The board will consider a recommendation for $12.2 million in cuts Monday where 7.5 percent of Lakota employees would lose jobs next year, including Spurlock, who said he recommended the elimination of his own position as assistant superintendent.
High school and junior high parents made up the majority of those in attendance at the two community meetings.
Their children will be in class one less period a day, which means one less elective choice. At the high school, the modified block schedule likely will be replaced with a straight bell schedule, Principal Keith Kline said. Throughout an average student’s high school experience, there will be just two and a half opportunities for an elective. Details are still being discussed, and no final class schedules will be announced until enrollment is calculated. The most popular classes will be filled, but no longer will there be classes for just a small group of students, Kline said.
Parents were uneasy with the explanation that they will have to wait to find out what classes will be available. Some courses may be broadcast from one school to the other. Some students might be asked to drive the other high school for a consolidated class. More courses might be college lecture style. And, some students might have to seek online course options, especially band students.
Some parents were concerned about physical education, and asked for a waiver for student athletes or marching band participants, similar to what Fairfield City Schools has.
Parent Katie Klopfenstein said a waiver would mean her student athlete could take an extra advance placement course rather than limit his opportunities to take something he doesn’t need.
“It’s senseless,” she said. “This is the time for students to explore their interests.”
Spurlock said that isn’t an option right now, but there are credit flexibility programs that might help.
“I don’t feel we’re looking hard enough at making hard choices,” resident Jill Trygier said.
She criticized the cuts for being equal across the board rather than making cuts that would preserve academics.
“It’s like, make everybody equally happy or unhappy,” she said.
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