’t engage in that discussion until we address the white elephant in the room: What about that 25 million dollar reserve?
by Wlyon
In recent events like the one at Richmond High School I find it appaling that the district would look at cutting student advisors. Not only are the student advisors there for the saftey of our kids but also to help the kids with issues that could lead up to bigger problems. It is very important for this position to stay so that the student advisors can start to help the kids as freshman and throughout their high school careers. If these kids don’t have this outlet to help them, then the problems that the kids are dealing with will only grow, some to a dangerous point for other students. At a time like this I don ‘t think it is an appropriate cut to make in our school system. Taking student visors away will also put one less pair of eyes watching the students before, after, and all breaks at the school. Supervision is key to prevent problems from happening at the school.
by Roger
I am a Student Advisor at MCHS. The students come to the Student Advisor with problems and safty concerns and we pass this information on.As Student Advisor at all schools I feel we stop problems before they start. Please do not cut student advisor. The students need us!
by Lore Loucks
I am a Student Advisor at Rincon Valley Middle School. I am the only security person on this campus. There are over 900 students that I supervise before school. (The Principal and Assistant Principles help supervise during lunch and after school.) Part of my job to be available to students who need to talk to someone. Often times the at-risk students know that I draw boundaries for them and expect them to follow the rules. They know I am not their friend, but an adult who will always have time to be there for them and administer discipline as needed. I have an effect on all the students on this campus. Not a day goes by that I don’t get hellos from many, many students. I also interact with neighbors, businesses, parents, police, etc. to help maintain good relations with all. To cut the Student Advisors on ANY campus would be a disaster to all the students across the board.
The district needs to reconsider this cut.
by Sarah Baker