District: Public wants after-school activities, sports saved from cuts

Block scheduling, modified sports schedules and staff reductions possible

Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008 | 2:51 p.m.

Block scheduling: 235-cut, 271-keep
Extracurricular activities: 33-cut, 558-keep (top vote-getter)
Athletics: 38-cut, 385-keep
Eliminating one region office: 183-cut (top-vote getter), 3-keep
Librarians (105 positions): 35-cut, 106-keep
Literacy specialists (200 positions): 131-cut, 72-keep
Special Ed facilitators (164 positions): 45-cut, 133-keep
Maintenance and grounds-keeping (1 percent reduction in force): 31-cut, 4-keep

Extra-curricular activities and sports were at the top of the list of programs the public says should be protected from the next round of school budget cuts, according to a district presentation Wednesday.

The votes were nearly divided on block scheduling, with 271 in favor of keeping the program, which costs $11 million annually and is offered at 18 high schools. The modified schedule allows students to take more elective classes. But 235 people said the program should be cut, and it’s likely at the top of the School District’s list, as well.

“It does represent what many see as an inequity in our high schools,” Clark County Schools Superintendent Walt Rulffes told the School Board at a special work session today to discuss the survey results.

The Clark County School District conducted town hall meetings on Nov. 18 and 19, and attendees had the opportunity to submit ballot slips listing the programs, services and staff positions they wanted saved and the ones they were willing to lose.

While no single area had majority support, the strongest consensus was for after-school programs such as band, athletics and club activities.

The public also said that librarians were necessary at the middle and elementary schools, and that special education facilitators deserved priority.

Rulffes said he’s reviewing the results of the town meeting, as well as the recommendations that came from a survey of about 700 parents. Additionally, each principal was required to meet with parents and staff to discuss ways to trim 3.5 percent from individual campus budgets. He plans to bring a list of recommendations for consideration when the School Board meets Dec. 11.

While it’s unlikely that sports programs would be eliminated entirely, it is possible that schools will have modified schedules and play fewer games, Rulffes said.

Alternatively, there will likely be entire programs or staff positions that are eliminated outright, Rulffes said.

Joyce Haldeman, the district’s associate superintendent of community and government relations, noted that when the town hall meeting responses were put up against the parent survey findings and the individual school surveys, there was no consensus. Each list has a different “top 5” for both the “cut” and the “keep,” although some items do make repeat appearances.

Discussion: 3 comments so far…

By vsestini

12/4/08 at 7:22 a.m.

Suggest removal

I would like to congratulate all of the parents to contributed in the school townhall meetings regarding the school budget. Your insistance that athletics and extra-curricular activities remain sacrosanct and not be cut shows your deep wisdom and concern for education. After all no modern day district student should be denied the opportunity to be involved in these activiteis; afterall real education is far less important in their future lives.

It is far more important that they have knowledge of football, baseball, basketball, etc when an adult than math, science, English, history or the arts. How could a future adult survive the world without knowing about players, plays and statistics in future World Series, NBA playoffs and the Superbowl? To sit with friends and be totally ignorant of these sports is a disaster worth preventing.

Aren't our schools and universities more atooned to being minor league prep areas for athletes than scholars?

The general public in this district could really care less about real education because excellence in education is not important to them. I hope you get what you wish for...America is becoming a service nation because we cannot produce enough educated individuals to man our remaining factories, science labs, computers,medical facilities etc. We are importing fara more intelligent foreign nationals to run our country....Good Luck Clark County ! Remember what you chose as a district priority will be reflected in your child's future education...you are as responsible for dumbing down education as the trustees and administrators of this district.
By ZeddyBear

12/4/08 at 9:18 a.m.

Suggest removal

Here are some things that parents, teachers, and administrators can do to make the budget cuts palatable to all concerned.

1. Administrators receive 24 PAID vacations per year -- That perk costs the school district $15M a year. Teachers receive zero paid vacation days per year. Imagine cutting 25% of the administrators who are NOT in schools but are bumping into each other at the Ed Shed and the Marble Palace on Sahara Avenue?

2. Teachers who are NOT in the classroom need to leave their pseudo-administrator jobs and return to the classroom. That would include the new "Morale Officer" for the school district -- Mary Ella Holloway who says she's "just a teacher." She receives $70K for her job. NO teacher who is in the classroom receives -- $70K for teaching. Send her and all TOSA's back to the classroom. If they don't want to return, give them their pink slips.

3. Students who have dropped out of school because they thought school was a waste of time should pay for adult education classes. Free rides are given to those who stay in school and tough it out. If you drop out, you have to pay to come back.

4. The charge for Summer School should be raised to $500.00 a course. If kids think they can flunk because it's the thing to do will think twice before failing a course.

5. ALL sports should be "pay-to-play."

6. Bus transportation should cease. Kids can walk, bike, or take public transportation. Parents could carpool with other parents to work out this program. Schools should not be in the business of free transportation. I could see bus transport if the kids are in a rural setting, but in a school district like this one -- this is a wasteful expense.

7. Book fees should be accessed. If the kids destroy the books, too bad the money is NOT returned. In fact, students can only be promoted if the book fines are paid from the previous year. Perhaps kids -- and their parents -- will see the importance of responsibility when it comes to books.

8. Supplies -- notebook paper, tissue, crayons, etc. -- will NOT be supplied by the schools. Parents send your kids with the supplies that are needed for success. Teachers will NOT supply your kids with these necessities.

9. Tutoring sessions for kids that need more help with their studies will be charged to parents as dictated by companies like Sylvan. No freebie sessions with current teachers. Parents need to be partners with their kids' education.

10. Parents do NOT plan vacation trips during the school year. Use the winter and spring breaks for that. You have the summer for such trips.
By UNLVStud

12/4/08 at 6 p.m.

Suggest removal

Year-round school schedules for all schools.