Montgomery County schools may slash some of the district’s most prized programs in order to deal with budget cuts, infuriating parents, students and teachers.
Although Superintendent Jerry Weast has expressed his desire that no programs get cut, next year’s “staffing guidelines” sent to principals have made shutdowns and burdensome class loads for the remaining teachers nearly unavoidable.
At Montgomery Blair, home to a math, science and technology program that attracts students from across the county, up to eight teachers are rumored to be leaving next year, some due to decreased staffing, others for dwindling morale, according to students and parents.
In reaction, one student, Louis Wasserman, started a Facebook group of nearly 500 members strong called Protect the MBHS Magnet Program. The cuts “would be a betrayal of the very purpose and interests of this educational system,” he said.
Another student, Jacob Hurwitz, is organizing a march from the County Council to the Board of Education on Monday to bring the council’s attention to the issue.
At Churchill High School, an advanced theater program has grown in numbers but not in staffing. “The only thing saving the program at all is the willingness of Ms. Speck to take on a lot of extra work,” said Eleanor Pelta, whose son is a senior in the program.
Jessica Speck teaches 80 students this year but will be the sole teacher responsible for 120 students next year.
“Over the years, I’ve taught one more class than I was supposed to for no extra pay,” Speck said, adding Churchill’s principal has been supportive despite limited funds.
“I did what I had to do to grow the program, but the frustration is there’s no adjustment in the resources,” Speck said.
At the middle school level, where recent efforts at reform have focused on overarching themes for the schools, such as aerospace or the arts, maintenance of three especially successful schools depends on the district’s ability to continue funding an expired federal grant.
Already, Loiederman Middle School for the arts has been told to cut four full-time teachers and the coordinator for the arts-based focus, said Principal Alison Serino.
Leigh Leslie, who has a child at Loiederman, has fought for continued funding from the district level. “Look, this is exactly what [Weast] has said he wants to do … he’s hit one out of the ballpark on this one, let’s keep it going.”
