School budget needs sounded

by Cheryl Burke

NEWS-TIMES

BEAUFORT — Appeals for adequate funding of band programs and technology dominated a public hearing Tuesday night on the school system’s 2007-2008 budget.

As county residents filled chairs, lined walls and stood out in the hallway of the County Board of Education meeting room, nearly all of the nearly 30 citizens who spoke encouraged the board to go after funds for replacement of outdated computers and band instruments and uniforms.

“All band programs in this county are in desperate need of additional funding,” said West Carteret High School senior drum major Adam Agee, who sported his West Carteret marching band shirt.

“During lean budget years, band funding has been one of the first areas cut or reduced. Because of this, band instruments in this county are simply worn out or the band programs do not have necessary funding to repair or replace them.”

Mr. Agee pointed out that band is a scheduled class that meets during the instructional day.

“Band instruments should be supplied by the school system just as textbooks are.”

Band boosters, band directors and students from all three high school band programs made up a good part of the audience.

Croatan High School band director Tripp Aldredge said, “The schools have a responsibility to provide many of the special solo and background instruments that most families cannot afford, nor should they be expected, to purchase for their private use.”

“Any cuts to these programs would be devastating,” said Shelby Willis, a parent representing the East Carteret High School band program.

School board member Dr. Rick Luettich thanked those who spoke, and encouraged them to keep speaking out about school needs. He said the school system can request funding from the county, but it was up to county commissioners to provide them.

“We can request them, but we can’t fund them. This is just the pre-season and this message has to be carried throughout the whole process, culminating with a budget hearing in June before county commissioners,” he said.

 The school board must have its request to county commissioners by mid-March, as required by state law, and the county must adopt its budget by June 30, the end of the fiscal year.

The school board will hold a special meeting to review its operations budget at 9:30 a.m. Monday.

As for technology needs, students, media coordinators and parents appealed for adequate funds to replace outdated equipment.

During a Jan. 30 workshop on its capital budget, the school board reviewed a draft of a $5.6 million capital budget, of which $1.2 million is earmarked to replace outdated computers and other technology equipment.

Broad Creek Middle School sixth-grader Mark Rickabaugh complained of computers freezing up at his school.

“”The old computers constantly freeze or don’t work at all,” he said. “Sometimes it takes us 10 minutes just to log on. If you could give us more technology funding, everyone who uses these computers would have an easier time doing their assignments. Also, more funding will help keep us current with technology.”

“Often when we have to download programs it can take a day or even longer to complete,” said Broad Creek seventh-grader Stephanie DeRose. “We need to be able to have the latest technology to stay up to date and keep things running smoothly.

“We depend on technology more than we ever have before. By fully funding technology, students will be able to have the ability to achieve at even higher levels.”

Morehead City Primary School media coordinator Mary Willis said, “In order to deliver the instruction through technology, our students need access to reliable, modern technology.”

Many of those requesting technology funds supported getting laptop computers for teachers, then moving teacher computers to student labs.

Others asked for laptops for students. Laptops would be placed on carts and rolled from classroom to classroom.

During the regular board meeting following the public hearing, East Carteret High School student Alicia Goodwin did a DVD presentation documenting her work on a senior project. Her work documented construction of a playground at Cedar Island .

Ms. Goodwin said she did her presentation on her personal laptop because the computers at the high school were inadequate.

“I’m really fortunate that I had a laptop, but a lot of students don’t have that. It took me hours and hours to put these on a disk. It would have been impossible to do this project at school.”

East Carteret teacher Carrie Sheehan said with the new state requirement that the Class of 2009-2010 complete a senior project to graduate, it’s imperative that seniors have access to adequate technology.

White Oak Elementary School advisory council member Nancy Taylor encouraged the board to provide funds for three safety and accessibility projects at her school.

She said White Oak needs funds to enclose the campus breezeway, install a 6-foot-high  fence along the borders of the campus, and a schoolwide telephone system.

Morehead City Primary advisory council chairman Betsy Piehler asked that her school have a physical education teacher position replaced that was cut and a part-time English as a Second Language position added.