Please support the upcoming levy
Q. What cuts has our district made?
Our district has and will continue to pare down employees, programs, supplies, etc. For school year 2009-10, the district slashed $538,504. The previous school year the cutback amounted to $835,338. Our teachers’ salaries have been frozen for two years with no movement for education or years on the salary scale. The state budget that JFAC approved March 28, 2011 for FY2012 reduces base salaries for administrators, teachers, and classified staff by 1.87 percent. This is in addition to the 1.67 percent reduction to salary-based apportionment found in SB 1184.
Q. What has happened to the money saved by going to four days of school?
It would be catastrophic to think how fiscally challenged our district would be without the significant reductions in expenses and income generated from the increase in ADA due to the 4-day week in the past six years. District employees took cuts in benefits, salaries, and even jobs to accommodate this change.
Q. Why do we need extra-curricular activities?
Statistics show students who participate in extracurricular activities attain higher grade point averages. It gives kids incentive to attend school, lowers the drop-out rate and provides opportunities for social growth. Colleges take note of a students’ “overall education,” factoring extracurricular. 80 percent of BCSD students are currently involved.
What can a BCSD education get a kid? In our family- a Harvard professor, a collegiate basketball coach, the CEO of a state Soccer Association, a geo-scientist, a soon-to-be degree in nursing, a university major in science and a hopeful junior at BFHS on her own path of achievement.
You can find many students from our district who have become successful. Many of these graduates are employed in our district and community to better the education and condition of our county.
As established, long time conservative parents of seven children, my husband and I have only great things to say about the “education” our children have received in Boundary County schools. We are grateful for the dedicated teachers and coaches who helped prepared them for life after high school. Please get out and vote for a wonderful future. We do not want to have a sad entry in the history books of the future students educated from our community.
Sulet Hiatt
BCSD Trustee, Zone 3