Advocates - It's Time To Act!
Santa Rosa City Schools will continue it's budget cut debates, considering an extensive list of potential cuts that include eliminating art and music funding.
Here's how to BECOME AN ACTIVE ADVOCATE ...
Click here to get a list of potential cuts. Scroll to the Arts and Music Block Grant funds (number 11, half way down page 2) and then click on the highlighted section. This will take you directly to the SRCS board agenda comment page.
If you need talking points, please let me know, I'd be happy to give you a long, long list!
Remember, while the cuts may seem inevitable, we should never pass up the opportunity to highlight the value of sustaining (growing!) art and music in our schools.
After you've made your comments, send this information to 3 other people. Let's fill that comment page with arts ed supporters!
(to read the posted comments, click here, then click on the Comments from the Community on Potential Budget Cuts)
Here is the reply I received from Bill Carle, President of the Santa Rosa City Schools Board regarding potential cuts in visual and performing arts:
ReplyDeleteMs Gomez Madrigal- On behalf of the Board, thank you for weighing in on our difficult decisions regarding upcoming budget cuts. Several of us have asked for a review of greater potential cuts in administration, although many of the District Office staff are necessary for reporting on and administering the many state and federal programs attached to funding. Nonetheless, we are interested in cuts in admin. Second, to the extent we reduce work days, which in turn would reduce salaries, many on the Board have expressed a desire to see a greater percentage cut at the top. We will be looking at that as well. I think all of us feel cuts in visual and performing arts are not preferable. However, it may be hard to keep all programs at all levels K-12. We will see. Certainly our preference would be to save those programs. And, perhaps an explanation is in order. We asked several months ago for the district office to outline potential cuts to reduce our budget 5.6 million, and specifically to not leave anything "off the table." What we received were potential cuts that exceed the required cut amount by almost 5 million. That was done on purpose to allow us to hold public hearings and town hall meetings giving everyone a chance to weigh in on priorities and assist us in making the eventual tough choices. The Board has been patiently working through all the public input. Our first real opportunity to discuss these cuts will be at next weeks meeting; making the actual decisions the last week in January. As a result, anyone who thinks the Board has made any decisions yet, or that any Board member is favor of certain cuts, would be making a mistake. That is, with the exception of a few comments made by some Board members, on just a few issues during the public hearings. Further, we are fortunate to have Frank Pugh on our Board, who this year is the statewide President of the California School Boards Association. Through him, and with diligent work by all Board members, it is clear our district has moved ahead of most in this state over the past few years on such items as increased graduation and diploma rates, perhaps one of the top 5 career technical programs in the state through the career Pathway programs, significant investment in teacher training, books and curriculum and emphasis on closing the achievement gap. While by no means are we satisfied or complacent, we are proud of the District's efforts in the last few years and the fact that we have seen a steady increase in almost all measures of success. That would not have happened but for a committed District staff, including teachers, administrators and classified. Our Board has worked very hard to get the tools to our District and pass the policies and procedures to allow these successes. As a result, I feel confident that our Board takes strong leadership positions, solely for the benefit of Santa Rosa students. And we don't restrict those efforts locally, as we work at the state and national level trying to impact policy making. Thanks you again for your input. Your passion is clear and appreciated. Bill Carle, President, Santa Rosa City School Board