Budget Cuts: Student worker program to potentially get dropped
To read a full list of the pros and cons of the proposed budget cuts, check out The Lance this Friday March 11
“I’d have to shut down 13 and 14th mod, lock the doors, and be unable to help students until the next morning,” chemistry instructor Michael Fauss said. “I’m here all day as it is, and there’s just not enough time in the day,”
Within the proposed budget is the suggestion of eliminating student workers at the high school. Student workers are students who help out teachers in the science department, engineering and technology department and the main office.
The school board is looking at several different options to help a $4 million reduction. Superintendent Blane McCann brought the idea of cutting student workers forward, along with many other proposals.
Senior Sujata Sapkota has been a student worker for physics for two years. She gets paid $7.25/hour and helps set up labs, grade papers, and assist teachers.
“Doing this has helped me a lot because whenever you apply for a job they look for work experience,” Sapkota said. “If you can’t work outside of school this is a great experience because they’re very flexible.”
Fauss also agrees that student workers are very beneficial for both the teacher and the student.
“Allowing students to do this helps gives them real life applications and it teaches them responsibility,” Fauss said. “It also helps teachers because there’s not enough time in the day to put down and set up labs.”
However, if student workers were cut from the budget, it is estimated that the school would save $10,000. The board believes that although cutting student workers would impact the school at a certain level, other staff members could fill their jobs.
Assistant Superintendent Enid Schonewise believes that recommendations will hopefully be made by the end of March. If this is cut from the budget, it will be effective starting this summer.
“We are going to have to make several cuts no matter what,” Dr. Schonewise said. “If we don’t cut one thing then we will have to cut something else.”
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